Boost Pump or other pump suggestion

[John Stover]

I am looking for a pump suggestion to increase the pressure in my second of (2) garages that are about 125' and 200' from my house. I have a well and have pretty good water to the house and about 40 at garage one. I have the ability to insert a booster pump or other suggested pump at the point where the water enters the first garage before continuing another 100+ feet to garage two. I also have the flexibility of putting the pump anywhere in garage one to feed garage two if that would be a better application. The water pressure in my second garage is where my poor pressure and flow are really noticeable. Any suggestions appreciated. John

 

[WorthFlorida]

Do you know the pipe size feeding the second garage? At the problem end, how long does it take to fill a five gallon pail or the amount of water in one minute.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[John Stover]

All the pipe in both garages is 1/2" PEX, I'll have to fill and time a five gallon bucket tonight.

John

 

[Bannerman]

Further to Worth's question, what is the pressure setting for the well pump? Perhaps if the well pump can deliver higher pressure, that will satisfy the flow requirement to the garages.

It's going to be tough to get much water out of the end of a 200' length of 1/2" PEX, regardless of pressure.

 

[John Stover]

I do know that pressure starts off decent but most likely when the pressure tank in the house is empties and the well pump turns on the pressure drops that the distant end. Turning off the water and waiting for a few minutes the pressure increases. I've been living with it for a couple of years, I'd just like that increase in WP for car washing, plant and grass watering around my second garage. As I stated above I'll test the fill rate rate with a full pressure tank for a minute and then again after I've been watering the grass the plants for a 10-15 minutes and see the difference.

 

[John Stover]

I'll get that info tonight as well, I recall tweaking that a few years ago to between 40-50 PSI but mainly to increase the house pressure, which was around 30 when I moved in 14 years ago..

 

[Bannerman]

Your well system should have a pressure gauge close by to the pressure tank and pressure switch. What pressure is shown when the pump is activated, and what pressure is shown when the pump shuts off? Typical pressure switch presets are 20/40, 30/50 & 40/60 psi. If your pump can support it, a 40/60 setting would be an improvement.

While there, either record the model number of the pressure tank or take a photo to post here.

 

[Valveman]

As Bannerman said your best bet is to increase the pressure setting of your well pump. You can't get enough water through 1/2" pex to feed a booster pump. And a booster pump can't build enough pressure to squirt water through 1/2" pex on the discharge. Your problem is the 1/2" pex. Unless there is an increase in elevation, you will have the same pressure at the end as you do at the beginning, except for friction loss. Friction loss in 1/2" pex pipe is bad enough, but those insert fittings make it more like 1/4" pipe, and you just can't get much water at the other end.

However, you can increase the flow at the other end by starting with higher pressure. As you said the pressure is ok when the tank is full and at like 60 PSI. But you can't get much water when the tank is empty at 40 PSI. That is because you are losing the 40 PSI to friction loss. If your pump is capable of building more pressure you can turn the pressure switch up to 50/70 and use a Cycle Stop Valve to maintain a constant 60 while you are using water. Strong and constant 60 PSI from a CSV will push a lot more water through small pipe than when the pump is cycling on/off at 40/60 or even 50/70.