Compensating for low flow/pressure water supply to outbuilding?

[MAX-24-Dean]

I agree with the others who recommend replacing the water line. I know from experience that this is often easier said than done.

I have a water supply line out to my barn with a similar flow issue. In my case, there is no easy route to run a new line due to concrete patio, asphalt driveway, etc. I used one of these well pressure tanks to fix the problem. No pump is required:

WX-250 - Amtrol WX-250 - WX-250 (145S1), 44 Gal WELL-X-TROL Well Tank (Stand)

The existing low flow line charges the tank to the same pressure as the house and gives me local water storage at around 50 psi. The tank I have is 50 gal which gives me plenty of water for washing machinery. If the pressure runs low, I just wait a couple of minutes for the tank to recharge.

If you have the space for a tank, I think this principle might work for a hot water heater and shower.

Thanks, going to do the same to my barn. Simple solution that I know will work. Just needed someone else to give a possible solution.

 

[jthibodeau89]

Yes, just need a remote bladder tank. We are on city water, but 200' up and 3000' from. meter. We have a pump house from an old spring cistern halfway in the 2" pipe run. We have a booster pump and 84 gal bladder tank in basement. Barn is fed by a 1" pvc 200' water line. Will have a 30 gal bladder tank on hot water heater supply for the barn office bathroom and wash bay. Same setup planned for shop.

Also am making a small pump cart for the garden irrigation via a 12v RV pump and a 20 gal bladder tank to move water from the totes that capture the rainwater from the 48 x108 barn roof.

If pressure is adquate, only need a bladder tank to support flow at the distant location

 

[Gord Baker]

I suggest a Submerged Pump and 1-1/4" - I.D. - not O. D. minimum pipe run. 1-1/2" would be better.
Tubing is measured on the O.D. Pipe is measured on the I.D. PEX fittings greatly reduce flow.
Check your present pressure with a gauge. Pressure can usually be increased by adjusting the cut out switch. Info under the cap. You should start with a min of 65 psi. Volume increases with Pipe Size.

 

[Chemiker]

I agree with the others who recommend replacing the water line. I know from experience that this is often easier said than done.

I have a water supply line out to my barn with a similar flow issue. In my case, there is no easy route to run a new line due to concrete patio, asphalt driveway, etc. I used one of these well pressure tanks to fix the problem. No pump is required:

WX-250 - Amtrol WX-250 - WX-250 (145S1), 44 Gal WELL-X-TROL Well Tank (Stand)

The existing low flow line charges the tank to the same pressure as the house and gives me local water storage at around 50 psi. The tank I have is 50 gal which gives me plenty of water for washing machinery. If the pressure runs low, I just wait a couple of minutes for the tank to recharge.

If you have the space for a tank, I think this principle might work for a hot water heater and shower.

I have also used a well pressure tank to maintain pressure at the end of a long water line when installing water lines for campers at a BBQ event. It worked well for us.

 

[chrisfol82]

3/4" standard weight (schedule 40) steel pipe has an ID of 0.824" Velocity at 10 gpm is 6.02 ft/sec. Head loss per 100 ft is 23.0 ft. 23x2=46 feet of head loss. 46 ft/2.31=19.9 psi loss. So if you started with 45 psi at 10 gpm at the end of the 200 ft you would be at 25 psi at 10 gpm. That is pretty low, which seems to match up with what your saying.

If that was 1-1/4" schedule 40 pipe (1.380" ID) your head loss would be 1.74 feet per hundred feet of pipe. So your pressure drop would be 1.74*2/2.31 = 1.5 PSI. So a larger pipe would make a huge difference. This will vary depending on what type of pipe or tube you use based on its actual ID. This example was for schedule 40 steel pipe. (from 'Cameron Hydraulic Data')

Just some info to consider, obviously a booster pump could give satisfactory results if replacing the pipe is impractical but replacing the pipe is the best solution as far as simplicity of the whole system goes.

 

[chrisfol82]

Sorry should have used 3 gpm, for a shower, not 10 gpm.

At 3 gpm the loss in the 3/4" pipe is only 2.47 ft/hundred feet, so 2.1 PSI. Which doesn't seem like as big of a deal, and maybe youd be fine doing nothing. Maybe plumb in a tee with a pressure gauge on one end and a shower head on the other and see if you think the flow and pressure seem like enough for a shower. Id guess if you have 40 PSI at the house you'd still have about 35+ PSI at the shower after 200 ft.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

40 psi? You must be a city slicker. I get 25 psi on the first floor, less upstairs. I can't find a plumber who even knows how to install a pressure booster. At some point I'll have to do it myself. Having had a travel trailer here before the house, I even thought about just putting in a poly water tank and an RV pump. If I got 2 gpm for 15 minutes at 40 psi, I'd be more than happy.

 

[4570Man]

Sorry should have used 3 gpm, for a shower, not 10 gpm.

At 3 gpm the loss in the 3/4" pipe is only 2.47 ft/hundred feet, so 2.1 PSI. Which doesn't seem like as big of a deal, and maybe youd be fine doing nothing. Maybe plumb in a tee with a pressure gauge on one end and a shower head on the other and see if you think the flow and pressure seem like enough for a shower. Id guess if you have 40 PSI at the house you'd still have about 35+ PSI at the shower after 200 ft.

That calculator is assuming it’s a smooth clean pipe. A corroded galvanized pipe could have substantially more loss.

 

[chrisfol82]

True, thats why i suggested just plumbing up a shower head and see what the flow looks like and how much pressure he has on the gauge at that flow.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

They make booster pumps.