Which Water Pump To Choose

[rubik101]

how do you pump it full of air after draining the water from the oildrainy thing? My 255 ex is the same, runs all the time.

[Crossy]

how do you pump it full of air after draining the water from the oildrainy thing? My 255 ex is the same, runs all the time.

Some pressure tanks have a car tyre type valve, pump it up with a foot pump or take the tank to the garage.

The simple pumps just rely on atmospheric pressure, let the water out at the bottom, air in at the top (look for an air inlet valve you can open).

[kamalabob2]

Bazmld: "I went to buy a new one at Thai Watsadu yesterday and it was pointed out to me that Fujika Pumps have onsite service and a 5 year warranty, Hitachi or Mitsubishi are return to manufacturer for service, which is a pain in the butt if anything goes wrong." That may be the case with Thai Watsadu, and Thaiwatsadu might have their own reasons for suggesting Fujika Water pumps over Hitachi Water Pumps or Mitsubishi Water pumps. I am of of the opinion that every province in Thailand has a "water pump specialist" shop that sells name brand water pumps at a discount, lower than the national modern trade stores, and that the water pump installation experts in most any Thailand province can install a water pump, guarantee the installation, and go to your home to make repairs for less money than HomePro charges for installations. I've been very happy with the water pump installations and repairs done at my home, even the swimming pool pump repairs done at a fraction of the cost quoted by the swimming pool builder, by a store in Buriram Province. Perhaps other stores also offer a "free loaner water pump" if they can't repair your water pump during the home visit. Thaiwatsadu has a great selection of wall tiles, whirlpool bathtubs, window curtains, even bedroom furniture for a house in Buriram. But when I needed a Franklin Electric Schaefer Submersible 14 stage water pump for a well in my wife's Isaan Village I found a much lower price in Buriram at Ruangsangthai Builders Merchants than I was quoted on the telephone by KTW in Bangkok. The web site prices were high, the telephone price discount lower, but it still was higher than the local water pump shop. Ruangsangthai made the cable the 76 meters I needed and I was not stuck with a 45 meter "set' that Krieng Thai Watana wanted to include for a significant price. There must be plenty of family owned water pump dealers in Thailand that will at no fee, go to a customer's house and fix the Mitsubishi water pump during the warranty period. I personally would not buy a power tool or water pump from a store that wanted me to "put it in a box, pay for postage, and send it back to Bangkok and WAIT for repairs" if a different hardware store had lower prices and would fix the item at my house. No retail store is perfect in Thailand and I am encouraged to read where the Thai Visa member, a UK expat, DraxNet is helping to improve Thaiwatsadu near Pattaya. I live in Buriram Province so I have a choice of which shop will repair my Mitsubishi, Hitachi and now Franklin Electric Schaefer Water Pumps. Mitsubishi and Hitachi both offer a 5 year warranty on water pumps, but some dealers are authorized to do at your home repairs, at their store repairs and other retailers tell you to ship it to Bangkok.

The OP might be better served to have the local water pump specialist shop, at no charge to him, send a person with actual water pump experience to his home, so the local shop can make a suggestion of what water pump(s) will best suit the OP's needs, all at no obligation. That is how I first became aware of Ruangsangthai Builders Merchants in Buriram Province as my Thailand house builder knew her house building staff were not qualified to properly install a water pump for a two story house. I've since had the "water pump shop" staff re-install two toilets, a Toto urinal drain, a shower drain, all the original house construction workers did incorrectly.

[scooterboy]

Sounds like a real good deal you got there! Wish we had such places out our way.

Here, they all stock standard brand pumps and know Jack S#$t about what the pumps can or can't do. "Up to you", is the standard rhetoric .

I'm actually looking for a home (1-storey, no bathtubs), water pump that doesn't blow my a$$S apart when I use the bum-gun and doesn't force water out of the taps at 300 mph, causing it to bounce off the sink and spray all over the walls. "Ya got one like that?" "Up to you"....

If anyone can recommend a pump that has adjustable pressure (or am I dreamin'?), then me and my sphincter'd be more than grateful.

Cheers

[lopburi3]

All pumps have adjustable pressure - but bum guns and sink taps should be fed with a shut off valve to adjust to amount of water flow allowed (this also allows you to change taps/spray without turning all of house off).

[Pib]

Sounds like a real good deal you got there! Wish we had such places out our way.

Here, they all stock standard brand pumps and know Jack S#$t about what the pumps can or can't do. "Up to you", is the standard rhetoric .

I'm actually looking for a home (1-storey, no bathtubs), water pump that doesn't blow my a$$S apart when I use the bum-gun and doesn't force water out of the taps at 300 mph, causing it to bounce off the sink and spray all over the walls. "Ya got one like that?" "Up to you"....

