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RE: water pressure, was:Re: Shallow well water pumps

To: "Shop-Talk List" <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: water pressure, was:Re: Shallow well water pumps
From: "Randall Young" <Ryoung@navcomtech.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 21:38:56 -0700
> the new house has crappy water pressure, and is on a well.  well
> pump just
> replaced, have between 45 and 60 p.s.i., per the pump guy, 60 is the max
> because the storage tank shouldn't be subjected to more.

So get a decent storage tank !  It'll be a lot cheaper than building a water
tower or buying booster pumps.  And there's at least a fair chance you can
just adjust the switch on your current pump for more pressure.

As someone else already posted, the pressure from a tower is set by how high
the tower is above where you're measuring the pressure.  For 90 psi, you
need a tower just over 200 feet tall !  The pipe size need only be adequate
for whatever flow you're planning on, ie the same diameter as your main line
(from the storage tank) now.

> I'm thinking it should go after the water heater, but then I'd
> need one for cold water and one for hot, though I'll pay it to
> not have to
> worry about the water heater leaking.

What about not being able to regulate the temperature of the water from your
shower ?  Two separate pumps, running at less than maximum flow, are
probably going to cycle on and off.  If the hot pump is on & the cold pump
off, guess whose tuchis is toast.  The blast of icy water just behind it
will not feel pleasant either !

If your water heater isn't good for at least 200 psi (which IMO is
unpleasantly high), then it should be replaced immediately.  Normally, code
requires a blow-off valve that opens by 180 psi, and the tank should be good
to twice that.
Randall






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