Best well pump, jet and submersible: Red Lion and Goulds spec sheets sorted by depth to water, then GPM at a stated depth and pressure, because the depth picks the type before the horsepower
Depth to water picks the type: under 25 ft a shallow jet (Red Lion RJS-75, 7.2 GPM at 25 ft, 40 psi), 25 to 90 ft a convertible, deeper a 4 in submersible (RL12G10).
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Short answer
Depth to water picks the well pump before horsepower does. For a pumping level of 25 ft or less, the pick is the Red Lion RJS-75-PREM shallow-well jet: Red Lion’s catalog prints 3/4 HP, 115/230 V, a factory 30/50 switch and 7.2 GPM at 25 ft of lift and 40 psi, and its manual limits the pump to 25 ft including draw-down. From 25 to 90 ft, the Red Lion RJC-75-PREM convertible with its injector kit is the above-ground option, at 4.8 GPM from 30 ft and 1.3 GPM from 90 ft at 40 psi. Deeper than that, the Red Lion RL12G10 4 in submersible prints 15 GPM at 100 ft to water and 40 psi and a 399 ft shutoff, in 2-wire and 3-wire versions. Skip the submersibles if you would not pull the pump yourself: Franklin Electric’s AIM Manual assigns installation and service to technically qualified personnel.
The picks
Depth to water 25 ft or less, one or two bathrooms, lowest tier
Red Lion RJS-50-PREM with M4 low-pressure cut-off switch (1/2 HP shallow jet, budget)
Red Lion catalog 996508: 1/2 HP, 115/230 V, 11.8 A at 115 V, 12.6 GPM at 5 ft lift and 30 psi, 6.2 GPM at 25 ft and 40 psi, 30/50 switch preset, 1-1/4 in intake, 1 in discharge; bundle adds a 30-50 psi M4 low-pressure cut-off switch
Depth to water 25 ft or less and the household demand of a typical family
Red Lion RJS-75-PREM (3/4 HP shallow jet, mid)
Red Lion catalog 996508: 3/4 HP, 115/230 V, 14.4 A at 115 V, 16.7 GPM at 5 ft lift and 30 psi, 7.2 GPM at 25 ft and 40 psi, 30/50 switch preset; catalog prints CSA certification to UL 778, CSA 108 and NSF/ANSI 372
Shallow well feeding a large house or irrigation that needs more than 10 GPM
Red Lion RJS-100-PREM (1 HP shallow jet, high flow)
Red Lion catalog 996508: 1 HP, 115/230 V, 17.6 A at 115 V, 23.2 GPM at 5 ft lift and 30 psi, 11.5 GPM at 25 ft and 40 psi, 30/50 switch preset, 3-year limited warranty per the RJS-PREM manual
Depth to water between 25 and 90 ft and no wish to put a pump down the well
Red Lion RJC-75-PREM (3/4 HP convertible jet, 25 to 90 ft)
Red Lion data sheet FT 3141036: shallow use under 25 ft or deep use 25 to 90 ft with the included injector kit and gauge, 3/4 HP, 115/230 V, 17.6 A at 115 V, 16.2 GPM max, 4.8 GPM at 30 ft lift and 40 psi, 1.3 GPM at 90 ft and 40 psi, 30/50 switch, 3-year warranty
Deep well, a pump set past jet reach, and no room or wish for a control box
Red Lion RL12G10-2W2V (1 HP 4 in submersible, 2-wire, 230 V)
Red Lion RL spec sheet: 4 in and larger drilled wells to 250 ft, 1 HP, 230 V, 9.8 A, 2-wire, 15 GPM at 100 ft to water and 40 psi, 11 GPM at 200 ft and 40 psi, 399 ft shutoff, 12 GPM class, 1-1/4 in FNPT discharge, built-in check valve and suction screen
Deep well where the existing wiring is 3-wire and the control box lives in the basement
Red Lion RL12G10-3W2V (1 HP 4 in submersible, 3-wire, control box included)
Red Lion RL spec sheet: same hydraulics as the 2-wire model (15 GPM at 100 ft and 40 psi, 399 ft shutoff, 9.8 A at 230 V), 3-wire motor, control box included with all 3-wire pumps from 1/2 to 1 HP; replacement box RLCB10-230, item 640191
If the pump in the well still runs and the problem is a switch that will not click or a tank that short-cycles, this is the wrong page: start with well pump not working, no water and the pressure switch parts page.
