The Best Rated Shallow Well Jet Pumps

So you’re after a great deal on one of the best rated shallow water well pumps? (See our list below).

We can help! At RocksFast we spend a lot of time working with customers and their water well installations. From pumps to enclosures, we do it all!

What To Look For In A High-Quality Shallow Water Jet Pump?

• An output of at least 1/3 horsepower (for most installations less than 1/3 HP is insufficient);
• Capable of generating a water PSI at or above 50 PSI;
• A cast iron casing to protect the pump from impact damage (remember these are installed above ground);
• An integrated pressure switch that will turn the pump on and off automatically if desired;
• A motor with a capacitor with a voltage rating matching your power supply;

If you are installing a new well it’s important to remember that even the most powerful and highly rated shallow water jet pumps are not rated to push water from wells deeper than about 25 ft. Anything deeper may require a deep well submersible pump.

Based on the qualifications above, here are our top picks for shallow water jet pump reviews.

🏆 Star 1/3 HP Shallow Well Jet Pump – Made in the USA

This USA Made 1/3HP pump by STAR features a handy dual voltage capacitor motor for installations in a variety of settings. This pump is capable of propelling water up to 25 feet with an impressive maximum 80 PSI. This pump can be used for potable water and irrigation applications.

🏆 Goulds J10S Shallow Well Jet Pump

We like the Goulds J10S because of its versatile 115/230V capacitor and the fact that it has an incorporated overload circuit that will actually restart the pump after it’s been tripped. This unit produces 1 HP and ships with a factory set pressure regulator.

🏆 Acquaer SJC050 1/2 HP

This shallow water jet pump by Acquaer is for lighter duty applications with its 1/2 horsepower motor and flow rate just above the 700 GPH (gallons of water per hour) rating. This pump ships wired for 230V but can also be used for 115V installations. We really like the 2-year warranty.

🏆 Red Lion RJS-100-PREM Shallow Jet Pump

With a fast and easy voltage selector for 115/230 volt installations and a powerful 1 horsepower electric motor, the Red Lion is able to create up to 23 Gallons per minute of water flow at a generous 50 PSI. We really like the power and the cast iron construction of this shallow well pump which is made tough for years of trouble free service.

🏆 WAYNE SWS50 1/2 HP Cast Iron Shallow Well Jet Pump

Another great choice for light to medium duty well applications is this 120V/240V jet pump by Wayne. The pump is assembled in the United States and cranks out up to 1/2 horsepower with a 50PSI flow rate.

🏆 Red Lion PWJET50 Cast Iron Shallow Well Jet Pump

The Red Lion PWJET 50 is another cast iron mid-sized workhorse. It features a 1/2 Horsepower electric motor generating a 23 Gallon Per Minute flow at 50PSI. The pump is fitted with a pressure switch and auto-shutoff switch aside a voltage selector allowing for different electrical connections.

🏆 Acquaer 3/4 HP Dual-Voltage Well Jet Pump With Injector kit

This 3/4 HP rig by Acquer is another cast iron workhouse with dual voltage wiring options (230/115V) an included injector kit for easy priming and a handy-dandy 2-year warranty.

🏆 WAYNE SWS100 1 HP Cast Iron Shallow Well Jet Pump

Bigger, badder, and bolder then the Wayne SWS50, this model boasts a full 1HP motor capable of ripping 510 gallons per hour at 50 psi. The pressure switch is set at the factory to 30-50 psi. There’s even a dedicated priming port to help get this pump going in a big hurry!

🏆 Flotec FP4012-10 1/2 HP Shallow Well Pump Jet

Another great choice for medium sized well projects is the Flotec FP4012-10. This pump can handle pumping water from a depth of 25 feet with its 1/2 horsepower electric motor. The 10 gallon per minute flow rate is produced at 40psi. A cover over the electrical components protects from insects, dust and tampering.

The Best Shallow Well Jet Pump & Pressure Tank Combo Packages

How about killing two birds with one stone? Instead of installing a pump and seperate pressure tank, opt instead for one of these nifty and convenient shallow well jet pump and pressure tank combinations!

🏆Red Lion 97080503 Shallow Well Jet Pump and Tank Package, Cast Iron Pump with pressure Tank, 5.8 gallon

Combo up with this Red Lion Shallow Jet Pump and Pressure Tank package. The pump is classic Red Lion cast iron for extreme durability and the pre-inflated tank is made of steel with a diaphram style water chamber holding 5.3 to fourteen gallons of water. The low profile design ships ready to install with a 30/50 pressure activated switch included.

🏆BURCAM 506227P 3/4 HP Noryl Shallow Well Jet Pump System

With an industrial class fan-cooled motor capable of punching up to 850 gallons of water an hour and a vertical lift of 25 feet, this pump and pressure tank combination package is a great choice. This unit features a corrosion-resistant pump for rust-free water and a quieter run time. The unique pressure tank bladder is made to withstand corrosion by avoiding contact with the tank as well.

🏆BurCam 506547SS SW Stainless Steel Jet Pump/Tank, Ml25H 3/4 hp, 115V/230V

Bling it up with this shiny and snazzy stainless steel jet pump / pressure tank package. The shiny stainless steel isn’t just for looks though. Without any internal rust or corrosion you’ll never have to worry about drinking nasty brown rust water.

Shallow Water Jet Pump Installation Tips

Jet pumps are mounted above the well, either in the home, outside on a concrete slab, or in a well house. These powerful water pumps draw the water up from the well through suction (see Single-Drop Jet-Pump System diagram on next page). Because suction is involved, atmospheric pressure is what’s really doing the work.

Think of the system as a long straw. As you suck on the straw, you create a vacuum in the straw above the water. Once the vacuum is there, the weight of the air, or atmospheric pressure, pushes the water up the straw. Consequently, the height that you can lift the water with a shallow-well jet pump relates to the weight of the air. While air pressure varies with elevation, it’s common to limit the depth of a jet-pump-operated shallow well to about 25 ft depending on the overall elevation of the installation site.

Jet pumps create suction in a rather novel way. The pump is powered by an electric motor that drives an impeller, or centrifugal pump. The impeller moves water, called drive water, from the well through a narrow orifice, or jet, mounted in the housing in front of the impeller.

This constriction at the jet causes the speed of the moving water to increase, much like the nozzle on a garden hose. As the water leaves the jet, a partial vacuum is created that sucks additional water from the well. Directly behind the jet is a Venturi tube that increases in diameter. Its function is to slow down the water and increase the pressure.

The pumped water–new water that’s drawn from the well by the suction at the jet–then combines with the drive water to discharge into the plumbing system at high pressure.

Because shallow-well jet pumps use water to draw water, they generally need to be primed–filled with water–before they’ll work. To keep water in the pump and plumbing system from flowing back down into the well, a 1-way check valve is installed in the feed line to the pump.

To wrap things up, even the best shallow water well jet pump is going to have issues pumping water beyond the 25-foot vertical mark. So when you are digging the well and installing the well casing make sure to keep this 25 foot limit in mind.

Also have a plan for protecting the pump from the elements. Many people choose to build a well house or use a fake boulder well tank cover to hide and protect the pump motor. Whichever route you decide to take, keep in mind that the enclosure must be vented to allow for airflow through the enclosure to keep the pump cool and prevent it from overheating and seizing up in a smokey mess!