Small Above Ground Water Tank?

[NCC1701A]

I am renting my house.

 

I am thinking about getting a small above ground water tank to smooth out the periods when incoming water pressure drops to a point where my water pump will not start. 

 

If I put a tank first in line from the city water and let it fill up, then the output of the tank to the pump would this work? 

 

i did a test with a garden hose held up to about 8 feet and even low pressure the water was still trickling out so the tank should fill up completely over time. 

 

this would be without any float switch because no pump involved?  The whole tank fills up and pressure is constant. 

 

and i will be putting a single stage filter before the tank as the water here is really filthy especially during rain.  

 

please note my rent is so low i have no issue paying for this. 

 

OK what is really happening is I get a lot of visitors and sometimes the hot water heater will not kick on due to low pressure. Sort of embarrassing. Are you happy with that explanation? Thanks. 

      

[jvs]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

OK what is really happening is I get a lot of visitors and sometimes the hot water heater will not kick on due to low pressure. Sort of embarrassing. Are you happy with that explanation? Thanks.

Don't worry,the kind of visitors you are having are used to shower with cold water.

Already high tech when it comes out of a hose.

You're welcome.

[lopburi3]

You must have a float switch at top of tank to turn source water off when tank is full - tank has no pressure - it is open.  It feeds pump which makes the pressure for house use.  

FYI using pump on water line as seems to be what you indicate is now happening is dangerous and illegal.  

[poohy]

Should work you need a filter before and then out let from tank to pump

Tank will also need ball value to stop overfilling

 

We have same set up here and low water pressure is a problem to fill tank and we have to clean filter weekly as we are on private sediment rich  water not town supply

Edited May 10, 2020 by poohy

[NCC1701A]

2 minutes ago, poohy said:

Tank will also need ball value to stop overfilling

so this is a common thing just like a toilet? 

built into the tank? or? 

[poohy]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

You must have a float switch at top of tank to turn source water off when tank is full - tank has no pressure - it is open.  It feeds pump which makes the pressure for house use.  

FYI using pump on water line as seems to be what you indicate is now happening is dangerous and illegal.  

But very common round here as water pressure is very low at times,even to feed a standing tank we tried it but it clogged filter up more or less instantly 

 

[poohy]

Just now, NCC1701A said:

so this is a common thing just like a toilet? 

built into the tank? or? 

I think its built into tank i never remember buying the one in my tank 

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so this is a common thing just like a toilet? 

built into the tank? or? 

Very common - any pump/tank store will have.

[NCC1701A]

Just now, lopburi3 said:

Very common - any pump/tank store will have.

i will have to look closer at the tanks. i guess they must have a large port of some sort to allow placing this thing inside.

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i will have to look closer at the tanks. i guess they must have a large port of some sort to allow placing this thing inside.

They will have a large covered opening at top as well as pipe fittings.  You use the opening to install the float valve and to clean tank when required.  

[Don Mega]

4 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i will have to look closer at the tanks. i guess they must have a large port of some sort to allow placing this thing inside.

Typically they they have a large hole in the top.

[NCC1701A]

so as a example if i got a tank like this which i found on another tank topic:

 

https://www.homepro.co.th/p/1019260 

 

ok i see crossy's diagram now. 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by NCC1701A

[Crossy]

I shall dust off my standard pump-n-tank diagram ????

 

 

[transam]

When you look at the tanks, you want one with two visible inlet/outlet points at the bottom of the tank. One is water in that goes inside up to the top of the tank feeding a ball valve that shuts the water off at the full level, the other is the feed to your pump. They now have tanks with the pump in the top of the tank, but I would forget that in case it packs up. 

[Crossy]

Yeah ^^^.

 

Our 2,400L tanks have a 1" fitting at the bottom which is the water inlet (vertical pipe and float inside the tank) and a 2" outlet.

 

Do put a valve on your tank outlet, you don't want to waste a tank full if the pump goes wrong and needs to be pulled.