How was this shortlist built?
Every figure here is a manufacturer-published specification read on 2026-10-11 from the document named beside it. No pump was installed, run or bench tested by this site, and every listing was confirmed buyable the same day. Units were compared on pump type, horsepower, voltage, rated depth, GPM at a stated depth and discharge pressure, the switch shipped, wire type and any printed listing mark.
A shallow-well jet sits above ground and lifts water by suction. A convertible jet adds an injector (ejector) assembly down the well so it can reach further. A submersible hangs in the well below the water and pushes water up.
Three gaps are stated, not filled. No spec sheet opened for Wayne, Flotec, Everbilt, Aquastrong or Grundfos SQ, so none appears in the table and constant-pressure pumps are not covered. Goulds’ GS submersible brochure prints a curve but no GPM-by-depth table, so it has no row. And no document read states a depth past which a homeowner should not pull a pump, so the skip rule below rests on the makers’ qualified-personnel text, not on a number.
Which pump type does your depth to water call for?
Depth to water means the vertical distance from the pump (or the wellhead, for a submersible) to the water level while the pump runs, which is lower than the standing level. Red Lion’s RJS-PREM manual puts the shallow-jet limit at 25 ft including draw-down, and less at altitude.
| Depth to water | Pump type on the sheets read | What the maker prints |
|---|---|---|
| 25 ft or less | Shallow-well jet (Red Lion RJS-PREM, Goulds JS+ and J+ in shallow mode) | Red Lion manual: pump to water not over 25 ft including draw-down |
| 25 to 90 ft | Convertible jet with injector kit (Red Lion RJC-PREM, Goulds J+ with JDW or AV22 kit) | Red Lion RJC sheet: deep well 25 to 90 ft; Goulds: deep-well systems require a pressure control valve |
| Past 90 ft, 4 in or larger casing | 4 in submersible (Red Lion RL series) | Red Lion RL sheet: drilled wells to 250 ft; RL12G10 shutoff 399 ft |
Once the type is fixed, the GPM comes from household demand, and the well pump size GPM calculator turns fixture count into that number. Then read the maker’s curve at your depth and at your switch’s cut-out pressure, because the box GPM is the 5 ft figure.
How do the pumps compare on paper?
GPM is read at the depth and discharge pressure named in the cell. Jet lifts are suction lift from the catalog and data sheet; submersible depths are depth to water from the RL sheet.
| Model | Type | HP | Volts | Rated depth | GPM at depth and pressure | Switch shipped | Wire | Listing printed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lion RJS-50-PREM | Shallow jet | 1/2 | 115/230 | 25 ft lift | 10.0 at 5 ft, 40 psi; 6.2 at 25 ft, 40 psi | 30/50 preset | Above ground | CSA to UL 778, CSA 108; NSF/ANSI 372 |
| Red Lion RJS-75-PREM | Shallow jet | 3/4 | 115/230 | 25 ft lift | 12.6 at 5 ft, 40 psi; 7.2 at 25 ft, 40 psi | 30/50 preset | Above ground | CSA to UL 778, CSA 108; NSF/ANSI 372 |
| Red Lion RJS-100-PREM | Shallow jet | 1 | 115/230 | 25 ft lift | 16.8 at 5 ft, 40 psi; 11.5 at 25 ft, 40 psi | 30/50 preset | Above ground | CSA to UL 778, CSA 108; NSF/ANSI 372 |
| Red Lion RJC-50-PREM | Convertible jet | 1/2 | 115/230 | 25 to 90 ft with injector | 3.7 at 30 ft, 40 psi; 0.7 at 90 ft, 40 psi | 30/50 | Above ground | None on the sheet read |
| Red Lion RJC-75-PREM | Convertible jet | 3/4 | 115/230 | 25 to 90 ft with injector | 4.8 at 30 ft, 40 psi; 1.3 at 90 ft, 40 psi | 30/50 | Above ground | None on the sheet read |
