[NA]More Household modifications[NA]

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Dave Taylor
I saw a thread about electric wall switches so I will take that as a go-ahead to ask about my plumbing!

I have a well about 1000' from the house. The pump is set at 60/40 psi. From the pump to the house is 1 and 1/4' black fastline. No appreciable elevation change, few bends or turns.

The problem is low water pressure at the fixtures.

I can't up the well pressure because there is another building 200' from the pump and I might blow the fixtures in that on.

I was thinking of a boost pump/tank arrangement at the house but cannot find anyone here with the right knowledge about how to go about it.

How about this?
well-->pump-->1000' to house-->check valve-->40 gal reservoir-->boost pump*-->house

*1/2 to 3/4hp, 3450rpm, 120 or 240V, single phase c-face motor with an impeller style pump and pressure switch on outflow leg set to 40/60psi.

My biggest concern is cavitating the pump because it is hungrier than its supply. I figured if someone was showering, and either the irrigation or the washing machine was on - a 40gal tank would avoid this.

Thanks!
 
Your cavitation concerns may be well founded, or not. But if the pump and the supply is suited for producing the volume and pressure of water needed in the house, then it would be easier and cheaper to install a pressure reducing valve between your pump and the other building than to attempt to over engineer the problem by installing a tank and boost pump at the house.

Perhaps you could experiment by closing the supply to the other building (to protect it) and then upping the pump pressure to determine what volume the supply can furnish at those desired pressures.

BUT, 60/40 is already kind of a high setting for a household well.

Not a plumber but I played at being one.
 
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Have you calculated your required GPM? You will probably need between 12 and 20 gpm available depending on your fixtures. At 20gpm you will lose about 20psi over 1000 feet at a level elevation. At 12 gpm you only lose about 10 psi. If you want at least 40psi at the house (pretty much the minimum required by both code and practicality IMHO) you will need to boost the pump discharge accordingly.
 
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Thanks.

No I haven't calculated the flow because I had no idea how to do so, on an installation that I have not done yet!
I can measure it now with bucket and stopwatch but who knows what it will be with an as-yet unselected and uninstalled boost pump?
What matters is how much comes into the boost pump, and I have no way of measuring the flow from the 1 & 1/4" supply line, at the house.



No, I won't be turning the well pump up any higher - I don't want to stress it or the system further. Thats why I was thinking boost pump at the house.
 
You can always put a pressure limiter to the building closer to the pump.

I always had trouble maintaining air pressure in the tank when I had a system with a tank on it. YMMV.
 
You can always put a pressure limiter to the building closer to the pump..

that would mean a well pump pressure of ?80? and I would rather avoid doing that, the well pump is a $1500. item

the local water and pump guy says I need a bladder tank AFTER my boost pump. I suppose to buffer the surges.??
 
Dave,

Two years ago I had my well drilled. I then went ahead and put my own pump system in. I got my pump etc. from Dean Bennett Supply in Denver. They were very helpful and built a system for me (even giving a bunch of instructions and advice on installation). You could give them a call and see if they could help.

http://www.deanbennett.com/

BTW I installed a "constant pressure" system. It basically has a VFD (variable frequency drive) that varies the speed of the pump. That way I have a constant 50psi at all times. My pressure tank is about 12 inches in diameter and about 18" tall (about the same size as an expansion tank for a hot water heater). I wonder if a system like this could help in your situation?
 
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