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roundmt
5 Posts |
 Posted - 03/23/2009 : 19:18:47
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| Has anyone heard of using two submersible pumps in one well supplying two houses. |
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cow_rancher
USA
1111 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2009 : 06:57:37
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Two pressure tanks, check valve on the input to both, two pressure switches wired in parallel at each tank. When one tank calls for water, both tanks get filled up to the cutoff pressure.
Rancher |
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watertanks.com
USA
83 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2009 : 08:13:55
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Two sub pumps in one well is not an advisable solution. I have not heard of it being done, and simply thinking about it I believe it would probably cause your well to run dry quickly, and there might be numerous other calculations. The problem with two pressure tanks is you are still relying on the original sub pump to fill both once the drawdown has dropped which I believe is what you are trying to avoid.
James Opferman
Pump and Tank Tech
American Tank Company
http://www.watertanks.com/
707-535-1415 (direct phone)
707- 535-1465 (Fax)
jameso@americantank.com |
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cow_rancher
USA
1111 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2009 : 10:53:54
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quote:
Originally posted by roundmt
two submersible pumps in one well
I missed the two submersible pumps part of the question, it's next to impossible to plumb them either into the same pipe, or separate pipes up the well, if the well has the capacity I don't see a problem with my first solution, using one 20 GPM pump instead of 2 10 GPM pumps.
I have physically used a submersible hung below a windmill cylinder, both piped separately.
Rancher |
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Valveman
USA
320 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2009 : 13:58:56
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| I have put two submersibles in the same well many times. If the casing is large enough and you have enough water in the well it works fine. There is even a device called a Wesley Tool that I have used to hang two pumps on the same drop pipe. There are also ways of controlling both pumps separately, even though they are hanging on the same pipe. The explanation takes a while but, it is simple and works well. |
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cow_rancher
USA
1111 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2009 : 16:56:56
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Most residential well that service one house are 4" cased wells, it's hard if not impossible to plumb around the outside of the top pump to either reconnect to the drop pipe, or come up separately, which is what the OP probably wanted to do, so each pump could be metered separately.
There's a nice setup now on Ebay where the seller is selling alternating relays, http://www.ssac.com/catalog/ARP01A01.pdfso you can more than double the life of the pumps by alternating them, because you know "it's the cycles that wear out the pump". Those relays can also be set up in a "duplexing mode" where they not only alternate but they can be set up with separate pressure switches to turn on the second pump if for instance the pressure on a 40/60 dropped below 50 the second pump would kick on, kind of like a constant pressure valve but better.
Rancher
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Edited by - cow_rancher on 03/25/2009 16:59:56 |
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Valveman
USA
320 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 05:34:26
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Alternating relays were first used on large systems to be able to reduce the size of pressure tank by ½. Switching over to a different pump for each start up reduces the number of cycles per day by ½, so the tank size could be reduced. However, this means that you still get the same number of cycles per day as if you had a normal size tank with only one pump.
Then they started using alternators to make sure the back up pump got exercised, and did not turn into a rust ball from just sitting there. When you alternate both pumps equally, you effectively no longer have a spare pump. This is because both pumps have the same amount of hours and the same number of cycles. When one pump quits working, the back up pump is in just as bad a shape as the primary pump. Exercise clocks that only run the back up pump a little bit are a much better choice. This way when the primary pump quits, the back up pump is still like new and handle to load until the primary pump is repaired.
Alternators are nothing like, and have nothing to do with constant pressure valves.
If you have 8" casing or larger, you can easily put two separate pumps in the well.
Einstein once said, 'The definition of insanity is doing or saying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.' |
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watertanks.com
USA
83 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 08:14:08
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You guys are misunderstanding his question. His question is can he have a seperate pump run off a seperate electrical hook up for a seperate house so that he doesn't have to rely on his neighbor's pump. I understand how alternate relays work, but that won't work for this situation. He is looking to install a completely seperate pump in the same well that will run to supply a second house independently of the first well pump.
James Opferman
Pump and Tank Tech
American Tank Company
http://www.watertanks.com/
707-535-1415 (direct phone)
707- 535-1465 (Fax)
jameso@americantank.com |
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cow_rancher
USA
1111 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 09:26:37
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quote:
Originally posted by ValvemanThere are also ways of controlling both pumps separately, even though they are hanging on the same pipe. The explanation takes a while but, it is simple and works well.
Yes I think the OP wants to separately control, and meter two separate pumps in one well.
A better way to do this is two separate water meters and split up the electric cost.
Rancher |
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Valveman
USA
320 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 13:50:37
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quote:
Originally posted by cow_rancher
There's a nice setup now on Ebay where the seller is selling alternating relays,Rancher
I was not the one who mentioned alternators. I just explaned why they were used so the poster would know he did not need one.
I'll bet the poster has one well pump feeding two houses. House #1 has the pressure tank and controls. House #2 is where the poster lives and is just tied into the water line. The person living in house #1 is out of town and did not pay the electric bill. The poster just wants to be able to control the pump from his house in this situation, so he is not out of water. |
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watertanks.com
USA
83 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 15:07:59
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Let's not worry about who mentioned it. Let's just try not to confuse people, by adding unnecessary information. Thank you both for your input.
James Opferman
Pump and Tank Tech
American Tank Company
http://www.watertanks.com/
707-535-1415 (direct phone)
707- 535-1465 (Fax)
jameso@americantank.com |
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roundmt
5 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2009 : 17:15:16
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Thank you all! I started trying to be independent from House #1 as he doesn''t pay the electric etc., and I'm without water when they turn it off. I had different input going everywhere. So I started to look into 2 pumps one well which my local well driller said they do all the time but it sounded like many $$$$.
Then I got some input from Cary @ cycle stop valves which I believe is Valveman how I could have seperate systems taping into the water line and having two seperate pressure switchs and pressure tanks and I would supply a seperate power source from my house. Using a interlock switch which would allow both of us to control the one pump from different locations at different time, leaving me independent except for the well. This seems the least expensive way out and will give me what I need.
It's a great forum, using alot of great minds to help us Dummies.
Thanks, Frank |
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cow_rancher
USA
1111 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2009 : 10:09:12
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quote:
Originally posted by roundmtUsing a interlock switch which would allow both of us to control the one pump from different locations at different time, leaving me independent except for the well. This seems the least expensive way out and will give me what I need.
I believe what valveman described to you was a method to power the pump independently from either house, and the interlock switch would keep you from combining the two house electric transformers which would result in sparks flying. The only problem with this is that if I was your neighbor I would flip my circuit breaker to the off position and let you pay for all the electricity, and if I ran low on water, just flip it on for one cycle.
Good Luck
Rancher |
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Topic |
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One well two pumps