[lopburi3]

7 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so as a example if i got a tank like this which i found on another tank topic:

 

https://www.homepro.co.th/p/1019260 

 

ok i see crossy's diagram now. 

 

 

 

Do not have that type but believe it is bottom feed and output with pipe inside tank and suspect comes with its own float valve.  You do want that type in sea water environment rather than SS that I use here in Bangkok or the cheap plastic (blue tanks). 

[NCC1701A]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

When you look at the tanks, you want one with two visible inlet/outlet points at the bottom of the tank. One is water in that goes inside up to the top of the tank feeding a ball valve that shuts the water off at the full level, the other is the feed to your pump. They now have tanks with the pump in the top of the tank, but I would forget that in case it packs up. 

ok that makes sense. i need a super cheapo tank but having one with the valve built in makes sense. 

how do you clean a tank? I would think the filter would cut down on having to do this.  

 

I just had a 5 second power hit. maybe need solar panels too.  

 

 

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

ok that makes sense. i need a super cheapo tank but having one with the valve built in makes sense. 

how do you clean a tank? I would think the filter would cut down on having to do this.  

 

I just had a 5 second power hit. maybe need solar panels too.  

 

 

On a larger tank you have maid go inside and scrub it down once or twice a decade.  They should not get very dirty with pre filter in any case.  My SS tanks are above ground level a bit so very easy to clean with hose and opening bottom.  Other types don't have a clue (but am sure Google would).

[transam]

1 minute ago, NCC1701A said:

ok that makes sense. i need a super cheapo tank but having one with the valve built in makes sense. 

how do you clean a tank? I would think the filter would cut down on having to do this.  

 

I just had a 5 second power hit. maybe need solar panels too.  

 

 

I have never cleaned the inside of a tank, those plastic ones are Nano coated, what ever that is, all you get is a bit of, what looks like sand, in the bottom. There is no algae, nothing. I just have a drinking water filter in the kitchen for drinking, never had a problem, except a new pump after 11 years and a new ball valve...........

If I did it again I would install a 500ltr tank, not the 1000ltr, as it is inside a room off the kitchen, bit of a pain to fit a new ball valve..

[CGW]

33 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Very common - any pump/tank store will have.

I changed my float valve to one of these https://www.lazada.co.th/products/automatic-water-level-control-valve-float-auto-water-tank-water-tank-fish-pond-oil-pump-water-tank-i126096723-s132404309.html been in over a year and no issues, above prone to failure or i was unlucky.

[NCC1701A]

i just looked at tanks at home pro on line and none had built in float valves that i could see.  

 

[lopburi3]

12 minutes ago, CGW said:

above prone to failure or i was unlucky.

Unlucky.  Have been using for more than 40 years and only recall one or two failures.  They work many many years with no issues.

[doctormann]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

Unlucky.  Have been using for more than 40 years and only recall one or two failures.  They work many many years with no issues.

I have one on my water cistern that is starting to leak and needs to be replaced after only two years.  The previous one lasted 15 years so I guess it's all down to the luck of the draw!

 

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

so as a example if i got a tank like this which i found on another tank topic:

 

https://www.homepro.co.th/p/1019260 

 

ok i see crossy's diagram now. 

 

 

 

We have 2 tanks this brand but much bigger and they were expensive.

 

Up to you of course but check some shops and you'll probably find much cheaper tanks but of course lower quality.

 

Good luck.

[007 RED]

Where I live we are on main's supply if you can call it that and like many people here in Thailand we also suffer from low, and sometimes non-existent, water pressure.  This is basically because the water company use mainly plastic supply pipes to get the water to the house and they cannot put to much pressure behind the water for fear of pipe joints bursting.

 

I have 2 x 1,000 litre tanks each with an outlet pump.  One tank is used for the house the other for our smallish fruit garden mainly during the hot season.  The joy is that with mains supply water pressure low during the day, when most people and local factories want water, the tanks fill up at nigh when demand is low.

 

I have attached a few photos of the garden setup. 

 

Photo #1 shows the inlet pipe, with shut-off valve just before the pipe enters the tank near the top.  The screw removable lid on top of the tank is also shown.. 