| Goulds J5 (J+) | Convertible jet | 1/2 | 115/230 | Shallow, or deep with JDW or AV22 kit | 10.2 at 5 ft, 40 psi; 6.2 at 25 ft, 40 psi (shallow mode) | AS4, 30-50 preset | Above ground | CSA; NSF/ANSI 61 and 372 (jet pump and shallow components only) |
| Goulds J5S (JS+) | Shallow jet | 1/2 | 115/230 | Shallow only | 10.2 at 5 ft, 40 psi; 6.2 at 25 ft, 40 psi | AS4, 30-50 preset | Above ground | CSA and UL blocks; UL 778 listed motor |
| Red Lion RL12G07-2W2V / -3W2V | 4 in submersible | 3/4 | 230, 8 A | Wells to 250 ft; shutoff 291 ft | 13 at 100 ft, 40 psi; 1 at 200 ft, 40 psi | None (pump only; Sub-pac version includes switch and gauge) | 2-wire, or 3-wire with control box | None printed |
| Red Lion RL12G10-2W2V / -3W2V | 4 in submersible | 1 | 230, 9.8 A | Wells to 250 ft; shutoff 399 ft | 15 at 100 ft, 40 psi; 11 at 200 ft, 40 psi | None (pump only) | 2-wire, or 3-wire with control box | None printed |
Read the RJS-75 row twice: 12.6 GPM at 5 ft becomes 7.2 GPM at 25 ft at the same 40 psi, a loss of over 40 percent across the pump’s own working range.
Red Lion RJS-50-PREM, RJS-75-PREM and RJS-100-PREM shallow-well jets: buy one or skip them?
Buy the RJS-75-PREM if the pumping level is 25 ft or less and the house has two or three bathrooms. Red Lion’s catalog prints 3/4 HP, dual 115/230 V (14.4 A at 115 V), a 1-1/4 in intake, a 1 in discharge, a factory 30/50 switch and 7.2 GPM at 25 ft lift and 40 psi; the manual prints a 3-year limited warranty.
Buy the RJS-50-PREM bundle if the demand is small: 6.2 GPM at 25 ft and 40 psi, and the bundle adds an M4 low-pressure cut-off switch, the same 30-50 psi switch family covered on the pressure switch page.
Buy the RJS-100-PREM if the shallow well also feeds irrigation: 11.5 GPM at 25 ft and 40 psi, on 17.6 A at 115 V.
The flaw all three share is the 25 ft wall. Red Lion’s manual says the pump suits installations where the vertical distance from pump to water does not exceed 25 ft including draw-down, so a well that drops in August stops delivering. Skip them if that number is in doubt, and skip them if a printed NSF/ANSI 61 listing matters to you: Red Lion prints CSA certification to UL 778, CSA 108 and NSF/ANSI 372 (lead-free), not 61. Goulds’ J5S prints the same hydraulics with CSA and UL blocks, if a dealer has one.
Red Lion RJC-75-PREM convertible jet: buy it or skip it?
Buy it if depth to water is between 25 and 90 ft and you want the pump in the basement or a pit, not down the hole. Red Lion’s data sheet lists shallow use under 25 ft or deep use from 25 to 90 ft with the included injector kit and gauge, 3/4 HP, 115/230 V, a 30/50 switch, a 16.2 GPM maximum and a 3-year warranty.
The flaw is the curve. The same sheet prints 4.8 GPM at 30 ft lift and 40 psi, 3.7 GPM at 60 ft and 1.3 GPM at 90 ft. At the bottom of its range a convertible jet fills a pressure tank slowly, which is why the pressure tank review sizes drawdown on pump GPM and a one minute run.
Skip it if the well is already past 60 ft: the RL12G07 submersible prints 13 GPM at 100 ft and 40 psi, ten times the convertible’s 90 ft figure. Skip it too if a printed NSF/ANSI 61 listing matters: the Goulds J5 prints CSA plus NSF/ANSI 61 and 372, but only for the jet pump and the shallow-well components, and Goulds states that its deep-well components are not listed.
Red Lion RL12G10-2W2V and RL12G10-3W2V submersibles: buy one or skip them?
