Creek Pump Boost & Filtration

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Osprey EcoProjects

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We need to upgrade an old creek intake. Need to remove sand and silt, then increase pressure.
The current situation: Jet pump and 2 pressure tanks about 20' above creek intake, then a steep bank, then level across to house entry. In house: twist filter, then a 20" pleated cellulose 5 micron Big Blue, then Trojan UV.
The current idea: Remove pressure tanks from creek pump. Build a booster pumphouse at top of bank with a Sandmaster centrifugal separator, then a float valve in a 175 gallon plastic tank. Then a jet pump with pressure tank, then new line from booster pumphouse to house.
Questions: Will the creek pump be okay with the float valve rather than a float switch, if the valve allows several minutes between cycles? (It would be quite a challenge ditching a control cable down the bank.) Will the Sandmaster be okay supplying a float valve, rather than a pressure tank? Can I add any secondary filtration (e.g. TwistIIClean) between Sandmaster and tank, to get down to maybe 25 microns? Is there a better scenario for filtering before the tank?
For the booster pump, would it be wise to add CSV with small tank, then a large bladder tank to reduce booster pump cycles, or is this overkill? Does it cost more to operate a booster pump with a CSV than with just a pressure tank?
Any advice would be very welcome.
 

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A submersible in the creek would work better. 20' of suction lift is almost the max you can draw with a jet pump. But if it will draw there is no problem running the creek pump through a filter and using a float switch instead of a pressure switch.

The small tank is all you need with the CSV on the booster pump to the house. Not enough difference in power consumption or pump cycles when using a CSV to need a larger tank.
 

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A submersible in the creek would work better. 20' of suction lift is almost the max you can draw with a jet pump. But if it will draw there is no problem running the creek pump through a filter and using a float switch instead of a pressure switch.

The small tank is all you need with the CSV on the booster pump to the house. Not enough difference in power consumption or pump cycles when using a CSV to need a larger tank.
Thanks.
I want to remove the pressure tanks from the creek pump. Would it benefit to add a CSV to the creek pump as well as? If so, should I add the CSV and its little tank at the bottom or at the top when it enters the booster pumphouse?
 

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You don't need a CSV on the creek pump if it is only using a float switch in the storage tank. It is either on at full flow or it is off, and a CSV would not be helpful or needed.
 

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You don't need a CSV on the creek pump if it is only using a float switch in the storage tank. It is either on at full flow or it is off, and a CSV would not be helpful or needed.
Just to be sure, I'm wanting to use a float valve, not a float switch. On that subject, will a float valve be harder on the creek pump than a float switch because it will hold pressure in the line in addition to head? I heard that pumps like some backpressure.
 

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If I was going to set up something like that, I would put in a fish filter.

You can clean it out and eat the fresh fish.

The Fish filter can save the pump impeller and motor also.
 

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If you use a float valve for sure you need a CSV to keep the pump from cycling. But if you use an electric valve like a sprinkler valve with a float switch, it would be either fully open or fully closed and you would not need a CSV. Either way up the hill or down at the pump, the pressure switch and the pressure tank need to be close together.
 

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If you use a float valve for sure you need a CSV to keep the pump from cycling. But if you use an electric valve like a sprinkler valve with a float switch, it would be either fully open or fully closed and you would not need a CSV. Either way up the hill or down at the pump, the pressure switch and the pressure tank need to be close together.
Okay. If I want to keep it non-electric, does it make sense to use a traditional mechanical float valve at the buffer tank at the top of the hill, and a CSV with its small pressure tank and pressure switch down the hill at the creek pump? Sorry I have lots of questions. I'm a building technologist and carpenter, not a plumber although I love doing most of my own plumbing work.
 

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Yes with a regular float valve the CSV is a real benefit to keep the pump from cycling as the float gets close to the top and restricts the flow from the pump.
 

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Yes with a regular float valve the CSV is a real benefit to keep the pump from cycling as the float gets close to the top and restricts the flow from the pump.
Thanks. I know you guys are trying to get to your holidays but here is one more question if you still have time.
To determine if the 175 gallon buffer tank will be big enough, I was going to fill 1 gallon buckets with the creek pump (at the top of the hill, after removing the pressure tanks and installing the CSV) to determine its rate of flow over a 10 minute period of time. I was then going to do the same with the booster pump after rigging it up with its CSV and filling the buffer tank. Now I will have flow rate for both pumps. Does this make sense as a test, or are there some rules of thumb? My gut feel is that if the float valve is set up to allow the booster to draw down for 10 minutes or less before opening to start the creek pump, there should be a good buffer zone. Just trying to a) save money because I already own the tank and b) have the tank inside an insulated wood-framed building which I will design to carry 2,000 pounds of water etc. without major excavation and concrete slab.
Also, will the booster CSV prevent the booster pump from running when there is not enough water, or do I also need to add a component for this?
 
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