Hello. I am putting together a simple little system in my Mexico place that is different enough that I thought to check with some pros.
First of all, the system has consisted of two storage tanks at the top of the hill fed by the town water, which in Mexico is "liberated" on a schedule. They open a valve and send water down our branch once a week and I used to capture maybe 2500 liters. These tanks gravity feed two houses. We are fine with the gravity pressure, don't need anything there. But due to recent changes, I'm now having trouble receiving any water at the top of the hill where my storage tanks are so I'm going to install a cistern at the bottom of the property - about 15 meters down from the top. This should make a difference.
So, it will work more like a rainwater collection system than one with a well.
The upper tanks will almost always be partially empty, rarely topped off for long. They are plumbed into a T but I keep one feed closed so that if one tank drains out there is still another in reserve.
The Cistern will only see water coming into it once a week. It will pump that tankful to the upper tanks for usage over the week. Typically the float switch in the cistern will shut off the pump as it finishes off the tank. On rare occasions, the upper tanks may fill completely before the lower tank is empty. In that case I need to shut off the pump based on the fill level of the upper tanks. Right now they have mechanical float valves that shut off flow like a toilet when full.
The typical pump in these systems is what they call a "Periferico" not sure if that's a jet pump? But it's a high lift low flow exterior mounted pump. I need to lift 2500 liters about 15 meters over a 100 meter run and the 1/2 hp linked seems like it can handle that easily. I don't really care about flow rate as long as it does that. The good one linked costs about $45. I'm fairly convinced that I don't need the cost of a submersible but maybe somebody has a good reason.
My question is really about the control - isn't it always?
I've read several threads here and saw that besides the float switches everyone here uses there is another method with a pressure tank.
So, first question is whether I should be considering a pressure switch to shut off the pump.
Is it as reliable as a relay and float switch?
Seems I read that it must be a pressure tank with a switch, not just a switch, correct? This won't work alone?
Will the pressure tank in-line lift the water just like the pump alone ?
Can I use one of these smaller cheaper pressure tanks with a pressure switch to shut off the pump when the upper tanks fill and their valves close? does tank size matter at all?
Or does it require the full size tanks?
The upper float switch option:
With a 100 meter run to the top, it seems like wiring float switches will be slightly simpler but then I have to choose the voltage (110AC or 24vac?) and the wire to run it and then a relay.
If nobody said otherwise, I'd forget the pressure tank idea and just buy some 16 or 18 ga speaker wire and run 110 AC up and back to manage a relay. It prices out better than ethernet cable for me.
My power quality is poor (I'm not just short on water! ) and already has plenty voltage drop when the fridge turns on so I don't think it's wise to power the pump directly through the upper float switches. If I did, I'm fairly certain that the wire gauge/cost would have to increase quite a bit.
For that reason and with the idea to isolate the pump from that long lightning rod, it seems to make sense to use a relay if switching 100 meters away.
So, for a float switched approach:
110 or 24VAC? or...
18 ga good enough, right?
Put a low amp (3 amps ?) fuse inline on the switch run? In case of a short along the way?
Thanks in advance, eh? I tried to read all related threads first but still would appreciate your opinions.
First of all, the system has consisted of two storage tanks at the top of the hill fed by the town water, which in Mexico is "liberated" on a schedule. They open a valve and send water down our branch once a week and I used to capture maybe 2500 liters. These tanks gravity feed two houses. We are fine with the gravity pressure, don't need anything there. But due to recent changes, I'm now having trouble receiving any water at the top of the hill where my storage tanks are so I'm going to install a cistern at the bottom of the property - about 15 meters down from the top. This should make a difference.
So, it will work more like a rainwater collection system than one with a well.
The upper tanks will almost always be partially empty, rarely topped off for long. They are plumbed into a T but I keep one feed closed so that if one tank drains out there is still another in reserve.
The Cistern will only see water coming into it once a week. It will pump that tankful to the upper tanks for usage over the week. Typically the float switch in the cistern will shut off the pump as it finishes off the tank. On rare occasions, the upper tanks may fill completely before the lower tank is empty. In that case I need to shut off the pump based on the fill level of the upper tanks. Right now they have mechanical float valves that shut off flow like a toilet when full.
The typical pump in these systems is what they call a "Periferico" not sure if that's a jet pump? But it's a high lift low flow exterior mounted pump. I need to lift 2500 liters about 15 meters over a 100 meter run and the 1/2 hp linked seems like it can handle that easily. I don't really care about flow rate as long as it does that. The good one linked costs about $45. I'm fairly convinced that I don't need the cost of a submersible but maybe somebody has a good reason.
My question is really about the control - isn't it always?
I've read several threads here and saw that besides the float switches everyone here uses there is another method with a pressure tank.
So, first question is whether I should be considering a pressure switch to shut off the pump.
Is it as reliable as a relay and float switch?
Seems I read that it must be a pressure tank with a switch, not just a switch, correct? This won't work alone?
Will the pressure tank in-line lift the water just like the pump alone ?
Can I use one of these smaller cheaper pressure tanks with a pressure switch to shut off the pump when the upper tanks fill and their valves close? does tank size matter at all?
Or does it require the full size tanks?
The upper float switch option:
With a 100 meter run to the top, it seems like wiring float switches will be slightly simpler but then I have to choose the voltage (110AC or 24vac?) and the wire to run it and then a relay.
If nobody said otherwise, I'd forget the pressure tank idea and just buy some 16 or 18 ga speaker wire and run 110 AC up and back to manage a relay. It prices out better than ethernet cable for me.
My power quality is poor (I'm not just short on water! ) and already has plenty voltage drop when the fridge turns on so I don't think it's wise to power the pump directly through the upper float switches. If I did, I'm fairly certain that the wire gauge/cost would have to increase quite a bit.
For that reason and with the idea to isolate the pump from that long lightning rod, it seems to make sense to use a relay if switching 100 meters away.
So, for a float switched approach:
110 or 24VAC? or...
18 ga good enough, right?
Put a low amp (3 amps ?) fuse inline on the switch run? In case of a short along the way?
Thanks in advance, eh? I tried to read all related threads first but still would appreciate your opinions.