Buy the RL12G10-2W2V if the well is drilled 4 in or larger, the water sits past jet reach and you want no control box. Red Lion’s sheet prints 1 HP, 230 V, 9.8 A, a 12 GPM class, 15 GPM at 100 ft to water and 40 psi, 11 GPM at 200 ft and 40 psi, a 399 ft shutoff, a stainless shell and a built-in check valve and suction screen.
Buy the RL12G10-3W2V if the existing drop cable is 3-wire and the old control box hangs on the basement wall. Red Lion prints the same GPM table for both and includes the control box with every 3-wire pump from 1/2 to 1 HP; the replacement box is the RLCB10-230, item 640191. Franklin Electric’s AIM Manual requires a control box on every single-phase 3-wire motor, so the box is not optional.
The flaw is the paperwork. The RL sheet prints no UL, CSA or NSF mark anywhere, so a buyer who needs one has to read the nameplate on the pump itself. The pump-only RL models also ship without a pressure switch or gauge; per the sheet only the RL12G05 and RL12G07 Sub-pac versions include them.
Skip both if you would not pull the pump yourself. Franklin’s AIM Manual assigns installation and service to technically qualified personnel, and a pump at the bottom of 250 ft of drop pipe turns a cheaper pump into a contractor’s day rate. Skip the 1 HP if the well is shallow for a submersible: the 3/4 HP RL12G07 prints 13 GPM at 100 ft and 40 psi on 8 A, and a pump that over-delivers short-cycles the tank.
Measure before you buy
Do not order any pump until two numbers are known: the pumping level in feet (the well log, or a contractor’s sounder, with the pump running) and the household GPM from the well pump size calculator. The first picks the row in the table above; the second picks the column. Match the new pump’s switch to the tank with the pressure tank cross-reference: every jet here ships at 30/50, and the RL12G10 submersibles ship with no switch at all.
What goes wrong?
The box GPM was the 5 ft figure. Red Lion prints 16.7 GPM for the RJS-75-PREM at 5 ft and 30 psi; at 25 ft and 50 psi the same pump prints 2.9 GPM. Read the curve at your depth and at cut-out, not cut-in.
The tank is too small for the new pump. Franklin’s AIM Manual caps encapsulated single-phase motors from 1 to 5.5 HP at 100 starts per 24 hours with a minimum run of one minute per start. A 15 GPM pump on a 20-gallon-class tank hits that limit fast; the pressure tank review sizes drawdown against GPM.
The convertible was set with a long offset. Goulds’ J+ brochure states that a 50 ft horizontal offset cuts its twin-pipe deep-well ratings by about 25 percent.
The water changed, not the pump. A new pump stirs sediment and can change taste for a while. If it persists, run the annual well test panel before blaming the pump, and the sediment and turbidity guide covers the filter that belongs ahead of the house.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether I need a jet pump or a submersible well pump?
Measure the depth from the pump location to the water level while the well is being pumped. Red Lion's RJS-PREM manual limits its shallow-well jets to 25 ft including draw-down; Red Lion's convertible sheet covers 25 to 90 ft with an injector kit; Red Lion's RL submersible sheet covers 4 in drilled wells to 250 ft. Past jet reach there is no above-ground option on these sheets.
What is the difference between a 2-wire and a 3-wire submersible pump?
A 3-wire motor has its starting components in a control box above ground; Franklin Electric's AIM Manual requires a control box on every single-phase 3-wire motor, and Red Lion includes the box with its 3-wire pumps from 1/2 to 1 HP. A 2-wire motor carries those components inside the motor and needs no box. Red Lion prints the same GPM table for both versions of the RL12G10.
How many gallons per minute does a well pump need to deliver?
Count the fixtures that run at once, not the GPM printed on the box. Red Lion's RJS-75-PREM prints 16.7 GPM at 5 ft lift and 30 psi but 7.2 GPM at 25 ft lift and 40 psi, less than half. Work the household number through the well pump size calculator, then read the maker's curve at your depth and your switch's cut-out pressure, not at the headline.
What pressure switch comes with a well pump?
Red Lion's RJS-PREM and RJC-PREM jet pumps ship with a 30/50 psi switch preset at the factory, and Goulds' J+ and JS+ jet pumps ship with an AS4 switch preset to 30-50 psi. Red Lion's RL submersible sheet lists no switch with the pump-only models: only the Sub-pac versions (RL12G05 and RL12G07) include a switch and gauge, so a buyer of the RL12G10 adds the switch separately.
