Recommendations for a bore water pump with filter?

[grain]

Tirak's plot of land in rural Korat, she has a bore with a cheap pump (think it cost her 2000 Bt) that she used to water her crops, anyway the pump has now broken so I want her to replace it with a better quality and more powerful pump. Also the water that came from the bore was full of sand and impurities, so I'd like to get her a pump that has some water filtration, so it can remove the sand and dirt and purify the water somewhat...obviously not purify enough for drinking but enough so the water is clean enough to wash in and use for washing clothes. So any suggestions or recommendations for us?

[Muhendis]

Do you know how deep your bore hole is?

Sand and sediment don't normally come from a deep bore hole.

Of course it could be that your bore hole is not lined.

Normally the top (up to) twelve metres or so would have a 6" blue pipe liner inside to stop soil etc. from falling into the water from the top and side walls.

If you don't have this then I'm sure an enterprising builder would help you install one.

Pumps don't normally come equipped with their own filters but you can get some nice carbon filled filters which will remove sediment enough for clean household water.

These are the "go to" people for water treatment etc.

https://www.duan-daw.com/category/16/ถังกรองน้ำ-สารกรองน้ำ

[Muhendis]

Borehole pump choices are:

1) Jet pump 

2) Submersible pump.

The jet pump is a lot less costly and works fine.

I use a 370 Watt Mitsubishi jet pump which is more than adequate.

[Muhendis]

11 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

What, ? I can't hear you. 

 

Change filters once a year, clean filters every 4 months.

Well that's what I do. filters are pre main  tank.

 

 

Sounds about right. 

I use a surface water well almost exclusively. My bore hole water is way too hard so only used for emergency.

My filter arrangement is 2x four foot sediment filters followed by a resin filter. Then I have a 20" 5 micron and a 20" 1 micron poly something filter. Water is then good enough for general house use. Drinking water is from an RO unit which makes the water germ free.

Sediment and resin filters are backwashed every 3-4 months (or when I remember) and resin is rejuvenated at the same time.

I use a <deleted> (total dissolved solids) meter to check water condition.

The <deleted> meter is not expensive and is readily available on line. 

[Muhendis]

2 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

Sounds about right. 

I use a surface water well almost exclusively. My bore hole water is way too hard so only used for emergency.

My filter arrangement is 2x four foot sediment filters followed by a resin filter. Then I have a 20" 5 micron and a 20" 1 micron poly something filter. Water is then good enough for general house use. Drinking water is from an RO unit which makes the water germ free.

Sediment and resin filters are backwashed every 3-4 months (or when I remember) and resin is rejuvenated at the same time.

I use a <deleted> (total dissolved solids) meter to check water condition.

The <deleted> meter is not expensive and is readily available on line. 

why is t.d.s, in capitals, Deleted?

[metisdead]

A post using ALL CAPS and a reply has been removed.  Please turn off your Caps Lock when posting as there is no need to SHOUT.

[arick]

12 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Do you know how deep your bore hole is?

Sand and sediment don't normally come from a deep bore hole.

Of course it could be that your bore hole is not lined.

Normally the top (up to) twelve metres or so would have a 6" blue pipe liner inside to stop soil etc. from falling into the water from the top and side walls.

If you don't have this then I'm sure an enterprising builder would help you install one.

Pumps don't normally come equipped with their own filters but you can get some nice carbon filled filters which will remove sediment enough for clean household water.

These are the "go to" people for water treatment etc.

https://www.duan-daw.com/category/16/ถังกรองน้ำ-สารกรองน้ำ

My well is 60 M deep and I get sand just buy a submersible pump and the size of the pump determines how deep your well is if it's 60 M then you need a pump a submersible pump that can pump at 60 m and just buy a sand filter to filter your water before it goes into the water tank. 

[Muhendis]

15 minutes ago, arick said:

My well is 60 M deep and I get sand just buy a submersible pump and the size of the pump determines how deep your well is if it's 60 M then you need a pump a submersible pump that can pump at 60 m and just buy a sand filter to filter your water before it goes into the water tank. 

I am curious to know how far down is the top of your water in the bore hole?

Mine is a 51 metre depth with water always 3 metres from the top.