 

Photo #2 was taken above the tank with the lid removed to show the inlet ball valve which is just like the ball valve in the loo). 

 

Photo #3 shows the bottom of the tank and the outlet pipe feeding the pump - again there is a shut-off valve between tank outlet and the pump inlet.

 

FYI... there is a second outlet hole at the bottom of the tank.  This is for draining the tank if necessary and is also fitted with a shut-off valve.

 

A really simple DIY job.  In my case the ball valve was included with the tank, but they are available from Homepro if that is were you will purchase your setup.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by 007 RED
typo

[CGW]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

Unlucky.  Have been using for more than 40 years and only recall one or two failures.  They work many many years with no issues.

I guess! have three in the workshop in various stages of brokenness! probably made them out of better materials years ago!

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i will be putting a single stage filter before the tank as the water here is really filthy especially during rain.  

The problem with that is that you say 

 

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

even low pressure the water was still trickling out

And 

 

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

the water here is really filthy especially during rain.

So any filter is going to get rapidly blocked and you will have no pressure, unless it’s a crunchy bits filter.

 

You will be better advised to have your filter after your pump as pumps don’t suck very well compared to pushing.

 

so just resigning yourself to cleaning the tank occasionally.

[doctormann]

2 hours ago, CGW said:

I changed my float valve to one of these https://www.lazada.co.th/products/automatic-water-level-control-valve-float-auto-water-tank-water-tank-fish-pond-oil-pump-water-tank-i126096723-s132404309.html been in over a year and no issues, above prone to failure or i was unlucky.

How do you set the water level, using one of those auto-water-level-control valves?

Presumably works off the hydrostatic pressure produced by the water level in the tank so do you need some sort of a pipe that goes below the water level that gives that pressure as a control to the valve.  In that case you would have to adjust the length of the pipe until you got the level that you wanted.  Or not?

[CGW]

12 minutes ago, doctormann said:

How do you set the water level, using one of those auto-water-level-control valves?

Presumably works off the hydrostatic pressure produced by the water level in the tank so do you need some sort of a pipe that goes below the water level that gives that pressure as a control to the valve.  In that case you would have to adjust the length of the pipe until you got the level that you wanted.  Or not?

Just used a few fittings that I had laying around, which included a 90° elbow, no pipe run below surface, worked well since fitting, if you do get one take the very fine gauze filter out, learnt that was necessary the hard way!

[soi3eddie]

1 hour ago, 007 RED said:

Where I live we are on main's supply if you can call it that and like many people here in Thailand we also suffer from low, and sometimes non-existent, water pressure.  This is basically because the water company use mainly plastic supply pipes to get the water to the house and they cannot put to much pressure behind the water for fear of pipe joints bursting.

 

I have 2 x 1,000 litre tanks each with an outlet pump.  One tank is used for the house the other for our smallish fruit garden mainly during the hot season.  The joy is that with mains supply water pressure low during the day, when most people and local factories want water, the tanks fill up at nigh when demand is low.

 

I have attached a few photos of the garden setup. 

 

Photo #1 shows the inlet pipe, with shut-off valve just before the pipe enters the tank near the top.  The screw removable lid on top of the tank is also shown.. 

 

Photo #2 was taken above the tank with the lid removed to show the inlet ball valve which is just like the ball valve in the loo). 

 

Photo #3 shows the bottom of the tank and the outlet pipe feeding the pump - again there is a shut-off valve between tank outlet and the pump inlet.

 

FYI... there is a second outlet hole at the bottom of the tank.  This is for draining the tank if necessary and is also fitted with a shut-off valve.

 

A really simple DIY job.  In my case the ball valve was included with the tank, but they are available from Homepro if that is were you will purchase your setup.

 

Good luck.

 

This post is the way to go and will work well for you NCC. 

Don't worry about cleaning with or without filters as any sediment will settle to bottom of the tank below the outlet. 

Be sure to buy a "constant pressure" pump as it will give smooth flow and stop the surging of some pumps.