Irrigation pump repair and service for Northeast Colorado farms
An irrigation pump that quits in the middle of the season can cost a crop, so finding the real cause quickly matters as much as the repair. Kuntz Pump & Well Supply repairs and replaces irrigation well pumps, motors and controls for farms across Logan, Morgan, Sedgwick, Washington, Phillips and eastern Weld counties. This guide covers the most common irrigation pump problems, what to check first and the Colorado rules that apply when a pump is replaced.
How an irrigation well pump system works
An irrigation well moves far more water than a home well, so the equipment is bigger at every step. The pump sits down in the well and lifts water through the column pipe to the discharge head, where it feeds the pivot, gated pipe or other system. A motor at the surface or down the well drives the pump, and a control panel protects the motor and starts and stops the system.
Because each part works hard through the whole growing season, small problems tend to grow. A pump that is losing output in June can be a pump that fails in July.
Common signs your irrigation pump needs work
Watch for a pump that will not start or shuts down on its own, and breakers or overloads that keep tripping. Lower pressure at the pivot than usual, or less water than the pump used to give, are signs that something is wearing out or changing in the well. New noise or vibration at the pump, and sand or air in the water, are also worth a call before they turn into a breakdown.
Why is my irrigation pump putting out less water?
Falling output usually comes from one of a few causes. Worn pump bowls and impellers move less water over time, especially in wells that pump sand. A dropping water level in the well means the pump has to lift water farther, which cuts the flow. A leak in the column pipe sends water back down the well before it reaches the surface. Motor or control problems can keep the pump from running at full speed or running at all.
Each cause needs a different fix, so we check the system to find which one before recommending a repair.
Check the controls before pulling the pump
Power supply, the control panel and wiring come first, since they are quicker to rule out than pulling a large pump. Tripping overloads, burned contacts and damaged wiring are common, and the panel often tells us a lot about what the motor is doing. If the trouble is down the well, we pull the pump and inspect the pump, column pipe and wiring.
Repair or replace an irrigation pump?
It depends on what failed and the condition of the rest of the pump. Sometimes worn parts can be repaired and the pump goes back in. Other times, replacing the pump makes more sense, especially if the water level or the irrigation system has changed since the original pump was set. We explain what we found and the options before doing the work, so you can decide.
Once the pump is back in, we run it and check that the water is back where it should be.
Colorado rules for irrigation pump replacement
Colorado requires permanent pump installations to be done by a licensed pump installation contractor or a registered private pump installer. Kuntz Pump & Well Supply holds Colorado water well construction and pump installation license #1574.
Under the state's well construction rules, pulling pumping equipment to repair or replace it does not need a new well permit, as long as the casing is not changed and the new equipment does not pump more than the permit allows. Installing equipment that could pump more than the permitted rate requires a new permit first. Some designated ground water basins and river basins also have their own use and measurement rules, which can include metering requirements on irrigation wells. Your well permit file, available through the Division of Water Resources well permit search, lists what your well is allowed to do.
Plan ahead for the season
The best time to deal with a tired irrigation pump is before the season starts. If output dropped last year or the pump started making new noise, getting it checked before planting can save a lost week of watering in the heat of the summer. For household and stock wells, see our well pump repair and livestock water services.
Irrigation pump service across Northeast Colorado
We are based in Atwood and offer same-day service and after-hours calls, with on-call service on weekends. Call (970) 522-2035 or send a request telling us what the pump is doing and where the well is, and we will bring the right equipment.
