Why the Confusion Exists

If you’ve browsed the Baker Water Systems catalog, you may have noticed something that seems odd: there’s a section for Jet Pumps (pages 211–231), and then a completely separate section for Irrigation & Booster Pumps (pages 277–289). Some of those irrigation pumps look almost identical to the jet pumps. Some even share the same model number base. So what’s the difference, and why does it matter?

The short answer: jet pumps are engineered for potable water well systems with pressure switches and household plumbing integration. Irrigation and superbooster pumps are non-potable centrifugal pumps built for continuous-duty water transfer — sprinklers, farms, cooling towers, and industrial applications. They share centrifugal pump DNA, but they’re configured, certified, and priced for entirely different end uses.

The Potable Water Side: Jet Pumps

Baker’s jet pump lineup is designed for one primary job: pulling water from a private well, spring, or cistern and delivering it to your home’s plumbing system at a consistent, usable pressure. These pumps come with factory-set pressure switches, are designed to work with pressure tanks, and are rated for drinking water applications.

How a Jet Pump Works

A jet pump is a centrifugal pump with an added component called a jet ejector — a precision-engineered nozzle and venturi assembly. The ejector recirculates a portion of the pump’s output back through the nozzle at high velocity, creating a low-pressure zone that pulls water up from below. This mechanism allows jet pumps to lift water from depths that a standard centrifugal pump cannot reach on its own.

The critical physics: a standard centrifugal pump can lift water about 15–20 feet by suction alone. Adding a shallow well ejector extends that to approximately 25–28 feet. Moving the ejector down into the well (deep well configuration) extends the effective reach to about 120 feet.

Shallow Well vs. Deep Well — It’s About the Ejector Location

Shallow well jet pumps have the ejector built into the pump body. One suction pipe goes down to the water. Simple, affordable, effective for water tables within 25 feet of the pump. Baker’s 8100 Series, 8300 E-Series, and 8500 Series are all shallow well configurations.

Deep well jet pumps move the ejector down into the well, near or below the water surface. This requires two pipes — one to send pressurized water down, one to bring water back up. Baker’s 8000, 8200, 8600, and 1500 Series all support deep well operation via separate ejector kits.

Convertible jet pumps (8000, 8200, 8600 series) start as shallow well pumps and can be converted to deep well by installing an ejector assembly down the well. A smart hedge if your water table might drop over time.

What Makes Jet Pumps “Potable Water” Pumps

It’s not just one thing — it’s a combination of features:

• Pressure switch included — Factory-set (typically 20/40 or 30/50 PSI) to cycle the pump on and off automatically with household water use.
• Designed for pressure tank integration — The pump fills a diaphragm tank, which stores pressurized water and delivers it on demand without the pump running constantly.
• Materials suitable for drinking water — No-lead brass impeller options, proper gasket and seal materials rated for potable water contact.
• Duty cycle designed for residential cycling — Runs when you use water, shuts off when the tank is full. Not meant for hours of continuous operation.
• Gauge tap and priming access — Built-in provisions for monitoring and initial priming.

Baker Jet Pump Series at a Glance

The Non-Potable Side: Irrigation & Superbooster Pumps

This is where it gets interesting. Baker’s Irrigation & Booster Pump section contains six distinct product lines, each purpose-built for moving water in applications where you don’t need a pressure switch, don’t need potable water certification, and often need the pump to run continuously for extended periods. Lawn sprinklers, agricultural irrigation, pool filling, draining, cooling towers, and general water transfer are the target applications.

27000 Superbooster

Baker’s multi-stage submersible-motor-driven centrifugal pump for non-potable boosting and water transfer. Available in three flow tiers — L (15 GPM), P (20 GPM), and M (25 GPM) — with HP ratings from ½ to 2 HP. These are horizontal inline units with 1-1/4″ intake and discharge.

Best for: Inline pressure boosting on non-potable systems, agricultural water transfer, irrigation systems needing moderate flow with consistent pressure, and applications where the pump must be submerged or installed at water level.

The Superbooster has no electronic controls, no smart modes, no pressure switch. It’s a raw multi-stage centrifugal pump that runs when powered and stops when you cut power. Pump ends are sold separately for field servicing.

