zannej
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My house uses well water from a crappy system in a metal shed.
Inside the shed we have a 2-wheeled belt-driven piston pump that creates air pressure inside some pipes going to the top of the cistern to pull water up into the cistern.
A float connected to a rod that goes up and down hits the arm of a D-switch that tells the pump when to shut on or off. The switch is on top of the cistern's lid and the rod goes through a hole. It's not a perfect system, but it's the only one the well installer/maintenance guy knows how to do.
Near the bottom of the cistern there is a 1-1/4" outlet with a 1-1/4" x 3/4" PVC reducer coming out. It then has another reducer to take it back to 1-1/4". I had wanted to have a foot valve put in & eliminate that reduction, but that didn't happen & well guy hasn't been returning my calls. To change the fitting would require climbing inside the cistern & I can't get the lid high enough to do that & don't think I would be able to get back out if I tried. There used to be a shutoff right after the outlet but the pipes broke & were replaced with couplings.
From the jungle of couplings/adapters coming out of the cistern it elbows up for a bit then sideways & has a brass check valve. It connects to PVC threaded fittings and it transitions to stainless steel elbows to the side and then down to the jet pump's inlet.
I have an AO Smith Goulds 1HP J10S jet pump. Inlet port is 1-1/4". Outlet port on top is 1". It has galvanized steel pipes coming out the top and reduces to 3/4". It has an ancient pressure gauge on top attached to a tee. On the side of the jet pump is a 30/50 pressure switch. After about a foot or more it transitions to PVC. Elbows to the side and then down into the top of a PVC tee. Tee is oriented so the two even sides are vertical & middle outlet is on the side. The side outlet goes to an elbow that goes down then another elbow to the side to the pressure tank. The bottom of the tee goes to the main water supply.
The pressure tank is a 22gallon FlexLite fiberglass tank with a base to hold it up. I don't even know if it's getting used properly the way it is hooked up. There is no pressure relief valve, no hose spigot, no shutoff.
Right now the inlet pipe of the pump is above the level of the pump-- which is a no no.
Things I need to do:
Now, here is where I am undecided about the rest of the improvements/layout.
Option 1A
With this one I would likely have to get some sort of reducer and union to connect to the 3/4" port of the pressure tank
PROS: Brass is cheaper and easier to find
CONS: Brass does not handle hard water as well as stainless steel
-
Option 1B
PROS: SS holds up to hard water better than brass
CONS: SS is more expensive and harder to find than brass
These first options would be the cheapest route IF my pressure tank is not shot. If my pressure tank is shot, then I'm looking at having to spend over $200 or even $300 on a new comparable tank.
Assuming my tank is shot & that a Cycle Stop Valve would work as advertised, the following are my options:
-
Option 2A
PROS: CSV125 is plastic so I could use either brass or stainless steel if I can find the right fittings. It's cheaper than getting full size tank & cheaper than CSV1A. I *think* I need the 40psi version. This setup would leave more room in the shed to access things. Might be able to re-use old pressure switch depending on mounting method
CONS: I'm not exactly certain which version I would need with the smaller tank and I would have to use multiple different tees and adapters that I'd have to find and purchase. This would probably require something to support the tank to make sure it doesn't cause the whole pump to tip over. Would need to buy separate pressure relief valve, spigot, pressure gauge, & shutoff.
-
Option 2B
PROS: Rather simple to set up, less expensive than getting larger tank, less expensive than getting stainless steel version of CSV, tank tee comes with accessories I don't need to buy separately
CONS: I'm not sure which of the CSV125s I need (there are different versions for different specs & I'm still trying to figure out my best option). I *think* the CSV125-40psi version is what I need but am not certain
-
Option 3A
PROS: Takes up less space & is mostly vertical, supposedly more efficient than plastic CSV, may require fewer tees/crosses bc of ports on CSV, SS holds up better than brass
CONS: Harder & more expensive to find SS accessories, requires extra support to keep it from tipping over, not sure if SS hose will leak or if it is long enough to reach. If it doesn't, I can use PVC to build up or convert to PEX
Option 3B
Inside the shed we have a 2-wheeled belt-driven piston pump that creates air pressure inside some pipes going to the top of the cistern to pull water up into the cistern.