[grain]

Thanks everybody for your replies, and thanks Muhendis for the link. I'm looking around online for more info & prices. I don't know how deep the bore is, or if it has any pvc lining, I seriously doubt it has any lining as it's a cheapo set up just to water her  garden. But where she lives the main water supply is very unreliable, and often you turn on the tap and there's no water, so I'm thinking if I can get her a good pump and some filtration, then the water from her bore could be used for general household use as well as the garden. All our drinking water gets delivered in big plastic bottles, plus we buy packs from Lotus's, so it's only general household use that we'll need the water from the bore for.

[longball53098]

Franklin submersible pumps are the best . My bore hole is 44 meters and has supplied water for over 10 years now. Original Franklin pump. Bore hole serviced once in all that time and well man remarked what a great water supply we have. He did the bore in the beginning

[unheard]

56 minutes ago, grain said:

I don't know how deep the bore is, or if it has any pvc lining

Take a look at the bore, or at whatever is surface visible.

Most wells are pvc lined (blue pipe) but could be metal.

 

 

 

 

[Stevemercer]

If the bore was installed for domestic use only it is likely to be shallow (<12m) and use an above ground pump rather than a submersible pump. 

 

Just replace the above-ground pump (300 W should be adequate). You could get a higher quality one at up to 4000 Baht. 

 

Does your girlfriend's house have a storage water tank? If not, it would be better to install a 2000 litre water tank (with the town water flowing into this) and 250 Watt pump to pump the water into the house. That way the town water will fill the tank and you will have sufficient storge to last a few days when the town water is not working. 

 

Bore water is often mineralised and will leave deposits in taps and showers etc. If you have town water, it is normally better to use this.

[Aussieroaming]

To remove sand you would need something like a cuno filter which can handle coarser grained material than a normal filter that typically traps fine sediments. If you choose to pump sand then remember that it is abrasive as well so you would also need to consider higher than normal wear rates on the pump casing and impellor and also an increase in discharge head pressure if you installed a cuno filter, which means buying a pump with a higher duty pressure rating. You can't put the filter in the suction side, only on the discharge side as you already have too much negative suction head pressure from pulling water out of the bore well.

 

Other than a coarse filter, sand is typically only removed mechanically using a cyclone or cloth screen, both of which would be rediculously expensive.

 

Some companies specialize in cleaning out wells that have partially collapsed or have filled with sand. You need to either clean the existing well out and stabilize the well by installing a new or replacement side wall sheath or drill a new bore well and internal piping fit out. 

[Muhendis]

27 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

Some companies specialize in cleaning out wells that have partially collapsed or have filled with sand.

If this is indeed what has happened then it would be very difficult to recover a submersible pump. It rarely happens but when it does you can say good by to your 21,000 baht pump.

[grain]

6 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

If the bore was installed for domestic use only it is likely to be shallow (<12m) and use an above ground pump rather than a submersible pump. 

 

Just replace the above-ground pump (300 W should be adequate). You could get a higher quality one at up to 4000 Baht. 

 

Does your girlfriend's house have a storage water tank? If not, it would be better to install a 2000 litre water tank (with the town water flowing into this) and 250 Watt pump to pump the water into the house. That way the town water will fill the tank and you will have sufficient storge to last a few days when the town water is not working. 

 

Bore water is often mineralised and will leave deposits in taps and showers etc. If you have town water, it is normally better to use this.

Yes this is a good idea, and something I'll look into further.

[arick]

On 1/19/2023 at 8:01 AM, Muhendis said:

I am curious to know how far down is the top of your water in the bore hole?

Mine is a 51 metre depth with water always 3 metres from the top.

No idea and pretty hard to check but our pump is 60 metres down takes about 40 seconds for water to come.  Our other wells were 30 metres but ran  during the drought 

[grain]

On 1/19/2023 at 1:16 PM, Stevemercer said:

If the bore was installed for domestic use only it is likely to be shallow (<12m) and use an above ground pump rather than a submersible pump. 

 

Just replace the above-ground pump (300 W should be adequate). You could get a higher quality one at up to 4000 Baht. 

 

Does your girlfriend's house have a storage water tank? If not, it would be better to install a 2000 litre water tank (with the town water flowing into this) and 250 Watt pump to pump the water into the house. That way the town water will fill the tank and you will have sufficient storge to last a few days when the town water is not working. 

