well-water captive air tank

[bodega]

I have a well with submerged pump and captive-air tank in the pump house 350 ft. from where I'm building my new house. I'm using 1 1/4" flexible waterline to connect to house. I am not too impressed with the pressure I get at the end of the garden hose (5/8") 360 ft. from the well. Are there any suggestions to increase pressure/volume if I'm still not impressed when it is permanently hooked-up to the house? I thought of maybe installing an additional captive-air tank where it enters the house through the garage.My well is 60 ft. deep and though I am not sure I believe it has a 1/2 hp pump. Thanks, Jack

[Bill]

Easy way to tell is measure how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket at the well. It sounds like to me 1/2 hp is not enough. What diameter well do you have? I would have a minimum of 1hp.

[v8z]

[hawgeye]

There are a lot factors that will determine your pressure, volume, velocity, etc., but in general increasing your pump output and/or the pipe size will increase your pressure. Also don't confuse pressure with velocity. You may have sufficient pressure but the velocity may be low.

360 ft is quite a distance. And depending on if it's traveling up or down, along with the smoothness of the interior of the pipe, you could be loosing quite a bit of pressure by the time it reaches the house. The air-tank in the pump house isn't really helping matters. You're better off moving the air tank to the house.

[Bill]

[hawgeye]

The tank has two main purposes, to regulate the pressure, and to extend the life of the pump. This works in conjunction with a pressure switch. Ideally the pressure switch should be located close to where the pressure is needed. In most cases this is near the pressure tank. The pressure switch has a cut-in and a cut-out setting, when the pressure drops to that set pressure it will send voltage to the pump (turning on the pump) until the pressure reaches the other set point, turning the pump off. Having said all that, if you are in area where freezing may occur, putting the tank in an unheated pump house may be a concern. Now if the tank is located near the pump and the pressure switch in the house, this would be no different than having the tank and the pressure switch in the house. However, if both the tank and the switch are located near the pump, the pressure at the house could be less unless the pressure switch is set to compensate for any pressure loss due to the run from the pump to the house.

[Bill]

My tank, and pressure switch are in my garage. About 125' away from the pump.