If anyone can recommend a pump that has adjustable pressure (or am I dreamin'?), then me and my sphincter'd be more than grateful.

Cheers

Regarding the bum gun just modify it to accept one of those adjustable spray pattern water hose heads. That way you can pamper your butt....jet spray for a good cleaning....mist for a lite cleaning.

[scooterboy]

Yeah, thanks guys! I do have a valve mounted on the bum-gun - but even then there's a second or two's horror before I'm able to adjust the valve to err... a more comfortable stream.

That green thing is for cleaning cars, ain't it?!

Hmmm - "all pumps have adjustable pressure" .... really? I've looked at my pump (it came with no manual, of course) and there's no apparent lever, knob or screw that I can see - it's not a bladder pump, just a local "turn it on and it'll pump" thing. Wonder where I have to look......

But it at least works very well....

Cheers

[lopburi3]

Once set you do not change the valve setting until you need to replace something - should keep the same set flow each time you use the spray.

Some pumps have pressure gauge and external set screws to adjust but most will just have cut on/off type settings under the relay cover which best to have a professional adjust (easy to get a shock if wired wrong/without ground).

[Pib]

Pumps without an "external users pressure adjustment" really shouldn't be messed with as they are factory set for optimum and long term pump operation. But with having said that, such pumps can be adjusted but you should have a pressure gauge in order to properly set the upper and lower cut-on/cut-off pressures...although you may see one main screw on top of the switch pressure spring which is inside the switch's plastic cover that main adjustment will adjust both the upper and lower pump cut-on/cut-ff pressures...the smaller adjustment near the bottom/middle of the spring is for the pressure span between the upper and lower pressures. And you really shouldn't adjust such a pump's pressure switch for a higher pressure as you are taking it outside its design limits then....sure it will continue to work, but really won't put on much more pressure...about all you'll do is make the pump work harder, longer, and hotter just for a few additional PSI.

[scooterboy]

Point taken - and I really know next to nothing about pumps......

Now, back to the original question....we'll be buying a new house pump (not for the same house) next year. Would it be advisable to buy a bladder pump, so that there's a reasonable and constant stream of water - and not a jerky stream.

If so, what brand is good (and reliable)? - and how many watts would suffice?

House has no bathtubs (but 2 showers) - one storey. We're not large users of water....

hanks for any good hints

Edited August 14, 2014 by scooterboy

[Pib]

Most any constant pressure pump of 250 watts or more would do the job. Play it safe and go with a 350 watt model like from Mitsubishi or Hitachi. Now constant pressure pumps cost more than the non-constant pressure models and seem to be more problem prone due to the extra mechanism to help maintain constant pressure...and since they run more to maintain a constant pressure their motor tends to fail sooner that the non-constant pressure type pump. Regarding the models that give a jerky stream, if the pump is operating properly (that is, its pressure tank is not getting waterlogged, etc) it's hard to notice any pressure variation within your home and it will be very minor. I can speak from experience as I've got such a pump.

[scooterboy]

"Constant pressure pumps" - is that the same as "bladder pumps"?

well, I DID say I didn't know much about pumps.......

It doesn't sound especially convincing if they're prone to problems, whatever terminology is used....

Cheers

[kamalabob2]

Far be it from me to disagree with Pib, but this morning I stopped by a Buriram Water Pump dealer and showed him Scooter's question about what water pump for a single story house in Thailand with two showers would be best. Without hesitation, Pichai the owner of Ruangsangthai Builders Merchants, (who stocks and sells hundreds of water pumps each and every month) and is an authorized repair service center with installation and home repair service of Hitachi, Franklin Electric, Schaefer, Mitsubishi, and Calpeda Water Pumps in Buriram Province, recomended the Hitachi WM-P150GX2 or the Mitsubishi EP-155Q3 constant pressure bladder water pumps. He has a real grasp of what water pumps need adjustment or repair services. Those two models are available all over Thailand, but certainly different prices, different alledged installation services and way different warranty or after warranty repair policies depending on where you buy your Hitachi water pump or Mitsubishi Water pump. I'd recommend Scooterboy visit the family owned "water pump specialist" in his province for a better price, better advise, better installation and better repair experiences. The store that will offer "free loaner water pump" will show Scooterboy which water pump retailer in his Thailand province is committed to customer satisfaction. I've read tales of the "you put it in a box and mail back to Bangkok" being told to expats in Thailand who purchase a water pump from a big box retailer more interested in selling massage chairs, pillows, whirlpool spas or Italian wall tile. How and who actually repairs your Hitachi, Franklin Electric, Calpeda, Mitsubishi or Schaefer water pump in Thailand both during and after the manufacturers warranty period is a great question to ask prior to selecting a water pump in my opinion. It's been my personal experience that a properly installed water pump tends to run with way less issues. However I noted some "ridden hard and put away wet" Mitsubishi water pumps in Buriram Province are repaired at Ruangsangthai Hardware Store.

