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New construction low water pressure boost And use the backhoe

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HuckMeat
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 121 Colorado
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2004-12-13          102200


I've got my water turned on, and I don't have much pressure or volume at the house. Let me describe the system, and see if you guys/gals can suggest a good way to mitigate this before I start digging holes, building vaults, and installing pumps.

I have a 50 acre parcel, and my water tap (municipal water) is located at one end of the lot (the low end). From my water meter, I have 2" gasketed SDS pipe rated for 200 PSI. We have the regulator dialed to line pressure (105 PSI) and this is getting me ~20-30 PSI at my future barn location (yard hydrant) with excellent volume.

Located further uphill, about 50' or so higher in elevation, the 2" pipe terminates into 3/4" soft copper and enters the house. Here I have low volume, and 2-4 PSI. Obviously, I need to come up with a way to fix this.

Thoughts? I could see putting a huge tank in, and a pump from it, or putting a pump in some kind of pump house down where the future barn will go (I have electricity there) and boosting the line pressure down there (lots of volume there).

ThoughtS? I'd love to keep everything inside the house, but it seems to me that that pump isn't going to pull very well, so pushing would be better. I could use the backhoe and dig a vault and build a little pump house, but I see that being a lot of work that may not be necessary.

Thoughts for making the best system I can to give even pressure/volume? Thoughts on the most cost effective solution?

Thanks,
John




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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-12-14          102209


Huckmeat; First off I'm really not a pro plumber, but have had to come up with ways to conquer some odd problems in the past, some worked, some did'nt. So here goes. 50 ft. elevation change should'nt be that much of a challange compared to a regular submersible pump pushing water up from a well. I think you have a couple things going for you. First if the 2 in. pipe goes all the way to the house is a big bonus if you have a distance to go that will help with pipe friction. My thought would be to put your pressure tank in the house and a boost pump at the barn location designed to trip the pump in just as a submersible pump would be wired to kick in when the tank pressure gets low. Our submersible pump pushes the water 400 ft. up the well to the pressure tank in the basement, so I think the same principles will work. I don't recall what horsepower our pump is but it's been working fine for 7 or 8 yrs. so far. Hope this helps. Frank. ....


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New construction low water pressure boost And use the backhoe

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loghouse95
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 87 missouri
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2004-12-14          102268


Have you checked the water pressure coming into your meter?? ....


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New construction low water pressure boost And use the backhoe

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HuckMeat
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 121 Colorado
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2004-12-14          102269


Line pressure (after upgrading the regulator, which is set to pass up to 150 psi) is at ~120 psi. Just a long (total length is 3300 feet) water line ( 2" diameter). Elevation is probably the biggest factor here though. ....


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StoneGate
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 23 Ohio
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2004-12-15          102271


I was a plumber in my former life. I haven't been in the industry for 30 years, but I would first check with the public water authority delivering your water. They will likely have ideas about how to resolve your situation. You have two factors in play: distance and elevation. Both of these create resistance resulting in pressure loss. I agree with Hardwood that a booster pump is probably in order. I suspect his pump is a 1 to 1 1/2 horsepower if it is a submersible. Based on the elevations and distance you describe, I would be willing to bet that a booster pump within 100' of your house would yield tremendous results in pressure increase. You might consider a conventional pressurized water tank in the house to stabilize the pressure. If your house is a two story you will want to achieve pressure between 40-60 psi for ordinary service. Your pump should be outfitted with a pressure switch that will allow hi/lo settings that you can adjust to meet your needs. Once you get above 80 psi you will start to put your plumbing components (faucets, valves, water heater, etc. at risk. Take a look at the link provided for a starting point. Good luck.

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2004-12-15          102289


It's not uncomnon to see shoddy workmanship installing a new line such as kinking the line because it is too long or not laid correctly, or the trench was not flat-bottomed but rather scalloped. Other things can happen such as a rock or other debris falling/being in the trench and kinking the line before or during backfilling---each event could have kinked the line. You would have to dig up sections and pressure/volume test to determine where the kink(s)is. Have you tried running a new line on top of the ground and seeing what happens with the volume and pressure? (you might be able to simulate this with just a garden hose) ....


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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-12-15          102317


I went from a 30 gal to a 84 gallon bladder pressuretank last week. What a difference. Although I do have 3 girls in the house and a son that spends more time in the shower than them! My well pump used to kick on alot and often (the bladder may of been losing pressure though but regaurdless even years ago the pump would kick on all the time. In my opinion for what the added cost is (which is not much to increase size)for a much larger tank than you need may cost I would recomend a larger tank to anyone. This may not help in your case right now but I thought I would throw it in for fodder to think about. ....


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