Getting water to outbuilding

[Tom Behrend]

Hello, Newbie here! I need to run a water line about 125' from my house to my shop. I'm considering pex or poly pipe and am wondering what the best way to tee into my existing home water system. I have a well with a submersible pump which feeds a pressure tank in the house. Is it possible to tee into the outside line which runs from the well to the pressure tank, or do I need to run a line out after the pressure tank from inside the house? Just trying to figure out my best options. Thanks.

Tom

 

[Valveman]

You can tee into that line anywhere as long as there is not a check valve between that tee and the pressure tank.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Tom Behrend]

Thanks valveman. If i understand you correctly, the check valve will need to be on the pump/well side of the tee? Not on the pressure tank side right? I will need to have another pressure tank in the outbuilding correct?

 

[Valveman]

The check valve on the pump is the only one you need. And no you don't need another pressure tank. Water comes from the pump, not the tank(s).

 

[Tom Behrend]

The check valve on the pump is the only one you need. And no you don't need another pressure tank. Water comes from the pump, not the tank(s).

Okay, sorry for my ignorance here.

If I have the well/submersible pump outside the house I can then tee into the line before it enters the house (after the check valve)? If my pressure tank inside the house is regulating the house pressure what would regulate the pressure to the outbuilding (I would ultimately like to have bathroom, an extra laundry sink and a few hose bibs in the building)? What signals the pump that there is demand for water to the outbuilding?

Again, sorry for my lack of understanding!

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Reach4]

When the outbuilding uses water, and the pump is off, the water will come from the pressure tank in the house. As that pressure drops, the pump switch at the pressure tank will turn on the pump. Expect there to be more pressure variation in the outbuilding.

I am thinking valveman might have been picturing a cycle stop valve at the tee in the path from the pump to reduce the pressure variations.

 

[Tom Behrend]

When the outbuilding uses water, and the pump is off, the water will come from the pressure tank in the house. As that pressure drops, the pump switch at the pressure tank will turn on the pump. Expect there to be more pressure variation in the outbuilding.

I am thinking valveman might have been picturing a cycle stop valve at the tee in the path from the pump to reduce the pressure variations.

So I understand correctly, the water supply will flow in the following manner:

1. From the pump by the tee to the new water line going to the out building

2. To the pressure tank in the house

3. Then back from the pressure tank to the tee feeding the out building?

It seems strange to me that the water would be flowing to the tee from two directions (directly from the well and from the pressure tank inside the house). Do I have this right?

Tom

 

[Reach4]

Yes. #1 and #2 happen when the pump is on.

 

[Valveman]

Yes. #1 and #2 happen when the pump is on.

And 3# only happens when the pump is off.

 

[Reach4]

Before choosing the size of the pipe to the shop, try using a pressure drop calculator. Suppose your pressure switch inside is set for 40-60 PSI. You might get 30 to 70 PSI in the shop with a given size of pipe at your expected maximum flow in the shop. That may be no problem. It is not a problem for the toilets and washing machine.

If you wanted more consistent pressure at the shop, you could put in a regulator at the shop set for 30 PSI. However the regulator will introduce a little drop when the pressure at its input is down to 30 PSI. There are more complex arrangements that could reduce swings.

 

[Valveman]

A Cycle Stop Valve installed before that extra line tees off would also be a good idea. It would eliminate cycling and hold a much more steady pressure no matter which way the water is flowing.

 

[Tom Behrend]

A Cycle Stop Valve installed before that extra line tees off would also be a good idea. It would eliminate cycling and hold a much more steady pressure no matter which way the water is flowing.

Thanks a lot guys...you're really helping me make sense of this. I have a lot of experience after the plumbing comes out of the pressure tank, but not much when it comes to the well side of the things. This may be a dumb question (I don't know much about CSV's), can I bury a CSV and then the tee supplying the shop before it enters the house. Would it be better to do it inside the basement and then punch the new line back out through the basement wall?

As far as the CSV goes, can I use it with my new 40 gal pressure tank (that I just installed prior to researching any of this!), or do I need to use a small one like I'm reading about online?

...and what do you recommend for pipe? I was thinking of 1" poly pipe (160 lb). It will be buried at about 6' where I am located here in WI. Can I bury the pipe directly, run it through conduit, or encompass it in sand?

Thanks guys,

Tom

 

[Valveman]

A CSV will work fine with any size tank. It would really not be a good idea to burry it 6’ deep. Putting the CSV in the house and then running a line back out to the faucet would be best. 160# poly is fine. You can run it by itself if there are no rocks. But if you have rocks run the pipe in conduit or line and pack the ditch with sand. And the check valve on the submersible pump is the only one you want in the system.

 

[Tom Behrend]

A CSV will work fine with any size tank. It would really not be a good idea to burry it 6’ deep. Putting the CSV in the house and then running a line back out to the faucet would be best. 160# poly is fine. You can run it by itself if there are no rocks. But if you have rocks run the pipe in conduit or line and pack the ditch with sand. And the check valve on the submersible pump is the only one you want in the system.

Hello again, thanks for the info. What about installing the CSV inline prior to the pitless adapter?

 

[Valveman]

That works too. We make a coupling to put over the CSV1 and 125 to make them hold the weight of the pump, pipe, and wire.

 

[Tom Behrend]

That works too. We make a coupling to put over the CSV1 and 125 to make them hold the weight of the pump, pipe, and wire.

Great...that was my next question!

 

[Tom Behrend]

Can I use the CSV1W in this application with the coupling?

 

[Valveman]

The CSV1W doesn't need a coupling. It will hold up to 7,000# by itself.

 

[Tom Behrend]

The CSV1W doesn't need a coupling. It will hold up to 7,000# by itself.

Great, thanks!