Submersible Well Pump: Four 1/2 HP 2-Wire Pumps Compared

Choose a submersible well pump by the flow it makes at your total dynamic head (TDH), not by horsepower. The four pumps here are all 1/2 HP, 230 V, 2-wire, 4-inch units with 1-1/4 in discharges, yet their published head ranges from a 212 ft shut-off (Red Lion) to 353 ft (Franklin). On a 40/60 psi system, that’s the difference between a pump that can lift from about 73 ft and one that can lift from about 214 ft before flow stops. Work out your pumping level and switch setting first, then pick.

The four pumps compared

	Franklin FPS 10FRD05P4-2W230	Goulds 10GS05422C	Flotec FP2212	Red Lion RL12G05-2W2V
HP / voltage / wiring	1/2 HP / 230 V / 2-wire	1/2 HP / 230 V / 2-wire	1/2 HP / 230 V / 2 wires plus ground	1/2 HP / 230 V / 2-wire
Rated or best-efficiency flow	10 gpm (6–11 gpm range)	10 gpm best efficiency (3–16 gpm range)	10 gpm series	Not stated
Maximum flow	11 gpm	16 gpm (range top)	13.6 gpm	12 gpm
Shut-off head	353 ft	Not stated as one figure (see chart below)	Not stated; 105 psi max pressure	212 ft
Depth guidance	4 in and larger wells	4 in minimum well	20–150 ft; 150 ft max depth to water	Series: 4 in wells, to 250 ft
Stages	11	10	Not stated	Not stated
Check valve	Yes	Built-in, stainless with BUNA seal	Not stated	Built-in, with suction screen
Pump body	304 stainless; acetal impellers	304 stainless; Noryl impellers, Lexan diffusers	Stainless pump and motor housing	Stainless shell; thermoplastic discharge
Certifications	NSF/ANSI 61; UL 778	CSA to UL 778 / CAN 22.2; motor NSF/ANSI 61 Annex G and 372	Not stated	Not stated
Amps	6 A (service factor)	Not stated	Not stated (10 A breaker)	6 A
Warranty	12 months from install / 24 from manufacture	Not stated	3-year limited	Not stated in page text
Relative cost	$	$$$	$$	$

Sources: Franklin, Goulds, Flotec and Red Lion product pages and brochures.

Size by flow and total dynamic head

The Nebraska DWEE sizing worksheet gives two quick flow estimates. One is 1 gpm per outlet in the house. The other is peak demand: the number of outlets likely to run at once, times 3 gpm. Three fixtures running together means about 9 gpm. Three of the four pumps here are rated around 10 gpm, and Red Lion states only a 12 gpm maximum. Either fits that household as long as the well can keep up.

Head is the other half. The same worksheet adds the vertical lift from the pumping water level to the tank, the friction loss in pipe and fittings, and the switch pressure converted at 2.31 ft per psi. With a 40/60 switch, the pump has to reach 60 psi, or 138.6 ft of head, on top of the lift.

Worked example: pumping level 80 ft below the tank, 10 ft of friction (an assumption; take yours from a friction chart for your pipe size), 60 psi cut-out. TDH = 80 + 10 + 138.6 = 228.6 ft. A pump with a 212 ft shut-off head can’t get there at all. Our well pump guide walks through the full method.

The no-flow ceiling: shut-off head minus switch pressure

Shut-off head is the point where a pump’s flow drops to zero. Subtract the cut-out pressure in feet and you get the deepest pumping level the pump can work from at all, before friction. The real working depth is shallower, because you need flow, not just pressure.

Pump	Shut-off head	Ceiling at 50 psi cut-out	Ceiling at 60 psi cut-out
Franklin 10FRD05P4-2W230	353 ft	about 237 ft	about 214 ft
Red Lion RL12G05-2W2V	212 ft	about 96 ft	about 73 ft

Goulds publishes flow instead. Its 10GS05 selection chart gives these figures:

Depth to water	40 psi	50 psi	60 psi
60 ft	11.8 gpm	10.6 gpm	9.3 gpm
100 ft	9.7 gpm	8.3 gpm	6.5 gpm
140 ft	7.0 gpm	4.5 gpm	0.2 gpm
180 ft	1.7 gpm	Not listed	Not listed

Flotec states a 150 ft maximum depth to water and a 105 psi maximum pressure, but its flow curve is published only as an image.

One mismatch to note: Red Lion’s page says the RL series serves wells “to depths of 250’.” For this 1/2 HP model, the 212 ft shut-off head is the binding number. A larger RL model is needed for deep settings.

2-wire vs 3-wire

Franklin’s AIM manual explains the difference. A 2-wire motor has its starting switch inside the motor, so the pressure switch feeds it directly with no box at the surface. A 3-wire single-phase motor needs a control box with starting capacitors and a starting relay, and some sizes add overload protectors and run capacitors. Franklin says the box and motor are “two pieces of one assembly.” Horsepower and voltage must match, and running without the correct box can cause motor failure.

All four picks are 2-wire. That means fewer parts, but nothing at the surface to repair if the starting circuit fails. If your well has a 3-wire motor and a control box today, replacing like for like is usually simpler. Our well pump not working guide covers control-box checks.