[scooterboy]

Well, many thanks for taking your time to visit your local pump shop - and you can tell Pichai - "Thanks, mate!" for his info!

Unfortunately, there are no such shops out this way (that I know of) - there are mostly only these boring multi-stock shops (selling, washing machines, tvs, motorbikes, etc) which also have a range of pumps. Sorry to say, the service and knowledge of stock in these places is rather pitiful. If you don't know exactly what you want, then there's often virtually no real advice to be had.

However, we still have a few months before actually needing the new pump, so I'll try to find out if there's such a store here, as you have in Buriram - miracles sometimes do happen! If there aren't any, then I'll read up on the two brands you mention and see they're available in this area.

Great input - thanks a lot!

Cheers

[Pib]

Far be it from me to disagree with Pib, but this morning I stopped by a Buriram Water Pump dealer and showed him Scooter's question about what water pump for a single story house in Thailand with two showers would be best. Without hesitation, Pichai the owner of Ruangsangthai Builders Merchants, (who stocks and sells hundreds of water pumps each and every month) and is an authorized repair service center with installation and home repair service of Hitachi, Franklin Electric, Schaefer, Mitsubishi, and Calpeda Water Pumps in Buriram Province, recomended the Hitachi WM-P150GX2 or the Mitsubishi EP-155Q3 constant pressure bladder water pumps. He has a real grasp of what water pumps need adjustment or repair services. Those two models are available all over Thailand, but certainly different prices, different alledged installation services and way different warranty or after warranty repair policies depending on where you buy your Hitachi water pump or Mitsubishi Water pump. I'd recommend Scooterboy visit the family owned "water pump specialist" in his province for a better price, better advise, better installation and better repair experiences. The store that will offer "free loaner water pump" will show Scooterboy which water pump retailer in his Thailand province is committed to customer satisfaction. I've read tales of the "you put it in a box and mail back to Bangkok" being told to expats in Thailand who purchase a water pump from a big box retailer more interested in selling massage chairs, pillows, whirlpool spas or Italian wall tile. How and who actually repairs your Hitachi, Franklin Electric, Calpeda, Mitsubishi or Schaefer water pump in Thailand both during and after the manufacturers warranty period is a great question to ask prior to selecting a water pump in my opinion. It's been my personal experience that a properly installed water pump tends to run with way less issues. However I noted some "ridden hard and put away wet" Mitsubishi water pumps in Buriram Province are repaired at Ruangsangthai Hardware Store.

Either of those two constant pressure pumps would work even for a two story home. But both 150W pumps are lower pressure pumps...that is the Hitachi model has a pump cut-on pressure of 1.3bars/19psi and a cut-off pressure of 1.9bars/28psi which means the constant pressure would be somewhere between that range...lets say around 24psi. And the Mitsubishi model cut-on pressure is 1.4bars/20psi and cut-off pressure of 1.8bars/26psi...lets says a constant pressure probably around 23psi. That pressure level may not provide the shower experience many farangs desire and may get bogged down a little with multiple taps running.

When you go up to say a 250 or 350 watt model your pressure also goes up also to around 35psi average and you have more volume capacity to feed more multiple taps. I use a 250 watt pump for my two story home...it works just fine and it's not a constant pressure model.

[scooterboy]

Thanks - that all sounds very reasonable. Useful reading for people with 2-storey homes, too.

As stated earlier, we will at some time have a one-storey house with errrm...5 taps (I think) and 2 showers. I doubt any two "fittings" would be turned on at the same time for more than a minute or two. No artificial ponds, waterfalls or other freaky things, either.....

We're not really big users of water - about 5-6m2 a month, at present.

Cheers

[Langsuan Man]

Just a warning to anyone considering a Grundfos pump for a house. They are excellent pumps and are probably the most silent and reliable that you can find in Thailand BUT if you have a boiler hot water set up they just won't work

For on demand hot water they are wonderful but had to replace mine in a new build with a Hitachi because of this limitation

[scooterboy]

Not sure if I'm reading that correctly - are you using a pump to pump hot water to the bathroom(s)?

[Langsuan Man]

Not sure if I'm reading that correctly - are you using a pump to pump hot water to the bathroom(s)?

No, you are not reading it correctly. Pumping water to a hot water tank, which means that cold water goes into the tank, is then heated , and then distributed to the faucets throughout the house or cold water is pumped directly to a on demand water heater (s)

[scooterboy]

Ah, that's better! Was wondering why you'd be wanting to pump hot water.......