A float connected to a rod that goes up and down hits the arm of a D-switch that tells the pump when to shut on or off. The switch is on top of the cistern's lid and the rod goes through a hole. It's not a perfect system, but it's the only one the well installer/maintenance guy knows how to do.
Near the bottom of the cistern there is a 1-1/4" outlet with a 1-1/4" x 3/4" PVC reducer coming out. It then has another reducer to take it back to 1-1/4". I had wanted to have a foot valve put in & eliminate that reduction, but that didn't happen & well guy hasn't been returning my calls. To change the fitting would require climbing inside the cistern & I can't get the lid high enough to do that & don't think I would be able to get back out if I tried. There used to be a shutoff right after the outlet but the pipes broke & were replaced with couplings.
From the jungle of couplings/adapters coming out of the cistern it elbows up for a bit then sideways & has a brass check valve. It connects to PVC threaded fittings and it transitions to stainless steel elbows to the side and then down to the jet pump's inlet.
I have an AO Smith Goulds 1HP J10S jet pump. Inlet port is 1-1/4". Outlet port on top is 1". It has galvanized steel pipes coming out the top and reduces to 3/4". It has an ancient pressure gauge on top attached to a tee. On the side of the jet pump is a 30/50 pressure switch. After about a foot or more it transitions to PVC. Elbows to the side and then down into the top of a PVC tee. Tee is oriented so the two even sides are vertical & middle outlet is on the side. The side outlet goes to an elbow that goes down then another elbow to the side to the pressure tank. The bottom of the tee goes to the main water supply.
The pressure tank is a 22gallon FlexLite fiberglass tank with a base to hold it up. I don't even know if it's getting used properly the way it is hooked up. There is no pressure relief valve, no hose spigot, no shutoff.
Right now the inlet pipe of the pump is above the level of the pump-- which is a no no.
Things I need to do:
- Raise the pump up higher so the inlet line is below the pump (this would also tighten the pipes so there would not be leaks)
- Add a shutoff valve to the 1st vertical run of the PVC from the cistern (not enough pipe on horizontal part for a fitting)
- Replace the 3/4" galvanized steel from the pump's outlet with stainless steel
- Add some sort of tank tee with pressure relief valve, hose bib, & possibly ball valve
Now, here is where I am undecided about the rest of the improvements/layout.
Option 1A
- Keep existing tank (if it is still good-- otherwise replace with one about the same size- which will likely cost more $$)
- Get a brass tank tee that comes with pressure switch, pressure gauge, pressure relief valve, and hose bib
- Use pex barb fittings & 1" PEX to connect tank tee to jet pump outlet pipe
With this one I would likely have to get some sort of reducer and union to connect to the 3/4" port of the pressure tank
PROS: Brass is cheaper and easier to find
CONS: Brass does not handle hard water as well as stainless steel
-
Option 1B
- Keep existing tank (if it is still good-- otherwise replace with one about the same size- which will likely cost more $$)
- Get a stainless steel tank tee that comes with pressure switch, pressure gauge, pressure relief valve, and hose bib
- Use pex barb fittings & 1" PEX to connect tank tee to jet pump outlet pipe
PROS: SS holds up to hard water better than brass
CONS: SS is more expensive and harder to find than brass
These first options would be the cheapest route IF my pressure tank is not shot. If my pressure tank is shot, then I'm looking at having to spend over $200 or even $300 on a new comparable tank.
