Self-priming pump or what?

[wrecksum]

The pump cannot pump what is not there, so you need a reserve of water before the pump even though you have water 95% of the time. If there is no protective system then the pump may be damaged by running dry for long periods of time.
Most pumps will self-prime if the suction line is not too far or too deep and the inlet check valve is working.

In Africa we used to use one of those black plastic tanks, either above the ground next to the pump if street pressure is generally sufficient to fill it ,or sunk into the ground.
It does not have to be big but should reflect you daily needs and regularity of supply. A simple check valve in the supply line to the pump is all you need to stop feeding back to the line or the tank.

It dies seem surprising that a cistern was not built during the construction . Maybe an optimistic view of the supply situation...?

 

[Chip]

The pump cannot pump what is not there, so you need a reserve of water before the pump even though you have water 95% of the time. If there is no protective system then the pump may be damaged by running dry for long periods of time.
Most pumps will self-prime if the suction line is not too far or too deep and the inlet check valve is working.

In Africa we used to use one of those black plastic tanks, either above the ground next to the pump if street pressure is generally sufficient to fill it ,or sunk into the ground.
It does not have to be big but should reflect you daily needs and regularity of supply. A simple check valve in the supply line to the pump is all you need to stop feeding back to the line or the tank.

It dies seem surprising that a cistern was not built during the construction . Maybe an optimistic view of the supply situation...?

I know of more than one home without a cistern and no problems. Some places have sufficient water supply especially if one has a tinaco.

 

[bob saunders]

Although where CB lives there may be a problem with water pressure here where we are the water pressure is usually very good to the point where people living on the second floor normally don't require a tinaco or pump. Our pump is Pedrollo Hydrofresh Centrifugal Water Pump Pressure Set | Water Pumps and it does have a small pressure tank.

 

[bob saunders]

Although where CB lives there may be a problem with water pressure here where we are the water pressure is usually very good to the point where people living on the second floor normally don't require a tinaco or pump. Our pump is Pedrollo Hydrofresh Centrifugal Water Pump Pressure Set | Water Pumps and it does have a small pressure tank.

 

[Lothario666]

With all due respect Don that is very expensive to have the pump running all day long. We cut ours on once or twice a day.

While I do agree Bob should have a pressure tank I see no reason why he needs a cistern given the availability of water in his area.

Duh!

With all due respect Chip:

The pressure tank should have a pressure switch usually set to turn on the pump when the pressure drops to about 20psi and turn off the pump when the pressure reaches about 40psi. I am surprised at your statement being an engineer.

And for the second part of your statement, having a pressure tank and no cistern does not solve the problem of "no water" coming in from the supply source. Again, the pump would run and run because there would be no water to pump into the pressure tank.

 

[PeterInBrat]

I'm beginning to wonder if Chip knows what a Fernco is...

 

[Lothario666]

Although where CB lives there may be a problem with water pressure here where we are the water pressure is usually very good to the point where people living on the second floor normally don't require a tinaco or pump. Our pump is Pedrollo Hydrofresh Centrifugal Water Pump Pressure Set | Water Pumps and it does have a small pressure tank.

I have 2 pumps Bob, one is very similar to yours with the small pressure tank, the other has a separate pressure tank. They feed different systems and tinacos.

Well as long as you are happy Bob, the pump you specified with the pressure tank is good as long as water is available. But difficult to control the pump to not run if the city water is not there. Even a small cistern would help a lot.

Pedrollo pumps have been very good, have one for at least 15 years.

 

[Chip]

Duh!

With all due respect Chip:

The pressure tank should have a pressure switch usually set to turn on the pump when the pressure drops to about 20psi and turn off the pump when the pressure reaches about 40psi. I am surprised at your statement being an engineer.

And for the second part of your statement, having a pressure tank and no cistern does not solve the problem of "no water" coming in from the supply source. Again, the pump would run and run because there would be no water to pump into the pressure tank.

