Well well well...another pressure tank question

[N7RX]

I have an 80 gal. pressure tank located at my wellhead with a pressure switch. Works fine. I want to move the pressure tank into the house, which is something like 120 feet of 1.5" pipe "downstream" from the wellhead, and leave the pressure switch in place at the wellhead. The goals are to downsize the pumphouse by getting rid of the pressure tank, re-locate the pressure tank to an area where it can be better protected from the elements, and improve the in-house water pressure.

I do not want to move the pressure switch from the wellhead - trenching for the control line would complicate this project by many orders of magnitude.

Another way to put this is: Can the pressure switch and the pressure tank be located in different places and must the pressure tank be located at the wellhead? Will moving the tank closer to the appliance improve the in-house water pressure? Will it kill the pump?

TIA>

[PrecisionMachinisT]

I see no reason other than increased head pressure and slightly desreased life expectancy on the pump, though my tank manufacturer says tank is to be within 15 ft of the wellhead IIRC--there might be codes involved so the system can be shutdown and depressurized from a single location, I dunno about that.......

120 ft isnt all that far for a 1-1/2 in pipe, is there any problems with pressure/ volume at the present time ???

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Our system was seriously defecient when we bought the place, a 500 gal tank and 3 hp pump at the wellhead but it feeds the residence via a 3/4 in pipe.

What we had was a nice spurt for a few seconds, and then pressure at the house would drop to the volume/ flow that could pass through the supply piping.........

We left the 500 gal tank in place, and installed a 80 gal bladder tank within the home--while supply volume is still limited by what can pass through the supply run in a given time period, performance at the house has been greatly improved.......no longer does the dishwasher not fill quickly just because someone flushed a toilet, etc.

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...BUT...

I have digressed........

Back to your original question--suggest call the tank manufacturer.

[PrecisionMachinisT]

Doh !!!

Forgot to add:

This was close to 1000ft of 3/4 in piping for the maind supply.......

[N7RX]

No, it works pretty well. There are times when I would like more pressure, but the well has limited flow and pump was set to deliver about 5 GPM.

So leaving the pressure switch at the well head and moving the tank shouldn't be a problem?

[Harry K]

Need a bit more information to be sure. What is the elevation difference from the house to the well and is the house above or below the well? This will affect the house pressure. You may also need to adjust the precharge in the tank after the move. If the two are at the same elevation, you will see no difference in the house pressure,

1.5" pipe is overkill for that installation.

As for remote location of tank and switch, I can see no problems with that. The switch will still sense the pressure at the well head and thus make the pump run just as it always has.

Harry K

[N7RX]

It's a level playing field.

Actually, I think it's 1.25".

Thank you!

[PrecisionMachinisT]

I agree with Harry K. in that I see no problem--I have a Flotec tank, these are typical of residential bladder type tanks and follows is a link tothe online documentation:

Ref. page 3 figure 1 of the the above .pdf document, wherein it states the pressure switch and tank must not be more than 10 ft. apart.

For this reason, still suggest call the manufacturer to find out what they have to say about it--Im at a loss, and so appreciate if you get back to us and let us know what you find out.

Cheers,

[PrecisionMachinisT]

At any rate, it shouldnt be very hard to move the pressure switch and wiring to be at the house near the tank anyways.

[bumtracks]

Ref. page 3 figure 1 of the the above .pdf document, wherein it states the pressure switch and tank must not be more than 10 ft. apart.

I vaguely recall the tanks do a sort of water hammer arrestor duty too, reduces or eliminates water hammer/pulsing,, and a chattering pump. Water is a powerful thing and has weight/inertia forces, that can bust stuff .

[N7RX]

How about putting a smaller tank at the wellhead with the pressure switch and moving the larger tank to the house?

[Harry K]

Should be a simple move. Someone said there is a specification that they not be more than 10ft apart but I can see no reason electrically, mechanically or fluid dynamics wise why that should be. If the manufacturer says so, well then don't separate them.

Harry K

[Harry K]

I forgot to add. You should see no change in the house pressure or supply. Moving the tank will have two bennies. Free up space in the well house and make servicing the tank more convenient and easier. What is the problem with your house pressure/volume? Maybe we can help with that.

Harry K

[Pat Keith]

When I poured a concrete floor for my pumphouse I moved the tank about 10 feet away so it would be out of the way. Just temporary while I worked. The pump would chatter off and on rapidly. I was told by the well guy that the tank and switch had to be kept together.

[John Gilmer]

Seems to me that you COULD run a small diameter tube from the pressure tank to the switch if you want to minimize the total length of the wiring to the pump.

Before pressure/voltage or pressure/current transducers became relatively cheap, the common way (in an industrial situation) to measure pressure at something some distance from the "control room" was to just run some "instrument" tubing between the guage and the point to be measured.

Small diameter plastic tubing that can handle household water pressures can be had for little money. IF there is a significant difference in elevation between the pressure switch and the tank you have to decide ahead of time whether you want the tubing to be filled with AIR or water. (If it's air, you just run it to the top of the pressure tank. Even works with a bladder tank. And, if it's air, differences in elevation just don't matter.)