How to Install Red Jacket Jet Water Pumps

Switch off the power to the well at the breaker and drain the pressure tank and disconnect the service line and air volume control if applicable. Study the existing plumbing and draw a plan of the proposed new plumbing to calculate and design any necessary changes to the existing plumbing. On Red Jacket pumps, the bottom larger pipe is the suction pipe and the smaller top pipe is the drive pipe that pushes the water to the pressure tank or faucets. In some instances you may need to cross over your pipes by making a cross-over adapter.

Remove the old pump if applicable and stand the new Red Jacket jet pump in its place. Connect the suction pipe, the service line and if applicable, the air volume control line. Use pipe sealing tape to join metal pipes or pipe compound for PVC.

Wire the motor according to the instructions on the inside cover of your pressure switch. If you are not sure how to do this, get a licensed electrician to do it for you. It is imperative that you ground the pump using a conductor or metal underground pipe or ground lead in the service panel according to your local electrical code.

Prime the shallow well pump. On shallow well pumps, remove the priming plug on the top and open any faucets on the outgoing side of the pressure tank to allow air to be forced out of the system. Pour water into the opening until it flows out of the top without air bubbles. Replace the priming plug loosely and turn on the power and start the pump. Once water is pumping and the pressure tank is filling, turn off the faucets and tighten the priming plug in the pump.

Prime a deep water pump. The procedure is similar except there is a regulator instead of a priming plug. Remove the regulator, pour water into the hole until no more air bubbles are apparent. Turn the regulator adjusting screw counter clockwise until the stem travel stops or the regulator poppet is near the valve bushing end. Replace the regulator. Turn the adjusting screw all the way in clockwise. Open the faucets on the downstream side of the pressure tank. Turn on the power and while the pump is operating, turn the regulator adjusting screw slowly counter-clockwise until the pressure gauge fluctuates or the pump gets really noisy, then screw it in clockwise until the pressure holds steady.