Don try to follow me my fren, even if Bob's system had a pressure switch (which it does not) the pump will cycle on and off all day and it WILL increase the electricity consumption.

BTW, plenty of people where Bob lives have no cistern, his water supply and pressure are very good. Therefore, adding a cistern would be an unnecessary cost.

 

[Lothario666]

Bob,

Follow Chip's advice, and just keep replacing the water pump each time you burn it out!

Even if you had a cistern, it does not mean you have to leave the power to the pump turned on.
You could still continue what you do now and turn the pump on when you get low on water.

The difference is, there should ALWAYS be water available to pump to your tinaco.

 

[Lothario666]

The HYDROFReSH booster system is available in two options as follows:

HYDROFRESH 24CL (with cylindrical tank)

WATER PUMP
20 litres CYLINDRICAL TANK with membrane
500mm FLEXIBLE HOSE
Adjustable Square D PRESSURE SWITCH (preset at 1.4 - 2.8 bar)
PRESSURE GAUGE
3/5 way brass CONNECTOR
1.5m SUPPLY CABLE with Schuko plug

 

[Chip]

Bob,

Follow Chip's advice, and just keep replacing the water pump each time you burn it out!

Even if you had a cistern, it does not mean you have to leave the power to the pump turned on.
You could still continue what you do now and turn the pump on when you get low on water.

The difference is, there should ALWAYS be water available to pump to your tinaco.

Bob does not need a cistern to keep his pump from running dry.

All he needs is a pressure switch like mine a Square D F-PUMPTROL with a min and max pressure. He locates the check valve on the tinaco side of the pump and the pressure guage between the pump and the check valve with the correct settings and his pump will cut off when the pressure is too low (no water in the street) and too high. Since he has at least 35-40 feet of head when the municipal system is pressurized he will never have to worry about the pump losing it's prime.

The pressure guage is available at Ferr. Ochoa. I have talked to Bob today.

Finally Don, no need to get personal, as usual.

 

[PeterInBrat]

My house pump has a pressure switch and draws from the cistern. The submersible well pump that feeds the cistern is on a timer that cycles a couple minutes each hour and it's adjustable. The pressure switch only comes on when someone turns water on in the house. At some point, I'd like to put in a high water floater switch to shut it off automatically, but it simply doesn't use that much electric to justify the trouble.

 

[PeterInBrat]

Even with town water, there's apparently a limit on the GPM the town is supplying. If the pump is doing more than the town is supplying, there will be problems.

 

[Wishing you well]

Even with town water, there's apparently a limit on the GPM the town is supplying. If the pump is doing more than the town is supplying, there will be problems.

Actually, that is why we install pumps for.

 

[Frank the Tank]

When I first saw the title of the thread, I thought it was about this;

 

[Lothario666]

Good luck Bob let's hope the tinaco does not run low on water and the street supply is not available.

A cistern is like the batteries in your Inverter system, ready to supply you with a resource when the normal source is not available. You fill them up when the resource is there. Nothing like running low on water and/or electricity and nothing available from the street.

 

[PeterInBrat]

Actually, that is why we install pumps for.

It's also why you'd install a cistern before the pump, as the OP was advised. He could install a 55 gallon food grade drum with a toilet tank floater valve to fill it up, then use that to charge the house pump and then the tinaco. A sump pump switch in the tank could prevent the house pump from running if the drum went dry.

 

[Lothario666]

Actually, the pump on the city pipe is to suck up all the water you can before the neighbors get it first or the city stops the water supply. :smoke: lol

 

[PeterInBrat]

This is how I'd do it with a finite GPM from the town:

 

[Lothario666]

This is how I'd do it with a finite GPM from the town:

Ochoa sells a float switch that has 2 tubes you fill with water, the switch mounts above the water level and the 2 tubes hang down on a string at different points on the string. The weigh is such that when both tubes are out of the water, it trips the switch turning off the pump. The tubes will float even though they are filled with water, when both float, the switch is flipped on and the pump is allowed to run if need be.