Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jun 23, 1999 08:48pm | #1

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   Greg,

   If you dont get much response here try

   http://www.plbg.com/cgi-bin/forum.pl

   jim

1. 
   Guest_ | Jun 23, 1999 09:02pm | #2

   *The 70 feet of elevation change will cost you about 30 psi in pressure loss. So if you were running the system at 30-50 psi, you will have to change it to 60-80 on/off psi respectively. Assuming your existing well system is in good condition that shouldn't be a problem. The output of your pump will go down as the pressure increases. Assuming that the pump is not currently operating at its upper limit, you shouldn't have any problems. If you have the make and model of the pump, you can talk to the manufacturer and get the pump curve information and verify the operating point.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jun 23, 1999 09:13pm | #3

   *Need a little more info here, you gave the well depth, but also need to know how deep the pump is set in the well to accurately determine the "head" or how high the pump really needs to lift the water. If we say the pump is 125 ft down the well and the rise from the well to the house is 70 ft, there's 195 ft of head without taking into condideration the head caused by friction loss in the piping. If you're planning on using 3/4" pipe (don't), then the friction loss will be the equivalent of about 32' of head for each 100' of piping. This would be like raising the tank level another 216'. If you use 1.25" water line from the pump to the house, the increase in the head is only 2.5' per 100' increasing the head by only 17' (16.875, actually).So with 1.25" piping and a head of roughly 212', assuming a "standard" house, you can probably use a 1 hp, 12 gallon/minute pump. On the house end, you should use a tank with a bladder, sized to at least a 13-14 gallon drawdown. An Amtrol WX-250 or its equivalent. You could even go to the next larger size with a larger drawdown. The key is to size the tank with a large enough drawdown, so the pump has a 1-2 minute rest period after it shuts off to allow it to cool before the pressure switch calls for it to start up again. If not, you risk premature failure of the pump motor.Hope this helps. Given the distance and elevation change you've outlined, there is no inexpensive solution if you want to do it right.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jun 23, 1999 10:09pm | #4

   *Another choice is to ADD another pressure tank. There is no real downside (other than cost) to a very large pressure tank capacity. Just make sure that they are both charged to the same pressure. If you put them in series, use the largest pipe size that the fittings will allow to connect between them.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jun 27, 1999 11:47pm | #6

   *I can confirm Allaround's piping loss calculations. But to correct or maybe clarify the wording of something else he said: The pressure requirements of the pump are independent of the depth of the pump and the depth of the well. They are dependent on the depth of the water within the well. Whether you have water 50 feet down in a 125-foot deep well or water 50 feet down in a 500-foot deep well, the pump needs to produce 22 psi (50/2.31) to get the water to ground level. The more deeply placed pump has both a higher inlet pressure and a higher outlet pressure. So the differential pressure created by the pump (what you read off the pump curve) is a function of the water depth (during pumping). Plus elevation gain, piping losses, and desired pressure in the house as discussed. -David

2. 
   Greg_H. | Jun 27, 1999 11:47pm | #5

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   I am starting the process of building a new home on a different site on my property. The new site is about 70' above my existing well-house. The new water line will be installed in the same trench as the power and phone. The new water line will be about 550' long with a 70' elavation gain. My well is 125' deep. Do I need to install a bigger pump to pump up the hill to a pressure tank up top, or can I install a new pressure tank (mine is the bladder type) with a higher on/off setting for the switch , down in the existing well-house.