You say that Grundfoss (an otherwise excellent pump) won't work with that setup - but no indication of why...

Err...................why?

[Langsuan Man]

Even the factory tech from Fagor couldn't answer that question.

I surmise that the Grundfoss was so quick to detect a small drop in pressure that it pumped too much cold water into the tank when not really needed. Once a less expensive pump was installed the water temperature remained stable. The Grundfoss was moved to a house that heated water on demand and could benefit from it's quickness

[lopburi3]

Why indeed? Perhaps using a non pressure tank model without valve to prevent return water getting into pump? The current model lines sold here do have pressure tanks so see no reason they would not work.

[Pib]

Yea, one of the main reasons pumps come with pressure tanks. like a 1 or 2 liter screw-on bottle type or a larger 15-20 litter type the pump motor set on, is to prevent the pump from coming on when the pressure drops just a little like from a small leak or a small use of water like turning the tap on to get a cup of water. Every Grundfoss model I've seen for sale in Thai hardware stores did come with a small pressure bottle of several liters...around 5 to 10 liters if I remember right. If using a pump with no pressure bottle/tank those are usually pumps geared to be manually turned on and off...or are hooked into a separate pressure tank with a tank pressure control switch that cuts the pump on and off as pressure varies due to water being withdrawn from/pump into the pressure tank.

[lopburi3]

Actually the old and more normal Grundfoss pumps only had a 4oz pressure cup so there was a stutter step when a tap was opened until pressure could be built up again.

[Pib]

Using that type of pump is definitely geared to a home with no leaks anywhere, like those all too common very minor leaks in the commode bowl which can't be heard or seen without very close inspection.

I've got a neighbor a soi over which has a minor underground leak and he using a pump with only a 1 liter pressure bottle. With no taps on anywhere, that pump will kick on about every 3 minutes for a second or so. He's just too lazy/cheap to try to find the leak...and the pump is far enough away from his house that he barely hears it on the inside, but it probably drives his next door neighbor up the wall with this constant pump turn off and on 24 hours a day. I don't think these two neighbors get alone.

[Langsuan Man]

The Grundfos pump that I tried to use with a tank type water heater was one with the pressure tank:

[Pib]

Yea, that's the Grundfos pump I've always seen in Thai stores. Pricey they are.

[HooHaa]

i just purchased a mitsu 250 watt bell pump to replace a 12 year old mitsu 150.

the pipe setup is fairly convoluted and the whole setup has four different valves that must be properly opened and or closed for the whole thing to work.

i told the installer to make sure he remembered how each valve was set, either opened or closed before he started and warned him that if he got it wrong, he would be trouble shooting for hours..

he ignored me, waved me off somewhat rudely

so i thought bugger you and i left him to it for 4 hours after he had actually physically swapped the new pump in until i went out to see what he was doing.

he couldn't get water to the upstairs of the house. he could not get the water drawing from the tank rather than the mains. if that was happening the pump would not auto shut off.

he was playing with combinations of opened and closed valves until he was near tears.

i asked him on a number of occasions if he had made a point of remembering how the valves were set before he said he did, that the new pump was faulty and had a problem with the pressure switch.

i asked him if he was sure he got it right and all valves were the same.

he said the were.

i went into the house consulted my piece of paper and proceeded to right the valves as i had written down.

everything started working.

he left mumbling with the agreed upon installation price plus a couple hundred baht for my amusement

just too stubborn to listen. funny as hell though.

[scooterboy]

Just some feedback : Yesterday we ordered a Hitachi Wm-P 150GX2, as was recommended here. We'd been to a few places that sold pumps and asked every time, which pump was suitable for our needs. Always the answer was the Hitachi or Mitsubishi (as was also recommended here!). At two places the guys said the Hitachi was probably slightly better constructed, though the Mitsubishi was good, as well.

Got one for 4990 baht - and which was actually the cheapest price we'd seen, too!

Delivery in about 3 weeks, along with a pile of other stuff from the same store.

Thanks to all for your input and comments - especially the "Buriram expert"!

Cheers

Edited October 22, 2014 by scooterboy

[bcallinv]

Hello. I have a problem with my wp-255q3 water pump. ( 250 watt) I have a well pump that fills my 2 large holding tanks about 4 meters above my water pump. I have a large house with a big irrigation system which comes on 3 times a day but not at the same time. Water runs for about 1.5 hours to water everything. About every 3 days the pump cycles on and off and overheats and shuts down for a while. I have closed the valve coming into the pump to about 50% so not so much pressure is coming into the pump. I have to shut all the valves and drain the tank and then it works again for a while. When the water is running and another valve is opened, the pressure goes way down. I'm thinking of getting a 400 watt pump as the pressure is much higher, but wonder if that would solve the problem. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks very much.