magicdog
New Member
I'm a long time reader, this forum has been a great source of information. I've been researching a redesign of the well water setup at my cottage and have come to a decision point.
I have a shallow well by the water which I'm switching from a jet pump to a submersible pump. The cottage is up a fairly steep hill, a run of about 65' from well to cottage. It's too rocky and steep to bury the 1 1/4" polyethylene pipe that runs from the pump to the crawlspace of the cottage.
Because the power cuts out often in winter, I've decided to use a drainback system. There are two setups I'm considering based off advice on this forum:
1. Submersible pump with check valve > Drainback valve in well > Two port check valve with snifter valve in crawlspace > Air-over-water pressure tank with AVC > Pressure switch > Cottage
2. Submersible pump with check valve > Drainback valve in well > Automatic air vent in crawlspace > Check valve > Diaphragm tank > Pressure switch > Cottage
I could also combine the automatic air vent and check valve with a two port check valve.
I would like to go with the second option as it means I can get a more affordable and available diaphragm tank. The fiberglass air-over-water tank with AVC I'm looking at is $1K (CAD) for a 40 gallon tank. A diaphragm tank also avoids waterlogging, which is a possibility as the cottage is unused for weeks at a time.
My concern is that the automatic air vent which has to vent up to 80' or so of air in the 1 1/4" pipe when the pump cycles. I've seen SCFM ratings on air vents but I'm not sure what my system needs. Others on this forum have had the pressure tank in their drainback system replaced with a diaphragm tank and it causes water sputtering as air goes through the plumbing. I want to make sure that doesn't happen.
How do I go about sizing an automatic air vent? Can I install a 1/4" vent on a two port check valve? 1/8"? Will that be enough?
Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!
I have a shallow well by the water which I'm switching from a jet pump to a submersible pump. The cottage is up a fairly steep hill, a run of about 65' from well to cottage. It's too rocky and steep to bury the 1 1/4" polyethylene pipe that runs from the pump to the crawlspace of the cottage.
Because the power cuts out often in winter, I've decided to use a drainback system. There are two setups I'm considering based off advice on this forum:
1. Submersible pump with check valve > Drainback valve in well > Two port check valve with snifter valve in crawlspace > Air-over-water pressure tank with AVC > Pressure switch > Cottage
2. Submersible pump with check valve > Drainback valve in well > Automatic air vent in crawlspace > Check valve > Diaphragm tank > Pressure switch > Cottage
I could also combine the automatic air vent and check valve with a two port check valve.
I would like to go with the second option as it means I can get a more affordable and available diaphragm tank. The fiberglass air-over-water tank with AVC I'm looking at is $1K (CAD) for a 40 gallon tank. A diaphragm tank also avoids waterlogging, which is a possibility as the cottage is unused for weeks at a time.
My concern is that the automatic air vent which has to vent up to 80' or so of air in the 1 1/4" pipe when the pump cycles. I've seen SCFM ratings on air vents but I'm not sure what my system needs. Others on this forum have had the pressure tank in their drainback system replaced with a diaphragm tank and it causes water sputtering as air goes through the plumbing. I want to make sure that doesn't happen.
How do I go about sizing an automatic air vent? Can I install a 1/4" vent on a two port check valve? 1/8"? Will that be enough?
Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!