92000 & 93000 Series — Workhorse

Baker’s classic end-suction centrifugal pump. Heavy-duty cast iron construction, precision-molded Noryl impeller, four-position discharge (mount vertical or horizontal), and a rear pull-out design for servicing without disturbing the plumbing.

The 92000 series is single-phase (⅓ to 3 HP), the 93000 is three-phase (½ to 3 HP). Both rated for 175°F max temperature. Flow rates from ~30 GPM (1/3 HP) to 140 GPM (3 HP).

Best for: Farm and agricultural water transfer, lawn sprinkling, industrial process water, cooling towers, and general-purpose water boosting where potable certification is not required.

84000 Series — Self-Priming Lawn Sprinkler

Baker’s heavy-duty self-priming centrifugal pump purpose-built for large lawn sprinkler systems. Available in 3 HP and 5 HP models (single and three-phase), featuring brass impellers, NEMA JM 3,500 RPM motors, and a suction flange with a flapper valve for fast, reliable priming.

With flow rates up to 162 GPM (5 HP at 20 PSI, 5-foot suction lift), these are the pumps you see on golf courses, sports complexes, large estates, and commercial landscaping. The 2″ to 2-1/2″ suction and 1-1/2″ to 2″ discharge handle the volume these applications demand.

Best for: Large-scale lawn sprinkler systems, commercial irrigation requiring high flow, and applications drawing from lakes, ponds, or streams where self-priming is essential.

1500XSW Series — Multi-Stage Irrigation

A derivative of Baker’s 1500 Series multi-stage jet pump, reconfigured for irrigation duty. The “XSW” designation indicates an extended shallow well configuration with no pressure switch. The two-stage construction delivers pressures up to 60 PSI — significantly more than single-stage pumps.

Available in 1 HP and 1-1/2 HP, single and three-phase. Cast iron housing, choice of no-lead bronze or plastic impeller, carbon-ceramic mechanical seal. Flow rates up to ~42 GPM depending on pressure and suction lift.

Best for: Irrigation systems requiring higher operating pressure (40–60 PSI), properties with significant elevation changes, and shallow well water sources dedicated to irrigation.

8600SW Series — Convertible Centrifugal

Here’s the one that creates the most confusion. The 8600SW uses the same pump body as the standard 8600 convertible jet pump — same cast iron housing, same square flange motor, same impeller and diffuser, same mechanical seal. The difference? No pressure switch. It’s the jet pump stripped down for continuous-duty irrigation and water transfer.

Self-priming under normal conditions. Pressure to 40 PSI / 92 feet of head. Up to 65 GPM. Ideal for lawn sprinkling, garden irrigation, pool filling, draining, cooling towers, and boosting from non-potable sources like lakes and streams.

Best for: Irrigation from shallow wells, lakes, streams, or ponds. Pool filling and draining. Cooling tower circulation. Budget-conscious irrigation where moderate flow and self-priming are needed.

89000 E-Series — Self-Priming Sprinkler

Baker’s budget-friendly option for residential irrigation. Larger 1-1/2″ inlet and outlet compared to the 8600SW’s 1-1/4″, delivering flows up to 85 GPM. Available in 1, 1-1/2, and 2 HP. Features a 304 stainless steel insert on the impeller and a stainless steel wear ring for durability.

Best for: Residential lawn sprinkler systems, higher-flow irrigation on mid-size properties, and budget applications where the larger pipe size reduces friction loss.

Head-to-Head: Jet Pumps vs. Irrigation Pumps

Irrigation & Superbooster Pump Quick Reference

Which Pump Do You Actually Need?

The Bottom Line

Baker’s jet pumps and irrigation pumps share common centrifugal pump engineering, and in some cases literally share the same pump body. The difference is in the configuration, certification, and intended application. Jet pumps are complete potable water well systems with pressure switches and household plumbing integration. Irrigation and superbooster pumps are stripped-down, continuous-duty water movers built for non-potable applications where you control the pump externally.

The single most important question is whether the water will be used for drinking. If yes, stay on the jet pump or DuraMAC booster side of the catalog. If no, the irrigation section gives you more flow, more HP options, three-phase capability, and often a lower price point for the same pump body — because you’re not paying for the pressure switch and potable-rated components you don’t need.