How to set pressure on Well Tank?

[ning]

Huh? This land is sloped. Every faucet save the one at the pumphouse is lower than the tank.

Seems to me that just getting the water level in the plumbing lower than the tank, and leaving the faucet at the pumphouse open to the air, gives the zero pressure you need for an accurate measure.

Draining everything at the far ends of the several underground lines seems unneeded. Do you have a reason for that?

Definitely leaving a lower faucet open is fine. obviously one higher than the bottom of the tank won't drain the tank, and closing faucets after the draining can put back pressure on the bladder as you fill it, so keep the faucet open.

It's fine if there's a check valve above the tank and you only drain the tank vicinity.

 

[ponytug]

I find it is occasionally rather useful to have a shutoff valve downstream of the tank(s). It comes in handy when the main line gets a crack, say from an earthquake (it happened, 5.6 quake), or other service is needed, and shutting the main line is needed.

All the best,

Peter

 

[California]

I find it is occasionally rather useful to have a shutoff valve downstream of the tank(s). It comes in handy when the main line gets a crack, say from an earthquake (it happened, 5.6 quake), or other service is needed, and shutting the main line is needed.

Yes, this is what I put in. The well, pressure tank on a T, manifold with four outputs. All within a couple of ft. Then each line off the manifold has a labelled ball valve.

Something I never thought of before I saw Valveman's diagram, is a pressure relief valve like you would have on a compressor. I've had overpressure problems when the little line to the pump control was choked with too much rust. I cleaned everything, then the problem returned a couple of yeas later when a rusty overhead water main in the barn, (intended to fill the 600 gallon orchard sprayer) burst from the pressure and made a mess of my shop. Winter, we were in town. Neighbor noticed the flooding after a couple of days and shut off the pump.

That's when I replaced the pump control and started the project to put new water mains underground. Oh and I had previously dug up old underground lines as I found geysers in a couple of places.

I think all the original plumbing was designed for gravity feed from the windmill's elevated tank, with no anticipation of a later modern well with 60 psi pump. This whole place is a little chunk of 1910~20 amateur construction 'designed' by the original farmer - with lots of patching since.

I suspect everything was built cheap with used materials. I know that was the case in the 1960's when I helped Dad with projects. The stuff we had to replace at that time looked ancient and was clearly beyond its useful life. Dad insisted after he was gone I was to just bulldoze and start over. That's the advice I have now for my kids.

 

[ponytug]

Hmmm. If you have a hot water heater, it has an over pressure valve in it already, so I'm not sure that you need it.

Our farm growing up was all baling twine and reused parts that were always needing to be fixed, so I can relate to less than stable systems built on shoestrings.

Anti-flooding from a burst pipe requires a little more ingenuity, I think. There are pump controllers out there that will shut down the pump if it runs too long, but a fractured pipe that is leaking is much harder to identify. I would be inclined to try something like a raspberry pi monitoring the pumping cycles and alerting me when they are abnormal.

Perhaps someone has a better idea?

All the best,

Peter

 

[California]

Raspberry pi? I don't even have 110 volts in the pumphouse. Just the two hots and I think, the green. Nor do I have the expertise to build such a device.

I don't recall evidence that the water heater's overpressure valve opened before the hundred year old 1.5 inch overhead pipe in the barn blew out at a rusty spot. I had put strap-patches on a couple of leaky rust spots before, so I should have thought that the visible threads at an elbow would be the weakest spot. Anyhow that's history, everything now is underground pastic.

Off topic, re water heater overpressure relief valves: Our 1940's home in town has a water heater is so old that it doesn't have an overpressure valve. When we bought the house in 1979 I figured the tank would need replacing soon, nope so far. One thermocouple and that's all it has needed. How old does it have to be, to lack the overpressure relief valve? Anybody know?

"Our farm growing up was all baling twine and reused parts that were always needing to be fixed." Sounds like your early years were similar mine! But this old orchard with farmhouse was an intentional, simple, retirement choice by grandparents for their final years. With their adult children to keep up all the maintenance for them. Then likewise for Dad. Now my daughters and their husbands love to visit here but it's social, they tell me to just hire help to keep the place going. Bah kids.

 

[LittleBill21]

pi will run on 220v, its 5v dc anyway, that said they make a pressure switch with a low pressure cutoff, square d makes it, which would work just as well with no computer

Amazon.com

 

[California]

... pressure switch with a low pressure cutoff, square d makes it, which would work just as well with no computer

Amazon.com

Thank you! I bought the similar Square D 40/60 a few years ago to replace a crudded-up switch. This would have been a better choice.

The well has never gone dry but with new thirsty vineyards going in all over the region, that is quite possible in the future. $29 is cheap insurance against burning up a pump.

I don't think I have the excess draw/low pressure issue described in that first Amazon review which would make it unsuitable.

 

[Valveman]

Low pressure switch only catches a major break. Won't stop pump unless pressure gets really low.

Water heater T&P valves are set at 150 psi. Your pump can't even build that much. Need a 75 psi relief valve for when the pressure switch sticks. Could easily burn up pump when that overpressure happens.

 

[ning]

I just replaced the pressure tank for my irrigation setup. The pressure tank T package I got included a pressure relief valve right there, along with a drain and the pressure switch. Suspect the pressure relief there is a new guideline and it makes good sense for the reasons you gave - that little ¼" pipe going to probably a smaller opening in the switch itself is a great place to get a clog!

 

[Valveman]

I just replaced the pressure tank for my irrigation setup. The pressure tank T package I got included a pressure relief valve right there, along with a drain and the pressure switch. Suspect the pressure relief there is a new guideline and it makes good sense for the reasons you gave - that little ¼" pipe going to probably a smaller opening in the switch itself is a great place to get a clog!

The 1/4" nipple to the pressure switch has a tendency to clog. Be sure and use brass or Stainless, never galvanized. But pressure switches can stick closed for other reasons as well. Ants can get in the points and short them together. I use the medicated ear tags for cattle and hang one on the pressure switch with a plastic bag taped closed around it. Works pretty well if I remember to change the tags every year or so. Lol. Cycling on and off can also arc the points in the pressure switch enough to weld them together. With a 40/60 switch a 75 PSI pressure relief valve if a good idea. It is not so much to keep the high pressure off the lines as it is to release enough water to keep the pump/motor cool.