Which well pumps print an NSF/ANSI 61 listing?
On the documents read for this page, only Goulds prints it: the J+ technical brochure lists CSA and NSF/ANSI 61 and 372 for the jet pumps and shallow-well components, and states that deep-well components are not listed. Red Lion's catalog prints CSA certification to UL 778, CSA 108 and NSF/ANSI 372 for the RJS-PREM jets. Red Lion's RL submersible sheet prints no listing mark at all.
Fact sheet and how to cite this page
- Answer
- Depth to water picks the pump type. Red Lion’s RJS-PREM manual rates its shallow-well jets for a vertical distance from pump to water of 25 ft or less; the RJC-PREM convertible sheet covers 25 to 90 ft with its injector kit; the RL 4 in submersible sheet covers drilled wells to 250 ft. At 40 psi the RJS-75-PREM delivers 7.2 GPM from 25 ft and the RL12G10 delivers 15 GPM from 100 ft.
- Comparison basis
- Red Lion catalog 996508 (RJS-PREM GPM by lift and pressure, amps, certification line), the RJS-PREM owner’s manual (25 ft rule, warranty), the RJC-PREM data sheet FT 3141036 (GPM at 5 to 90 ft lift), the RL 4 in submersible spec sheet (GPM by depth to water and discharge pressure, shutoff, amps, control box), Goulds technical brochures BJ+ and BJS+ (shallow GPM table, AS4 switch, agency listings) and Franklin Electric’s AIM Manual M1311.
- Assumptions
- Depth to water is the pumping level with draw-down, not the depth of the borehole; Red Lion’s 25 ft rule includes draw-down and shrinks at altitude
- A 4 in or larger drilled well with a working pressure tank and a pressure switch already on the tank tee; constant-pressure (variable speed) systems were not compared because no Grundfos SQ sheet was opened
- GPM figures are the makers’ published curves at the stated lift or depth and discharge pressure; a 50 ft horizontal offset on a deep-well jet cuts Goulds’ twin-pipe ratings by about 25 percent
- Method
- OwnerSpec compared manufacturer-published specifications read on 2026-10-11 from the documents named beside each figure and confirmed each listing buyable the same day; it did not install, run or bench test any pump, and attributes a certification only where the maker’s own document prints it.
- Primary source
- Red Lion Products, 4 in Submersible Well Pumps spec sheet, items 14942401 thru 14942414 (R1) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Facts verified
- Last updated
- Cite as
- OwnerSpec, "Best well pump, jet and submersible: Red Lion and Goulds spec sheets sorted by depth to water, then GPM at a stated depth and pressure, because the depth picks the type before the horsepower", https://ownerspec.com/water/reviews/best-well-pump-jet-and-submersible/, facts verified 11 October 2026.
Every figure above also appears, with its source, in the article. All sources ยท How OwnerSpec verifies numbers
Sources
- Red Lion Products, 4 in Submersible Well Pumps spec sheet, items 14942401 thru 14942414 (R1) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Red Lion Products, Product Catalog 996508 (Premium Shallow Well Jet Pumps and Premium Cast Iron Convertible Jet Pumps pages) (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Red Lion Products, RJS-PREM Series Shallow Well Jet Pump Owner's Manual 106905101 (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Red Lion Products, Premium Cast Iron Convertible Jet Pumps data sheet FT 3141036 (RJC-50-PREM, RJC-75-PREM), hosted copy (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Goulds Water Technology (Xylem), Technical Brochure BJ+ R3, J+ Convertible Jet Pumps J5, J7, J10, J15 (January 2021), hosted copy (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Goulds Water Technology (Xylem), Technical Brochure BJS+, JS+ Shallow Well Jet Pumps J5S, J5SH, J7S, J10S, J15S, hosted copy (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Goulds Water Technology (Xylem), GS Stainless Steel Submersible Pump brochure GSSALES (October 2015), hosted copy (manufacturer or vendor document)
- Franklin Electric, AIM Manual M1311, 60 Hz Submersible Systems, 2026 edition (manufacturer or vendor document)