Assuming my tank is shot & that a Cycle Stop Valve would work as advertised, the following are my options:
-
Option 2A
- Get AO Smith 4.6 gallon pressure tank for $70 https://www.lowes.com/pd/A-O-Smith-4-6-Gallon-Vertical-Pressure-Tank/1000565599
- Get plastic CSV125 for $69 + shipping CSV125-1 Cycle Stop Valve
- Add an SS or brass cross inline on top of the CSV (which would be attached to the top of the pump's outlet with a mnpt nipple)
- Use 1" x 1-1/4" adapters to connect pump's outlet (which would be vertical) to the CSV
- Have pressure switch attached with reducers adapters to the cross-- Outlet pipe from cross will have tees with pressure relief valve, spigot, & shutoff
- Use adapters/reducers from 1" to 3/4" to have a pex barb fitting to connect to the existing main waterline
PROS: CSV125 is plastic so I could use either brass or stainless steel if I can find the right fittings. It's cheaper than getting full size tank & cheaper than CSV1A. I *think* I need the 40psi version. This setup would leave more room in the shed to access things. Might be able to re-use old pressure switch depending on mounting method
CONS: I'm not exactly certain which version I would need with the smaller tank and I would have to use multiple different tees and adapters that I'd have to find and purchase. This would probably require something to support the tank to make sure it doesn't cause the whole pump to tip over. Would need to buy separate pressure relief valve, spigot, pressure gauge, & shutoff.
-
Option 2B
- Get AO Smith 4.6 gallon pressure tank for $70 https://www.lowes.com/pd/A-O-Smith-4-6-Gallon-Vertical-Pressure-Tank/1000565599
- Get plastic CSV125 for $69 + shipping CSV125-1 Cycle Stop Valve
- Get one either brass or stainless steel tank tee with pressure gauge, pressure relief valve, spigot, & pressure switch (optional shutoff) for around $100
- Use 1" x 1-1/4" adapters to connect pump's outlet (which would be vertical) to the CSV
- Add elbow to tank tee to go up underneath the smaller tank and hold it up (with additional supports added inside)
- Use adapters/reducers from 1" to 3/4" to have a pex barb fitting to connect to the existing main waterline
PROS: Rather simple to set up, less expensive than getting larger tank, less expensive than getting stainless steel version of CSV, tank tee comes with accessories I don't need to buy separately
CONS: I'm not sure which of the CSV125s I need (there are different versions for different specs & I'm still trying to figure out my best option). I *think* the CSV125-40psi version is what I need but am not certain
-
Option 3A
- Get AO Smith 4.6 gallon pressure tank for $70 https://www.lowes.com/pd/A-O-Smith-4-6-Gallon-Vertical-Pressure-Tank/1000565599
- Get stainless steel CSV1A for $179 + shipping
- Run it on it's side & use 1/2" outlet with a short pipe to have a stainless steel pressure relief valve OR spigot OR reduce to 1/4" for pressure gauge or pressure switch
- Add a stainless steel cross to the 3/4" port- top outlet goes to tank, side goes to PRV, spigot, or gauge, bottom goes to elbow with pressure switch
- Outlet of CSV has ss nipples to connect to 1-1/4" SS ball and 1" nipple on other side (unless I can find a mnpt 1-1/4" ball valve)
- 1-1/4" flexible SS hose goes from mnpt nipple to 1-1/4" fnpt x 3/4" mnpt adapter to go to PVC fnpt (OR use PVC fnpt 1" x 1-1/4 fnpt bridge to 1" brass mnpt to PEX barb + 1" PEX line to 1" pex barb x 3/4" mnpt adapter)
PROS: Takes up less space & is mostly vertical, supposedly more efficient than plastic CSV, may require fewer tees/crosses bc of ports on CSV, SS holds up better than brass
CONS: Harder & more expensive to find SS accessories, requires extra support to keep it from tipping over, not sure if SS hose will leak or if it is long enough to reach. If it doesn't, I can use PVC to build up or convert to PEX
Option 3B
- Same as 3A for 1st parts
- Have 1" pipe (12" long) come straight up from top of tank, 1" elbow over & lay CSV1A on it's side with tank port on top so pipe can come straight out the top for the tank
- Can either have straight pipe up from 3/4" tank port or tee or cross
- 1/2" ports on CSV can have pressure relief valve & spigot (or pressure gauge & pressure switch)- can also have tees or crosses from these ports to have more accessories
- 1-1/4" outlet of CSV goes to ss nipple connected to 1-1/4" ball valve
- Same setup as 3A w/ hose or pex