Two main kinds
- Submersible pump: the whole pump and motor sit down inside the bore, under the water, and push the water up. It suits deep water.
- Surface pump: it sits on the ground and pulls the water up through a pipe. It can only pull water from a limited depth, so it suits shallow water or taking water from a tank or a tube well that is not deep.
How to choose
- Know how deep the water is now. A mistri can measure it. If it is deep, a surface pump will not pull it.
- Know the bore width. A submersible pump must fit the bore with space around it.
- Know how much water you need and how high it has to go, for example to a rooftop tank. Ask the mistri to match the pump to this, not just to the bore.
- Ask about the supply: single-phase or three-phase, and whether your voltage is stable. A bigger pump on a weak supply will keep tripping or burn out.
Safety and fitting
Pumps run on mains electricity near water. Fitting, wiring, earthing and any protection switch should be done by a trained person, and nobody should handle a connected pump or its cable with wet hands. Lowering a long pipe with a heavy pump takes several people and proper equipment, so leave it to the mistri's team.