You guys seem like a handy bunch and the more I study plumbing the more I realize how little I know! Anyway, I've got a substantial leak from a rusted galvanized storage tank in my basement that I need to get fixed. But I don't know if I want to keep the same system that was installed before I bought the house. I'll explain the system as well as I can, and would appreciated any recommendations (i.e. if I need to replace all of this stuff , or if I should bypass it and save $).
I live on a ranch in a rural area and we have a spring that we use to gravity irrigate hay fields, as well as supply the 3 family-owned houses on the ranch. The homes are supplied by a single 2" line. The 2" line is fed with as much water as it can handle at all times, but there isn't much elevation drop (head) from the spring to the houses...I'm guessing about 50'. So the water pressure isn't great. The pressure is good enough, however, I wish the shower had more pressure and I want to install a filtered cold/hot drinking water dispenser and I hope I have enough pressure to run one.
Here is the system: 2" line in, 32 mesh 35 gpm sediment filter (I only get 24 psi after the sediment filter), then it goes into (1 1/4 " inlet) the top of a 40 gal galvanized tank and out the bottom (1 1/4" outlet).... I was told this was for water storage in case there was a shortage of flow, but I've only seen that happen one time in 12 years when all 3 houses were occupied. I am the only full-time resident there now...., then it goes into a cycling pump that was set to kick on at 20 psi, I think... but it rarely, if ever turned on so I shut off the power to it years ago and I don't think it is working anymore...., then it goes into a bladder tank, and finally to the 3/4 " hot (with 50 gal water heater) and cold lines. The water supply from the pump outlet and to the bladder tank is only 3/4" pipe, shouldn't that be at least 1" to supply both the 3/4" hot and cold lines?
In summary, I don't have water flow issues (at least for the foreseeable future). I wouldn't mind having higher pressure but don't really want to pay to run a pump. And I don't want to have to replace the storage tank and cycling pump if they aren't really doing any good. Should I bypass those? What about the little bladder tank?
Thanks for any input!
I live on a ranch in a rural area and we have a spring that we use to gravity irrigate hay fields, as well as supply the 3 family-owned houses on the ranch. The homes are supplied by a single 2" line. The 2" line is fed with as much water as it can handle at all times, but there isn't much elevation drop (head) from the spring to the houses...I'm guessing about 50'. So the water pressure isn't great. The pressure is good enough, however, I wish the shower had more pressure and I want to install a filtered cold/hot drinking water dispenser and I hope I have enough pressure to run one.
Here is the system: 2" line in, 32 mesh 35 gpm sediment filter (I only get 24 psi after the sediment filter), then it goes into (1 1/4 " inlet) the top of a 40 gal galvanized tank and out the bottom (1 1/4" outlet).... I was told this was for water storage in case there was a shortage of flow, but I've only seen that happen one time in 12 years when all 3 houses were occupied. I am the only full-time resident there now...., then it goes into a cycling pump that was set to kick on at 20 psi, I think... but it rarely, if ever turned on so I shut off the power to it years ago and I don't think it is working anymore...., then it goes into a bladder tank, and finally to the 3/4 " hot (with 50 gal water heater) and cold lines. The water supply from the pump outlet and to the bladder tank is only 3/4" pipe, shouldn't that be at least 1" to supply both the 3/4" hot and cold lines?
In summary, I don't have water flow issues (at least for the foreseeable future). I wouldn't mind having higher pressure but don't really want to pay to run a pump. And I don't want to have to replace the storage tank and cycling pump if they aren't really doing any good. Should I bypass those? What about the little bladder tank?
Thanks for any input!
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