Back Up Water Storage Tank for Home

[GreenAcresTom]

Hi everyone I am new here. I am trying to intall in my basement a 250 gallon IBC tank for back up as my well runs dry often and need back up to keep peace in my home. I can pump water in from my well when sufficient or looking to have water delivered. I would like option to run from tank and have system fill when not around. I have a two story cabin. I recently replaced the bladder pressure tank. Here are a few questions. Any thoughts and a design would be helpful and list of parts etc would be greatful.

1. From The well Pump will I need a Fill timer followed by a solenoid valve going to the tank.
2.For My IBC 250 gallon do I need a additional house pump
3.Is my current new Bladder Tank ( Goulds Hydro Pro) is it efficient?
4 I have attached my current system and my IBC tank is off to right of picture.

 

[Valveman]

While 250 gallons may be enough, the height of a tote doesn't work well with a float switch. It would be better to have a vertical tank with some height for the float switch. Could also use a submersible well pump in the storage tank as they are quite and you can get a 1HP, Hallmark for 150 bucks. It is also best to not use a pressure tank on the well pump, and just let the float switch control it. If you don't use water from the storage tank all the time it will be green and slimy when you need stored water. You can use the existing pressure tank with the booster pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

I can pump water in from my well when sufficient or looking to have water delivered. I would like option to run from tank and have system fill when not around.

Have you identified your well's recovery rate?

If for instance, if your well recovers at only 1 gpm (1,440 gallons/day), then you could restrict the outlet from the pump to 1 gpm to fill the cistern, so the well should never run out of water and water delivery would not be required. With a low yield well thereby requiring a cistern, all water utilized in the home should be supplied from the cistern, as Valveman recommended.

 

[GreenAcresTom]

While 250 gallons may be enough, the height of a tote doesn't work well with a float switch. It would be better to have a vertical tank with some height for the float switch. Could also use a submersible well pump in the storage tank as they are quite and you can get a 1HP, Hallmark for 150 bucks. It is also best to not use a pressure tank on the well pump, and just let the float switch control it. If you don't use water from the storage tank all the time it will be green and slimy when you need stored water. You can use the existing pressure tank with the booster pump.

View attachment 101614
View attachment 101615

Thank you for all the information extremely useful! I have already invested in the 250 Gallon New IBC tank and have this in my walk down basement that is clean so you are recommending a submersible pump (N) then as depicted in 1st design correct. I would gather my well pump would need to be connected to a float switch internally to the tank and I can re-use my Goulds Bladder tank with a new internal tank pump as in again 1st design.

 

[Valveman]

Thank you for all the information extremely useful! I have already invested in the 250 Gallon New IBC tank and have this in my walk down basement that is clean so you are recommending a submersible pump (N) then as depicted in 1st design correct. I would gather my well pump would need to be connected to a float switch internally to the tank and I can re-use my Goulds Bladder tank with a new internal tank pump as in again 1st design.

All correct. You can even lay the submersible on its side and have plenty of room in a tote. But still no much room for a float switch as they need a foot or so of travel.

 

[GreenAcresTom]

All correct. You can even lay the submersible on its side and have plenty of room in a tote. But still no much room for a float switch as they need a foot or so of travel.

Valveman,
Thank you so much need to set this up as well goes dry and recover takes awhile so need to have back up running and then eventually have the well pump feed the tank. Question is the wiring as depicted in the 1st design with the float acting as the switch to stop the well pump what float would you recommend for the IBC tank. I am also considering returning the IBC as I purchased this new at Tractor Supply and getting a better tank.I greatly appreciate the help you have given me.

 

[GreenAcresTom]

Valveman also any help on the wiring would be greatly appreciated also thank you again.

 

[Valveman]

Just about any "pump up" float switch will work, If you can find one that can handle 10 amps a relay is not needed and wiring is simple. Relay not that hard either. Well needs a Cycle Sensor as it will time out after a dry well condition and manage the well with the float switch. But the tank will need enough room it make it do this.

Wiring with Cycle Sensor and relay will look like this.

 

[GreenAcresTom]

Just about any "pump up" float switch will work, If you can find one that can handle 10 amps a relay is not needed and wiring is simple. Relay not that hard either. Well needs a Cycle Sensor as it will time out after a dry well condition and manage the well with the float switch. But the tank will need enough room it make it do this.

