I have attempted to install a pump and pressure tank system on a shallow point well for watering my lawn. What I did was run on down to home depot, where I saw and purchased a "sprinkler pump" thinking this was exactly what I needed.

What I am seeing is very inconsistent pressure, and something that strikes me as really funny. When I turn the outside bib on, the water stream builds up until I get a four foot stream shooting out on the lawn. When I turn the bib off and connect a hose, the water becomes a trickle out the end of the 25' hose. This happens repeatedly and with different hoses.

So my question is this, did I buy the wrong pump for this project? Should I have bought a regular jet pump instead of the "sprinkler" version? And finally, what is the difference between a sprinkler and a booster pump?

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

With the hose bibb wide open and no hose, there is less restriction to the flow. Adding the hose creates a restriction, lowering the flow.
A pump must be sized to the source of water. It doesn't do any good to install a pump capable of 30 gpm, if the well only produces 10 gpm.
Irrigations systems are designed to use a certain amount of water at a given pressure. For instance, one zone of my system requires 12 gpm at 40 psi to get adequate coverage. Sprinkler pumps generally produce much higher flow rates than this, so a standard jet pump is used instead. At 30 psi a Goulds 1 hp sprinkler pump will produce 43 gpm at a 5' suction lift. A 1 hp jet pump will produce 24 gpm at that same 5' lift and 30 psi. A booster pump is just that. It's a pump designed to boost a given pressure. Booster pumps can be one stage, or multiple stages, depending on how much pressure is needed.
The inconsistent pressure probably is caused by too much pump on the well.
The jet pump is probably more in line with the abilities of the well.
Best regards,
Ron Peeks
R.L. Peeks Pump Sales
www.peekspump.com