Dab Jetcom

The DAB Jetcom is an Italian-built self-priming jet pump that draws water from up to 8 metres below itself and boosts it to as much as 53.8 metres of head. Unlike an ordinary centrifugal pump, which stops dead the moment air enters the suction line, the Jetcom's venturi and diffuser let it clear that air and recover prime on its own — which is why it is the standard choice for a shallow well, a low tank or a river draw.

What a jet pump does that an ordinary pump cannot

A standard centrifugal pump has to be full of water to work. Let air into the suction line and the impeller spins uselessly — the pump loses prime and pumps nothing, often burning out its seal in the process. That matters enormously if your water source is below the pump, because the pump has to pull water up before it can push it anywhere.

The Jetcom solves this with a venturi and diffuser assembly in the pump body. A portion of the discharge is recirculated through a nozzle, creating a low-pressure zone that drags air out of the suction line and evacuates it. The result is a pump that primes itself and keeps pumping even with air bubbles present, and that re-primes automatically when the source dips.

That is the Jetcom's whole reason for existing. If your water sits below the pump — a shallow well, a sump, a low tank, a dam or a river — a jet pump is the right tool. If your water is already under pressure and above the pump, a plain centrifugal pump is cheaper and more efficient.

The 8-metre rule. Maximum suction depth is 8 metres, and no pump can beat it — that limit comes from atmospheric pressure, not from motor power. Buying a bigger Jetcom will not make it suck deeper. Altitude lowers it further: at roughly 1500 m on the Highveld, plan on about 6 to 6.5 metres of real suction lift. If your water level sits deeper than that, you need a submersible pump, not a jet pump.

Jetcom range — models and specifications

Model	P2 Power	HP	P1 Max	Current	Capacitor	Max Head	Max Flow
Jetcom 82 M	0.6 kW	0.8	0.85 kW	3.8 A	12.5 µF	47 m	3.6 m³/h
Jetcom 102 M	0.75 kW	1	1.13 kW	5.1 A	16 µF	53.8 m	3.6 m³/h

Both run on 1 × 220–240 V ~ 50 Hz, both have 1" GAS suction and discharge ports, and both carry a permanently inserted capacitor rated at 450 V.

Performance table — head against flow

Find the flow you need along the top, then read down to see the head each model still delivers at that flow.

Flow (m³/h)	0	0.6	1.2	1.8	2.4	3.0	3.6
Jetcom 82 M	47	40	34	30	26.2	23.5	20
Jetcom 102 M	53.8	47	41	36.3	32.4	28.8	25.8

Head in metres. Performance curves are based on kinematic viscosity of 1 mm²/s and density of 1000 kg/m³, with curve tolerance to ISO 9906.

Read the table, not the headline. "47 m maximum head" is the shut-off point — where the pump produces pressure but no flow. Design against the performance table. A Jetcom 82M asked for 1.8 m³/h (30 l/min) delivers 30 m of head, not 47.

How to size a Jetcom for your installation

1. Measure the suction lift — the vertical drop from the pump down to the lowest water level. If it exceeds 8 m (or about 6.5 m at altitude), stop: you need a submersible pump.
2. Measure the delivery height from the pump up to the highest outlet or tank inlet.
3. Add the pressure you want at the outlet. For a comfortable shower allow 20 m (2 bar); for filling a tank, nothing extra.
4. Add friction loss in the delivery pipe. On a long run this is easily 5–10 m; use 25 mm pipe or larger and keep bends to a minimum.
5. Total it. Suction lift + delivery height + outlet pressure + friction = total head.
6. Work out the flow you need. One shower is roughly 0.6 m³/h; two outlets running together, roughly 1.2 m³/h.
7. Pick the model whose performance row still shows your flow at your total head, with margin.

A worked example: a house drawing from a tank 4 m below the pump, feeding a bathroom 5 m above it, wanting 2 bar at the shower, with about 4 m of pipe friction. Total head = 4 + 5 + 20 + 4 = 33 m. At 1.2 m³/h the Jetcom 82M gives 34 m — just enough, with nothing spare. The Jetcom 102M gives 41 m at the same flow, and is the safer specification.