View attachment 101660

Wiring with Cycle Sensor and relay will look like this.

View attachment 101661

Valveman,
Thank you for this information with your advise I am returning the new IBC tank to tractor supply and placing an order for a larger 500 gallon vertical tank. That said I believe you mentioned to install a Booster pump to use my New Goulds Hydropro V60 Pressure tank. As stated I will have well water for a while then will run dry sometimes for 3-4 hours I have not calculated my recovery rate. If you can just confirm as I want to place order for parts today and appreciate your guidance. Again concern is feeding tank with well water but being sure my pump does not run dry and cause damage how do I avoid this. Will I need a additional relay sensor and will this also be connected to the float switch? What booster size Pump do I need to purchase as well as the CSV.

 

[Bannerman]

Again concern is feeding tank with well water but being sure my pump does not run dry and cause damage how do I avoid this.

Even with utilizing the recommended Cycle Sensor to protect the pump when the well has insufficient water remaining, recommend also installing a Dole Valve or a regular ball valve in the line that supplies the cistern, to throttle the flow rate from the well pump to only 1-2gpm.

Supplying the cistern directly from the well pump without a pressure tank or throttling valve, will reduce the amount of pressure that the well pump must push against. With less pressure to overcome, the well pump's delivery rate will increase, meaning, it will draw down the well more rapidly than it does currently.

By throttling the delivery rate to the cistern to only 1-2 gpm, the pump will be less likely to draw down the well to cause the well to run out of water, since water will continue to flow into the well at some unknown rate even while the pump is drawing out water at only 1-2 gpm to refill the cistern.

For delivery from the cistern to the house plumbing, in using a CSV, a large pressure tank is not needed, but since you recently purchased a large tank, it may continue to be utilized with a CSV.

Since a submersible pump may be easily accessed within a cistern, you may want to consider an inexpensive Hallmark 1HP, 33 GPM, pump for ~$160 to supply your home's plumbing through a CSV. Reports from users so far indicate, that pump seems to be reliable, maybe equivalent to more expensive 'brand name' pumps.

 

[GreenAcresTom]

Valveman,
Thank you for this information with your advise I am returning the new IBC tank to tractor supply and placing an order for a larger 500 gallon vertical tank. That said I believe you mentioned to install a Booster pump to use my New Goulds Hydropro V60 Pressure tank. As stated I will have well water for a while then will run dry sometimes for 3-4 hours I have not calculated my recovery rate. If you can just confirm as I want to place order for parts today and appreciate your guidance. Again concern is feeding tank with well water but being sure my pump does not run dry and cause damage how do I avoid this. Will I need a additional relay sensor and will this also be connected to the float switch? What booster size Pump do I need to purchase as well as the CSV.

Valveman looking over the 1st design which I will use I gateher I will need to run two independent circuits one for the well pump and the float switch the second would be the pressure tank and inline hallmark pump correct?

 

[GreenAcresTom]

Even with utilizing the recommended Cycle Sensor to protect the pump when the well has insufficient water remaining, recommend also installing a Dole Valve or a regular ball valve in the line that supplies the cistern, to throttle the flow rate from the well pump to only 1-2gpm.

Supplying the cistern directly from the well pump without a throttling valve will reduce the amount of pressure that the well pump must push against. With less pressure to overcome, the well pump's delivery rate will increase, meaning, it will draw down the well more rapidly than it does currently.

By throttling the delivery rate to the cistern to only 1-2 gpm, the pump will be less likely to draw down the well to cause the well to run out of water, since water will continue to flow into the well at some unknown rate even while the pump is drawing out water at only 1-2 gpm to refill the cistern.

Bannerman who can I go to to order parts for my confiquration as I would like to get this running I appreciate all your knowledge

 

[GreenAcresTom]

All,
Question is where to to order parts for my confiquration as I would like to get this started . Thank you all for your knowledge,recommendations, and help.

 

[Bannerman]

Both the Cycle Sensor and a Cycle Stop Valve maybe obtained directly from Valveman's company - Cycle Stop Valves .

While I understand you already have a supplier for a larger cistern, I suspect Valveman maybe able to provide recommendations for where to obtain any other miscellaneous item you require.

The Hallmark pump previously mentioned, is available from eBay and other sources.

 

[Reach4]

https://www.plastic-mart.com/storage/ has a variety of tanks.