Installation details that decide how long a pump lasts

Franklin’s AIM manual sets out the rules installers work to:

• Check valves: use at least one positive-sealing check valve. If the pump lacks a built-in one, install a line check valve within 25 ft of the pump, below the drawdown level. Never use a swing-type check valve with a submersible.
• Clearance: keep at least 10 ft of clear water between the bottom of the motor and the bottom of the well.
• Cooling: standard motors are rated for water up to 86°F. 4-inch motors of 2 HP and smaller have no minimum cooling flow, except that flow must be greater than zero.
• Surge protection: every submersible motor needs a dedicated surge arrestor. Motors 5 HP and under marked as equipped with lightning arrestors have one built in.
• Cycling: single-phase motors up to 0.75 HP are limited to 300 starts per 24 hours, and every start should run at least one minute. The pressure tank sets how often the pump starts.

Safety: who should pull and set a pump

Franklin says its submersible equipment should be installed and serviced by technically qualified personnel. It warns of voltages that can cause severe injury or death, and says some controls hold lethal voltage after power is cut. Allow 5 minutes before opening them. Pulling a pump means lifting the pump, motor, wet drop pipe and cable out of the casing by hand or with a rig. Some states license the work. In Minnesota, for example, installing or removing a well pump requires a license under Minnesota Rules 4725.0475. Check your state’s rule and hire a licensed pump installer or well contractor. Our well pump replacement cost guide breaks down what that labor covers.

The picks

Franklin FPS 10FRD05P4-2W230: most head for a deeper pumping level

Its 353 ft shut-off head is the most of the four, and it has 11 stages, a 304 stainless body and listings to NSF/ANSI 61 and UL 778. It is rated for continuous duty with an encapsulated motor. The cons: Franklin publishes a 6–11 gpm range and shut-off head on the product page but no gpm-at-depth table, and the warranty is 12 months from installation or 24 months from manufacture.

Goulds 10GS05422C: best published performance data

It’s the only pump here whose maker publishes flow at each depth and pressure. That lets you check it against your well before buying. Goulds lists a stainless discharge head and check valve, a motor certified to NSF/ANSI 61 Annex G and 372, and field-serviceable construction. It costs the most of the four, and the warranty isn’t stated in the brochure.

Flotec FP2212: for water levels down to 150 ft

Flotec states the operating range plainly (20–150 ft), a 13.6 gpm maximum, 105 psi maximum pressure, a 10 A breaker and a 3-year limited warranty. The cons: no shut-off head, stage count, check valve or certifications are stated on the page.

Red Lion RL12G05-2W2V: for shallow pumping levels only

It has a 12 gpm maximum, 6 A draw, built-in check valve and suction screen, and a low relative cost. With a 212 ft shut-off head, it only makes sense where the pumping level sits well under about 73 ft on a 40/60 system, or about 96 ft on 30/50. No certifications are listed, and the warranty is shown only as a graphic, not in the page text.

How to choose

1. Find your pumping level. It’s the water level while the pump runs, not the static level. Get it from the well log or your contractor.
2. Add friction and switch pressure to get TDH.
3. Check the ceiling table or chart above. Pick a pump that still makes your peak gpm at that TDH.
4. Match the existing wiring (2-wire or 3-wire) and voltage, unless you’re replacing the control box too.
5. Don’t out-pump the well. The Nebraska worksheet asks for well recovery rate for this reason.

Who should skip all of these

• Shallow water levels, where a jet pump above ground is easier to service. See shallow well pumps.
• Pumping levels deeper than about 200 ft on a 40/60 system. None of these 1/2 HP pumps leaves useful flow there. Go up in horsepower or stages.
• Wells under 4 in diameter. All four are 4-inch pumps.

Sources

1. Franklin Electric — FPS 3200 Series 2-wire submersible pump, item 96211010 (10FRD05P4-2W230)
   10 gpm rated, 6–11 gpm, 353 ft shut-off, 11 stages, materials, certifications, warranty
2. Goulds Water Technology — GS Series technical brochure (B5-25GS R9)
   10GS05 selection chart (gpm by depth at 0–60 psi), flow range, stages, materials, model nomenclature
3. Pentair Flotec — FP2212 1/2 HP 2-wire 4-inch submersible well pump
   20–150 ft operating range, 13.6 gpm, 105 psi, 10 A breaker, 3-year warranty
4. Red Lion — 4-inch submersible well pumps, RL series
   RL12G05-2W2V 212 ft shut-off, 12 gpm, 6 A; series application to 250 ft; built-in check valve
5. Franklin Electric — AIM Manual, 60 Hz Submersible Systems (2026 edition)
   Qualified-personnel warning; check valves within 25 ft, no swing type; starts per 24 h; 1-minute run; 2-wire controls; 3-wire control boxes; 10 ft clear water below motor; surge arrestor; 86°F standard motor water
6. Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment — Water Systems Sizing and Selection worksheet
   1 gpm per outlet; simultaneous outlets x 3 gpm; TDH = elevation + friction + psi x 2.31
7. Minnesota Rules 4725.0475 — Activities requiring licensure or registration
   Installing or removing a well pump or pumping equipment requires a license