1 well, 2 buildings

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Leslie6

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Hi. We have an existing well on a new house and would like to hook up the well to a second building on our property. The connection for a second line at the well was set up when the well was installed but the rest was left to be completed later. The well is drilled, deep and has more enough water for more than 2 houses, the well installer said.
We would like to set it up ourselves rather than pay for the installer to come back or at least do what we can. My husband is a handy man and carpenter.
Does anyone have any experience setting up a second building on a well? Did you need a second pressure tank at the second building?
Also, there is a whole house water system on the new house in front of the pressure tank. Two Big Blue filters. Should we remove the backflow arresters? Should the filters be moved to the other side of the tank. We were told that they should be installed in line before the pressure tank but now the faucet at the well doesn't work whereas before the filters were installed it did. So, hence, the question about the backflow arresters.
I hope I'm expressing this clearly. My husband has a better understanding of plumbing than I do!
Any advice, feedback, experience very much appreciated!
Thanks.
Leslie
 

Leejosepho

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All the plumbers must be busy this morning ...
Does anyone have any experience setting up a second building on a well? Did you need a second pressure tank at the second building?

They will likely tell you it is not actually necessary, but a second tank would certainly do no harm. Overall, it would actually help reduce the cycling of the pump ... and excessive cycling is what kills pumps.

Also, there is a whole house water system on the new house in front of the pressure tank. Two Big Blue filters. Should we remove the backflow arresters?

One or more of the folks here might tell you to just remove the filters altogether, but I would keep them and leave the backflow arrestors intact.

Should the filters be moved to the other side of the tank. We were told that they should be installed in line before the pressure tank but now the faucet at the well doesn't work whereas before the filters were installed it did. So, hence, the question about the backflow arresters.

I would move the filters to the other side of the tank, and I would put a tank and filters at the second building just as if it were the one-and-only building being supplied by the well since your overall plumbing will not be in series, as from well to building and on to the next building.
 
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Gary Slusser

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The only right way is well> house> house.

Otherwise when the 2nd house calls for water the water flow goes house> well > 2nd house until the pump comes on and reverses thr flow direction to well> 2nd house> pressure tank. And the flow direction reverses as soon as the pump shuts off. That causes water hammer and that can bust pipes over time.

No pressure tank needs filtered water.

You should never have anything that can block up like a filter cartridge between a submersible pump and its pressure switch. The pump can blow itsself off teh drop pipe causing loss of the pump.

You don't need another check valve other than the one in/on the pump's outlet.
 

Leslie6

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2 houses, 1 well

Thanks for your replies. Very much appreciated. We are still working on this project and will take your advice to heart. Especially about the filters in front of the pressure tank being a problem. That was very good to know!
Again, thanks so much.
Best,
Leslie
 

Ballvalve

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I would go right out of the well into 1 or 2 tanks, pressure switch right between them, then to the filters nearby and then to each house. Or place the filters at each house entrance and not at the tanks at all. In that case each family gets to maintain to their desired level of filtration.

If you have long distances, you could consider a pressure switch of 50 to 80 psi and use a regulator at each house set around 40. This would help with peak demand.

You do not need back flow protection on a filter.
 

Valveman

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I don’t think pressure tanks help much with peak demands. Usually the tank(s) are empty and the pump is running when peak demands are required. With a 50/80 pressure switch and 48 PSI air in the tank(s) the tanks are completely empty when the pump starts. The pump now has to keep up with the demand and refill the tank(s) at the same time. The pump sees the tank(s) as extra demand.

Now if you only put 25 PSI air in the tank(s), you would get some added GPM as the pressure continues to drop to 25 PSI. However 25 to 80 PSI would over-stretch the bladder and shorten the life of the tank, while delivering really low pressure. The pump itself will deliver extra flow at low pressure, so that itself may keep up with peak demands.

A big tank or two can help with intermittent water uses. I would use a CSV set at 55 PSI before the tank(s), with a 40/60 pressure switch. That would supply water to the houses at 55 PSI without cycling the pump. Now the only problem with a big tank or two is that you have to wait several minutes for the tanks to drain from 60 to 40 PSI, before the pump starts and the CSV starts delivering 55 PSI constant.

A pressure regulator after the tank(s) would only keep 40 PSI to the houses and the pump would continue to cycle. Of course you wound not have to wait for the pressure to drop and the pump to start, because you would just have a low 40 PSI all the time.
 

Leslie6

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I would go right out of the well into 1 or 2 tanks, pressure switch right between them, then to the filters nearby and then to each house. Or place the filters at each house entrance and not at the tanks at all. In that case each family gets to maintain to their desired level of filtration.

If you have long distances, you could consider a pressure switch of 50 to 80 psi and use a regulator at each house set around 40. This would help with peak demand.

You do not need back flow protection on a filter.

Thanks for your help. I will give my husband your feedback. There is about 250 feet between the two buildings with the well halfway between them. The well is down hill from the first house, up hill from the second.
 

Leslie6

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All the plumbers must be busy this morning ...


They will likely tell you it is not actually necessary, but a second tank would certainly do no harm. Overall, it would actually help reduce the cycling of the pump ... and excessive cycling is what kills pumps.



One or more of the folks here might tell you to just remove the filters altogether, but I would keep them and leave the backflow arrestors intact.



I would move the filters to the other side of the tank, and I would put a tank and filters at the second building just as if it were the one-and-only building being supplied by the well since your overall plumbing will not be in series, as from well to building and on to the next building.

Thanks! We are planning to move the filters to the other side of the tank. The second tank and filters sounds like a good idea, too.
 
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