What kind of pump ?

[lilchas]

Bought a place on the river and want to pump water out of the river instead over working the house well . I would like to hook the pump up to a pressure washer so I think the pump should have enough p.s.i. and filter to handle washer and to make it up the 10' bank of the river.What's the best pump for the job? Thanks.

[joed]

Shallow well jet pump should do the job.

[Gary Slusser]

Bought a place on the river and want to pump water out of the river instead over working the house well . I would like to hook the pump up to a pressure washer so I think the pump should have enough p.s.i. and filter to handle washer and to make it up the 10' bank of the river.What's the best pump for the job? Thanks.

A filter good enough for river water going into a pump and spray head of a pressure washer may cause you to rethink this project.

A disposable cartridge filter type may have to be changed every 15 minutes of use of the washer. An automatic backwashed filter would be best. Then the type of pump comes into play; submersible would be best. You'll need power and a pressure tank down at the river and the filter too I would think.

If this was me, I'd use the well unless you're planning on washing constantly for hours at a time.

What are you planning to pressure wash and how often?

I would install a CSV (Cycle Stop Valve) on my well or the river. That would greatly reduce cycling of the pump and to give me constant pressure for both this washer and my house.

[lilchas]

I only plan to power wash deck, siding and clean up the toys.Just worried about using the well and cycle time with my 1/2 hp motor and 15 gal. precharge tank.

[Gary Slusser]

If you are going to be using a garden hose and quite frequently then I rig up for the river. For just a power washer once in awhile, I would use my well. The pressure tank draw down will probably be about 5 gallons between pump runs.

[lilchas]

Now I have another problem with my shallow well pump! The last time I was at the cottage I noticed that my pump was cycling on and off after about 1/2 hour without running the water which never did before,Checked and found no leaks.Without knowing how the pump,switch,and precharge tank works, What do you think the problem is ? Thanks.

[joed]

deleted. Reply to wrong post.

[lilchas]

On my 15 gal. precharge tank, there is a rubber tire air valve. Could it need a refill of air is needed to fix the short cycle time of pump ?

[joed]

It's not a short cycle. Short cycle is when the water is being used and the pump is cycling on and off rapidly.

[lilchas]

So you saying the foot valve in the ground is effecting the precharge tank and pump from coming on for no reason due to a leak , How can that happen?

[Bumblerazz]

The pump presurises the tank, to the max setting determined by the pressure switch. The pump cycles on when the min pressure is reached, either by water being used in the house or a leak somewhere in the line.

If the pump is coming on by itself without any water use by the house, then there is a leak somewhere in the system. Sometimes it is a slow running toilet, or a drip at a faucet, or, what I think Joed is referring to, is the back pressure in the line before the pressure tank is forcing the water back past the pump and out the foot valve.

The bicycle air valve on the pressure tank is to allow you to enter air into the tank to create the pressure (liquids do not compress). If your pump comes on many times during a flush of the toilet or during a shower (the cycle time), it means you do not have enough air in the pressure tank. It has been my experience that you need around half of the pressure tank to be air to be the most effective.

If you run your system at a high pressure, say over 55psi, then the air will dissolve into the water and over time the tank will have to be refilled with air. I run my system at around 68psi at the pressure tank and I have to refill a minimum of twice a year, and should probably do it more often.

If you don't like this idea there are bladder tanks that have a rubber bladder inside the tank that separates the air from the water, allowing a longer lasting air pocket with a side benefit of creating a longer back pressure which will reduce cycle times of the pump.

Oh, and I second the motion for a submersible pump.

Hope that helps,
Jon.

[Gary Slusser]

The switch is on the pressure tank tee usually, if you have submersible pump, if a jet pump, then on the pump. A leak soemwhere causes the pressuret odecrese to the cut-in switch setting and the pump comes on. Pressure build to cut-out, pump off.

Shut off the water on the house side (outlet) of the pressure tank. Watch the guage and if the pressure falls, you have a leak between the trank and the foot valve or submersible pump in the well.

If the pressure doesn't fall. You have a leak between the pressure tank to or inside the house.

[lilchas]

All the info is very helpfull. Will be going up to the cottage soon to try different things , Thanks !

[lilchas]

One more thing, With the 15 Gal. precharge tank how much psi should I be reading from the valve?

[Gary Slusser]

Unless you drain the tank of all the water, you would read the water pressure, not air pressure.

Then you set the air pressure at 1-2 psi less than the cut-in (turn on) switch setting. I.E. 30/50 water pressure range, you need 29-28 psi air pressure. It doesn't matter the size of the pressure tank.