I purchased a home a couple years ago that was a foreclosure home. It is
way out in the country and runs on a well system. The well is about 365 ft
deep and has a 3HP 230V 60hz submersible pump set at about 350 ft down the
well. Up a hill about 300 ft from the well head is a concrete and gravel
pad where a water storage tank used to sit. I am told that the previous
owners removed the storage tank and booster pump system when they left the
home during the foreclosure process. The first year I was in the home I
was too busy moving in etc to worry much about the outside landscaping
needs. This year I repaired all the landscaping water lines etc and
started to water everything the way it should have been and discovered an
issue. The well pump is capable of pumping about 20 gallons a minute from
the well but the well appears to only be capable of supplying about 7 to 8
gallons per minute. Therefore it pumps like crazy for about 15 minutes and
then begins to starve.
I had a well company come out and look at the set up. They tell me that I
really need to re-install the storage tank up on the hill in the original
location. They tell me that the price for that install will be about
$6000.00. I would love to just pay them the money and have them do the
work but I simply don't have that kind of cash. The main reason they
suggested the storage tank is that we are in a high fire danger area and
without the stored water our home would most likely be lost as the fire
department would not have enough water to fight the fire from our current
well set up.
Currently, the well pump line feeds a pressure switch and then two
pressure tanks that then feed the house and landscaping supply lines. I am
very handy with most home projects like many people who live out in the
country. I have a friend who is a contractor and we can perform most
plumbing and electrical projects. I am trying to determine if this project
is simple enough that I can do most of the work myself and trim the cost
down substantially from the $6000.00. I know the tank, pump, fittings, and
controls will cost some but hope I can perform the labor and cut the costs.
The biggest problem I have is that I have never seen one of these systems
set up and don't know exactly how to plump or wire the controls etc. I can
do the work but have been unable to locate any type of design drawings to
show me how to set up the system so that it will function properly.
The old pad foundation where the original storage tank was located is up a
hill about 300 feet from the well head and is elevated about 30 to 35 feet
higher than the well head and pressure tanks. There is an abandoned 1"
black poly tubing that runs from the well head area to the base of where
the old storage tank was. There is a 2" PVC line that runs from the well
head area to the base of where the old storage tank was. There is also
electrical conduit running between the well head area and old storage tank
but no wire. I am figuring the 1" black poly tubing was most likely the
fill line directly from the well head to the storage tank. The 2" PVC line
most likely came out of the bottom of the storage tank and down the hill
to feed the booster pump. Then I think the booster pump would be plumbed
into the pressure switch and then the pressure tanks which in turn will
supply the house and landscaping with pressurized water.
I will need to purchase and wire in a pumptec from Franklin controls to
protect my well pump from trying to continue pumping when the well water
level runs low. I originally thought about switching out the well pump
with a smaller pump rated at less than the 7 to 8 gallon rate the well can
supply but the well company representative said since the well pump is in
good shape and working fine it would be an added expense that isn't
necessary at this time. I also will need to purchase and wire in a good
control system to sense the water levels in the storage tank and turn on
and off the well pump etc and provide alarms if water levels get too low
or too high. In addition to some misc fittings the other major components
I will need are the storage tank and a booster pump.
I know this is a long post but wanted to provide as much info as I thought
you would need to provide assistance with this project. Thank you!
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