Not Enough Pressure!!??

[Acemanti]

New here, we plan to build a house and ran a 1” line approx 1600 feet - the elevation change is appox 100 yards uphill - at the bottom we have 150psi - there is no water at the top of hill - any suggestions on what we can do to fix this? Suggested PSI?

Thanks

 

[Terry]

This chart goes up to 600 feet and doesn't take into account elevation gain.
1" is way undersized for what you're trying to do. The more distance you run that pipe, the more "friction loss" you get.
Whose decision was it to only run 1" ?

Appendix E: Sizing of Water Piping System, 2015 IPC portion of the 2018 CT State Building Code | UpCodes

UpCodes offers a consolidated resource of construction and building code grouped by jurisdiction

up.codes

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Acemanti]

This chart goes up to 600 feet and doesn't take into account elevation gain.
1" is way undersized for what you're trying to do. The more distance you run that pipe, the more "friction loss" you get.
Whose decision was it to only run 1" ?

Appendix E: Sizing of Water Piping System, 2015 IPC portion of the 2018 CT State Building Code | UpCodes

UpCodes offers a consolidated resource of construction and building code grouped by jurisdiction

up.codes

It wasn’t my decision, the line is buried and installed- what would be the best option to get the water to the top with good pressure?

 

[Acemanti]

Any ideas it’s 1” PEX

 

[Valveman]

Any ideas it’s 1” pex

300' up hill takes 130 PSI. 100 yards sounds like a guess? 346' will take up all your 150 PSI and not get any water to the top. What pressure rating is the pipe? If it takes 150 PSI to get it up there and you want 50 PSI to use at the top of the hill, you will need a minimum of 200 PSI at the bottom, plus any friction loss.

 

[LLigetfa]

100 yards sounds like a guess?

There is no margin for guessing. If there is the possibility to boost the pressure at the source, that is the best option as you can push water higher than you can pull it. If you cannot, then a reservoir could be located part way down the hill.

You are still limited in GPM with such a small pipe but you could use it to fill a reservoir at the top (or part way down) and install a pump inside the reservoir to supply the house.

 

[Reach4]

PEX is not rated for increasing the pressure higher. You would want a booster pump part way up the hill. I would study up on those, but maybe start with https://www.zoro.com/search?q=multi-stage pump

I envision a pump house with the pump, a pressure tank, pressure switch, and maybe a CSV.

You could put in an electrical subpanel there if you want to provide power for more than the pump.

PEX Tubing Pressure Ratings: 180°F at 100 psi; 74°F at 160 psi
From https://www.pexuniverse.com/pex-tubing-technical-specs

 

[Terry]

1" PEX is .60 square inch area
1.5" PVC is 1.77 square inch area, 2.95 times the area of the 1" PEX
2.0" PVC is 3.14 square inch area, 5.23 times the area of 1" PEX

These charts go to 1,000 feet.

Charts for Determining Water Pipe & Meter Sizes

www.plumbingsupply.com

 

[Acemanti]

300' up hill takes 130 PSI. 100 yards sounds like a guess? 346' will take up all your 150 PSI and not get any water to the top. What pressure rating is the pipe? If it takes 150 PSI to get it up there and you want 50 PSI to use at the top of the hill, you will need a minimum of 200 PSI at the bottom, plus any friction loss.

The distance is approx 1600 feet - the elevation rise is 100 yards from the bottom to the top of the hill. There is water approx half way up the hill and then it stops before a steeper incline.

 

[Reach4]

Then either the pressure at the bottom is not near 150 psi, or the rise is a lot more than 300.0 ft. Where did the 150 psi number come from? Sounds like a max that somebody told you so that you could select pipe.

 

[Acemanti]

Then either the pressure at the bottom is not near 150 psi, or the rise is a lot more than 300.0 ft. Where did the 150 psi number come from? Sounds like a max that somebody told you so that you could select pipe.

Does the steepness of the incline factor in? The water dept said we had 150psi at the meter, maybe the rise is more than 300 feet, we need to double check this.

 

[Reach4]

Steepness does not factor into whether there is flow at the top or how high the water can rise. It does not factor into how much static pressure (with no flow) would remain. If there is flow, the total length of the pipe would contribute to pressure drop (dynamic head), but you do not have flow.