Need help sizing pump, CSV etc...

We just had our well pump replaced. Seems to be a 5-6 year cycle. We have four houses, regular size nothing huge or crazy, on this well. The water pressure has never been very good, and since we just had the pump replaced I am looking to upgrade some components. I have added a pump saver to our existing (new) submersible pump.

First, I want to add above ground storage with a surface pump and a CSV. I need to know the correct amount of storage I need, the correct size pump and the correct size CSV.

I am familiar with wiring the pumps, safeties and piping it all in; however, I have never had to size anything up (just followed the plans!). The water main is 2" PVC, the branches are 3/4" and 1", total distance is about 800'. The surface pump and storage will be at the well head.

The well is 520 feet deep with a 1.5 HP pump @ 460 feet. The well has never gone dry, even in the bad drought we had last year.

Also, the guys that changed the pump for us cut off about three feet of piping that was connected right at the pump; it was ballooned out like a baseball bat. He said it was most likely caused by dry running the motor but we have never had a time when there was NO water being delivered; sometimes very little, but never completely out. the bearings were out in the pump; you could see pieces all over the pump from where they failed. Could this have caused the pipe ballooning we saw or is had it in fact been ran dry? This is the reason I put the pump saver on. A guy I know had his pump overheat, swell and seize inside the well casing; that is not something I want to deal with!

Anyway, thanks in advance for helping on sizing this stuff.

At 460’ and 50 PSI, that pump will only deliver about 5-6 GPM. I can see why you have low pressure trying to feed 4 houses. Feeding a storage tank at low pressure, that pump will produce about 8 GPM. That’s more than 11,500 gallons per day, which with a storage tank, is enough to do about 20 homes. If you don’t have any irrigation, I would figure a peak demand of about 5 GPM per house. If you have irrigation, you will have to add to that amount, or irrigate at off peak hours.

I would use about a 20 GPM, 1 HP submersible pump in the storage tank. A CSV1Z with a 20 gallon size pressure tank, and a 40/60 pressure switch. This will give good pressure to the houses, even when all houses are using water at the same time.

If the pipe ballooned something got hot. Here are some possibilities.
#1 The pump wore down where it could no longer build up to 60 PSI and shut itself off.
#2 The well ran dry.
#3 There was a valve closed before the pressure tank, the check valve got stuck in the closed position, the well head froze, or something else restricted the flow.

Thanks Valveman, just what I was looking for. Can I buy the CSV1Z at a plumbing supply house in Austin, Texas? We have Essco, Furguson and an All Tex Supply; are any of these dealers? 7hanks for the help again, this is just what we need.

Any of those suppliers should have one. Just don't let them talk you into something else.