Manual or Auto — which version

Both models are sold in two forms. The M version is the bare pump: it runs whenever it has power, so it needs either a manual switch, or a pressure switch and pressure vessel wired in to make it behave like a domestic booster.

The Auto version arrives with an automatic pump controller already fitted to the discharge. It does the whole job in one small unit:

• Starts the pump the instant a tap or outlet is opened
• Stops it once flow ceases
• Shuts the pump down if the water supply runs dry, protecting the seal and motor
• Includes a non-return valve to prevent backflow
• Removes the need for a pressure vessel and separate pressure switch
• LED indication of power, running and fault status

For a household booster set, the Auto version is almost always the better buy once you have costed a vessel, a pressure switch and the plumbing to connect them — and it takes up a fraction of the space.

Construction and materials

Component	Material
Pump body	Technopolymer A
Impeller	Technopolymer A
Venturi, diffuser and nozzle group	Technopolymer A
Motor support	Die-cast aluminium
Wear ring	Stainless steel
Shaft with rotor	AISI 416 stainless steel (X12 CrS13)
Mechanical seal	Carbon / ceramic
Seal holder cover	AISI 304 stainless steel (X5 CrNi 1810)
O-ring gasket	NBR rubber
Motor	Asynchronous, closed, external air cooling
Bearings	Oversized, greased for life
Overload protection	Built-in thermo-amperometric
Motor protection rating	IP 44
Terminal block rating	IP 55
Insulation class	F
Standards	CEI 2-3, CEI 61-69 (EN 60335-2-41)

The technopolymer body is worth a word. It is not a cost-saving substitute for cast iron — in this duty it outperforms it, because it will not rust, will not scale up internally, and keeps its hydraulic efficiency over years of intermittent domestic service. The wetted metal parts that do matter are stainless.

Operating limits

Parameter	Limit
Liquid temperature range	0 °C to +35 °C (domestic use, EN 60335-2-41)
Maximum ambient temperature	+40 °C
Maximum operating pressure	6 bar (600 kPa)
Maximum suction depth	8 metres
Installation	Fixed, horizontal position
Liquid quality	Clean, free of solids and abrasives, non-viscous, non-aggressive, chemically neutral

Installation notes that prevent most failures

• Fill the pump casing before the first start. Self-priming means it recovers prime, not that it starts dry. Running dry destroys the mechanical seal in minutes.
• Fit a foot valve with a strainer at the bottom of the suction line. It holds prime between runs and keeps grit out.
• The suction line must be airtight. A pinhole leak or a badly sealed joint is the single most common cause of a jet pump that will not hold prime. Use thread tape properly and check every joint.
• Never reduce the suction pipe below the 1" port size, and rise continuously toward the pump — no dips or high points where air can pocket.
• Mount horizontally on a firm base and leave room at the fan cowl for cooling air.
• Protect it from frost and weather. IP 44 is splash protection, not a licence to leave it in the rain.

Typical applications

• Domestic water supply — drawing from a tank, shallow well or sump
• Household pressure boosting — especially the Auto versions
• Garden and sprinkler irrigation
• Smallholdings and livestock watering
• Rainwater harvesting — tank to house
• Small-scale industrial service where self-priming is necessary

Frequently asked questions

Pricing

Both models are available as the bare pump (M) or complete with an automatic pump controller (Auto). Prices include VAT and are subject to change; the online store always carries the current price.

Model	Power	Controller	Price incl. VAT	Order
Jetcom 82 M	0.6 kW	—	R 1 921.17	Buy online
Jetcom 82 Auto	0.6 kW	Automatic pump controller	R 2 547.58	Buy online
Jetcom 102 M	0.75 kW	—	R 2 239.11	Buy online
Jetcom 102 Auto	0.75 kW	Automatic pump controller	R 2 814.11	Buy online

Related ranges

• DAB K Twin-Impeller Electric Pumps 230V — cast iron twin-impeller centrifugal pump for pressurisation and higher flow
• All DAB Pumps — the full DAB range
• Leo Submersible Borehole Pump Series — for water deeper than 8 metres
• Solar Pump Range — off-grid borehole and surface pumping