 

Bore water is often mineralised and will leave deposits in taps and showers etc. If you have town water, it is normally better to use this.

I'm currently on holiday in Australia and won't return to Korat until mid-March. I spoke with tirak yesterday and she has already gone ahead and bought a new replacement pump for her well, she's now just waiting for one of the local guys to come and connect it up. So the well-pump-filter idea has now been dropped.

 

However, I'm very interested in the idea of installing a 2000 litre water tank and connecting a 250watt pump. This whole idea seems the ideal solution to me.

 

As I'm not currently in Thailand, could you, and any others please, show me some links to the type of water talk and the type of pumps I should be considering. Perhaps links to Thaiwatsadu, or MegaHome or Do Home, or any similar store, so I can check out my options and do some costing.

[unheard]

4 hours ago, grain said:

However, I'm very interested in the idea of installing a 2000 litre water tank and connecting a 250watt pump.

https://wave.co.th/product-category/ground-water-tanks/

 

https://dos.co.th/products?f[0]=field_categ%3A1

 

 

 

https://mitsubishi-kyw.co.th/Product/For-Home/Water-Pump/ConstantPressure/934.aspx?NodeID=934&ProductType=5

 

https://www.hitachi-homeappliances.com/th-en/products/water-pump/shallow-well-compact/wm-p250gx2.html

[Stevemercer]

Somebody has already posted some links. All local home improvement/hardware/building type shops will have what you need. A 2000 L tank is typically around 2,500 Baht, a 250 Watt constant pressure pump about 2,500 - 4,000 Baht. 250 W is fine for a single storey house, 2 storey may need 350 W.

 

It's better to place the tank on a concrete pad reasonably close (within 5 metres) to the first water entry point into the house, if possible. A raised pad (maybe 0.5 - 1 metre) is good, plus a pump with a bypass that will allow water to pass through if the electricity is off.

 

You can test that the existing town water pressure is adequate to fill the tank by holding up a 2.5 metre length of water pipe (e.g. simulating water flowing in at the top of the tank) connected to the end of the hose. If the water can't make it up, you will need a lower profile style of water tank 

(to avoid having to use a booster pump).

 

You'll also need an assortment of blue PVC pipe connectors and pipe lengths. It's all pretty simple to install and any Thai with experience will be able to install and set up.

 

Just be aware that the higher pressure in the house pipes will show up any leaks or weak points. You may need new shower heads or taps if the old ones are in poor condition. Any repair costs will be pretty minimal assuming the water pipes are attached to the walls and accessible (almost certainly the case in an older home) 

[grain]

Thank you unheard, for the links...very helpful. And thank you Stevemercer for your very useful post above. All this information is very helpful for me. I think it's best if I wait until I return and then get it all sorted, but now I have a very clear idea of what's involved. Thanks again.

[Encid]

Another company to visit is iWater in Khon Kaen.

They have pretty much everything you could possibly want and if you take along a water sample from your bore (and your town water) they can test it for you and recommend what sort of filtration you might need.

They also distribute and service Grundfos pumps... which are (arguably) the best domestic water pumps on the market.

They also sell RO units if you want to consider making your own drinking water.

 

 

 

[grain]

11 hours ago, Encid said:

Another company to visit is iWater in Khon Kaen.

They have pretty much everything you could possibly want and if you take along a water sample from your bore (and your town water) they can test it for you and recommend what sort of filtration you might need.

They also distribute and service Grundfos pumps... which are (arguably) the best domestic water pumps on the market.

They also sell RO units if you want to consider making your own drinking water.

 

 

 

Thanks Encid, when I get the tank and pump installed I'll also probably get some filtration installed with it, at the same time...not for drinking but for other general use, taking a sample for testing is a good idea. Does anyone know if there's a similar service to test water and recommend filtration in Korat?

[sometimewoodworker]

3 hours ago, grain said:

Thanks Encid, when I get the tank and pump installed I'll also probably get some filtration installed with it, at the same time...not for drinking but for other general use, taking a sample for testing is a good idea. Does anyone know if there's a similar service to test water and recommend filtration in Korat?

Talk to the PWA they do testing 

[grain]

OK guys, I'm now back in Korat and it's time to start this thread up again. We'll be getting this tank/pump/filters sorted and done (hopefully) by end of the month. 

