Water Tank & Pump Diagram/Schematic

[Thainesss]

Anyone have a diagram or schematic for a water tank & automatic pressure pump setup with a well & jet pump used as a backup for when the city water is off? 

 

Im trying to workout a way to make this in such a way that its fully automatic, but the well pump maintains pressure. 

[Crossy]

Do you intend using two pumps, one pressure pump from tank to house and a well pump to top off the tank if the mains is off?

 

If so I'd use a regular float valve for mains supply and a float switch to trigger the well pump if the tank goes below, say 60%.

 

[bankruatsteve]

Does a float switch also turn the well pump off?  If not, seems like it would need.

[Thainesss]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Do you intend using two pumps, one pressure pump from tank to house and a well pump to top off the tank if the mains is off?

 

Exactly. 

 

4 minutes ago, Crossy said:

If so I'd use a regular float valve for mains supply and a float switch to trigger the well pump if the tank goes below, say 60%.

 

Right now this is currently how I have it setup. 

 

The Problem is that because the pump is controlled by a float switch, and has zero pressure when shut off, the well pump loses prime after a few weeks of inactivity. Its probably the foot valve which Im not willing at this point to mess with. 

 

In my mind a solution would be to somehow control the well pump in such a way that it maintains some pressure, therefore staying primed all the time. 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, bankruatsteve said:

Does a float switch also turn the well pump off?  If not, seems like it would need.

 

If you use one of the two-float units, yes. Starts at 60%, stops at 100%.

 

This sort of thing.

 

[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

In my mind a solution would be to somehow control the well pump in such a way that it maintains some pressure, therefore staying primed all the time. 

 

It may be easier to provide a feed from the bottom of the tank to the outlet side of the well pump. That would keep the pump riser full without loads of mucking about.

 

Of course it would use some water, but if the foot valve isn't leaking too much it's a quick and simple solution. 

 

EDIT You could simply arrange the tank to bottom fill from the well pump which would keep the system full.

[bankruatsteve]

4 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

the well pump loses prime after a few weeks of inactivity.

Seems like you will not easily get around that.  Self prime jet pumps are available.

[Thainesss]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

This sort of thing.

 

Thats exactly what I'm using right now to control the well pump. 

 

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Starts at 60%, stops at 100%.

 

I actually made a new string so it starts at about 25% and stops at 100% to save on power usage. 

[Thainesss]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

It may be easier to provide a feed from the bottom of the tank to the outlet side of the well pump. That would keep the pump riser full without loads of mucking about.

 

Of course it would use some water, but if the foot valve isn't leaking too much it's a quick and simple solution. 

 

One issue is that the well pump is about 40 meters away from the tank, so it would be alot of work/time to do that and make it look clean. 

 

Im thinking about just buying a new cheap digital pressure switch and setting it to something like 5psi "on" and 10psi "off". That way it won't overpower the check valves I have but still maintains some pressure. 

 

8 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

Self prime jet pumps are available.

 

I don't really want to buy a new pump, but can you give me an example? Right now I have a 2" lucky star pump with a "packer" kit.

[Crossy]

Just now, Thainesss said:

One issue is that the well pump is about 40 meters away from the tank, so it would be alot of work/time to do that and make it look clean. 

 

A simple link to the pipe that enters the tank from the well pump would do, so long as there are no additional check valves in the way you'll be good.

 

[Thainesss]

23 minutes ago, Crossy said:

A simple link to the pipe that enters the tank from the well pump would do, so long as there are no additional check valves in the way you'll be good.

 

The way I have everything laid out here it would be easier to use city water for this purpose. I don't lose water for weeks on end so it should keep it mostly primed. Might even seat the foot valve better. 

 

Something like this? Excuse the crappyness of the drawing.

 

>> = Non-Return

 

. 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, Thainesss said:

Something like this? Excuse the crappyness of the drawing.

 

Nowt wrong with the drawing, I've worked from worse  ????

 

That should work, just watch your water bill in case the foot valve goes really bad.

 

[Thainesss]

8 minutes ago, Crossy said:

That should work, just watch your water bill in case the foot valve goes really bad.

 

Im trying to think how to get around this. The Tank and house pump are 40 meters away from both the city supply and the well, connected by a single 3/4" pipe. 

 

 

[Crossy]

How about a simple time clock to fire up the well pump for a few minutes every week bypassing the level switch?

 

[maxpower]

Multi-function timer set on delay pulse. Simples.