 

There's a local guy who does water testing and installing the appropriate filtration. Tirak has already taken a water sample to him, and we're currently waiting on getting a report back from him, along with a quote for installing the filters.

 

Around middle of the coming week we're driving into Korat city to the big stores (Do Home/Thaiwatasdu) to check prices for a 2000 lit tank, plus a 250 Watt constant pressure pump. All the other bits & pieces we can buy locally.

 

Now 2 questions:

 

1) I presume it's better to place the pump under some kind of roof rather than have it outside when it will get wet with rain?

2) Tirak told me this morning that we'll need to have the pump at the rear of the house because it's illegal to fit pumps to the town water supply (nam prapar) and if the pump is at the front (where I intended putting it) some gov official may see it and we'll have a problem. This sounds like the usual Thai BS to me, but is there any truth to this?

[sometimewoodworker]

19 minutes ago, grain said:

Tirak told me this morning that we'll need to have the pump at the rear of the house because it's illegal to fit pumps to the town water supply (nam prapar) and if the pump is at the front (where I intended putting it) some gov official may see it and we'll have a problem. This sounds like the usual Thai BS to me, but is there any truth to this?

Completely true, zero Thai BS but not much knowledge of why you didn’t do it. And you are not designing your system efficiently if you pump from the town water supply, even more badly informed if you have a tank.

 

there are several reasons why you never pump from the mains, there are plenty of threads listing the reasons but in general the town water supply is a positive pressure system, sucking makes it a negative pressure one and brings all kinds of contamination and pathogens you really don’t want.

 

So fill your tank directly from the mains put your pump after the tank and your filters after the pump, though you may want a “crunchy bits” filter before the tank. The tank will act a a first settlement tank and reduce the solids pumping through the main filters.

[sometimewoodworker]

23 minutes ago, grain said:

Around middle of the coming week we're driving into Korat city to the big stores (Do Home/Thaiwatasdu) to check prices for a 2000 lit tank, plus a 250 Watt constant pressure pump.

Tanks are from about 3,000 to 7,000 the pump will be around 7,000

[Hummin]

Sand often happens if you pump to long, and "dry pump" the well because you pump out faster than it produce. 

 

If submersible pump, I would not put any philter to restrict the flow, but have a little sand philter tank before your main tank, feeding the main tank by gravity. 

[grain]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Completely true, zero Thai BS but not much knowledge of why you didn’t do it. And you are not designing your system efficiently if you pump from the town water supply, even more badly informed if you have a tank.

 

there are several reasons why you never pump from the mains, there are plenty of threads listing the reasons but in general the town water supply is a positive pressure system, sucking makes it a negative pressure one and brings all kinds of contamination and pathogens you really don’t want.

 

So fill your tank directly from the mains put your pump after the tank and your filters after the pump, though you may want a “crunchy bits” filter before the tank. The tank will act a a first settlement tank and reduce the solids pumping through the main filters.

Excellent reply sometimewoodworker, obviously I know very little about this, so what you tell me here is valuable info. I want to make sure we do this right. Thanks for the links to pumps as well. It's been recommended that I get a 250W pump for this job. It's a single story house. Do you agree on 250W or would 150W suffice? 

[grain]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Sand often happens if you pump to long, and "dry pump" the well because you pump out faster than it produce. 

 

If submersible pump, I would not put any philter to restrict the flow, but have a little sand philter tank before your main tank, feeding the main tank by gravity. 

Thanks for your reply Hummin. I started this thread with the idea of pumping and filtering water from the bore. But we have since dropped that idea, and now going ahead with installing a water tank + pump connected to the town water supply.

[sometimewoodworker]

18 minutes ago, grain said:

Excellent reply sometimewoodworker, obviously I know very little about this, so what you tell me here is valuable info. I want to make sure we do this right. Thanks for the links to pumps as well. It's been recommended that I get a 250W pump for this job. It's a single story house. Do you agree on 250W or would 150W suffice? 

For the first 10 years of our marriage we were in a single story house and our 155W constant pressure pump was easily enough. 
 

For the pump putting a roof over it to avoid full sun will do no harm and reduce UV degradation but is not required.

 

The thing that will assist with maintaining maximum pressure is to use 1” pipes as far as possible since the standard ½” everywhere will reduce the available pressure if you have more than about 3 tap’s running at a time.