You need a pump that can work with like a 60/80 pressure switch to get water up that high. Jobe non-modulating float valves are good. You can also use a 24V electric sprinkler valve with a float switch in the tank.
How to automatically fill up storage tank
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Rockwind1
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they don't look anywhere near that sophisticated,, they are really just long 1/4" thread rods with wires attached to them, i will take a pic one of these days.
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The picture I showed has a 24V plug in transformer feeding through a float switch to a 24V sprinkler valve. Nothing sophisticated about it. It is just a way to use a float switch to fill a cistern without any wire running to the pump.
I think he does not have power at the high tank.
If brewing a solution, there are bistable (latching) valves that would use a lot less energy that could run from a battery or a battery recharged by a small solar panel. But that would take some custom electronics, unless there is some controller I did not find while searching.
Rockwind1
Member
i meant when you mentioned i have BW liquid level controls in the lower tank, the BW stuff looks a lot different than what i have in my lower tank.
Rockwind1
Member
i do have power at upper tank, the upper tank feeds into a pump house where i have another jet pump and pressure tank that supplies the house on the hill.
so the 2 big issues i have is
1.-- the jet pump at the lower tank is 100 yds downhill from the upper tank so there is no way to communicate with it to stop when the upper tank is full,,,,, and in fact, i would not want to have it stop when the upper tank is full because that lower jet pump also supplies the barn and horse stuff.
2. the water is at such low pressure and gpm by the time it reaches the upper tank that it takes days to fill it up.
so what i need to figure out is, easiest/best cost effective way to increase amount of water being delivered to upper tank,, if i could just increase it to even 1 or 2 gpm, that would work fine for my needs.
then i just need to figure out an automatic way to shut a valve off to stop filling the upper tank when it is full. right now, i do it manually.
wwhitney
In the Trades
If you set up the system to try to keep the upper tank full (say a 50 gallon dead band), then with a 1250 gallon tank, you only need to increase the delivery rate to the upper tank if there's actually a chance of running it dry.
E.g. say your currently delivery rate is 400 gallons/day. If you never use more than 400 gallons/day, no problem. If you use more than 400 gallons in a day sometimes, but your average is still under 400 gallons/day, that's fine as long as your excess usage never exceeds say 1000 gallons consecutively. E.g. if you use 1000 gallons one day (600 gallons excess) and 500 gallons the next day (100 gallons excess), but then 300 gallons/day for the next week, your tank will be full again. You just couldn't use 1000 gallons/day two days in a row.
Cheers, Wayne
WorthFlorida
Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
There might be ways to shut the pump off via wifi or z-wave but that can get complicated. You could run an irrigation wire where it only needs to be a few inches below grade or even above the ground and run it with 24v AC to control relays and switches. Another way that may just work for you is to use a standard Intermatic Mechanical timer as used with pool and irrigation pumps. What seems to be more important is you don't want the upper tank to run dry. Placing a timer on the pump, you can set it to auto run the pump for a set amount of time where your usual water usage could be replenished. The tank may not be full but it should relieve you of a daily trip to the pump switch but of course there may be times it may overflow.
A different pump would be the deal I think. A 1/2 hp 10 gpm submersible would do really nicely. However I might try first cleaning the jet on your existing pump. That's free.
See #29 and #30 on https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/pressure-drops-quick.67304/page-2
Rockwind1
Member
thats a very interesting idea, but the only drawback is that the lower jet pump which sends water all the way up the hill, over 200 yds of piping, also supplies water to my lower barn and horse stalls and another outbuilding,,,, so that is why i don't want to control the pump not to mention there is no communication from the lower jet pump to the upper tank that it supply's,,,, the best fix is to control a valve cause i need the lower jet pump to keep running to supply water
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Get a bigger pump and use a 60/80 pressure switch and a 24V solenoid valve with a float switch at any tank you want to fill and maintain a level.
Rockwind1
Member
anyone know which would be better, a motor driven ball valve or a electric selonoid type valve? i mean, as which one will last longer with less headaches?
Motorized ball valves are a pain. A solenoid valve is simple and long lasting.
Plant.One
Just here for the Beer.
if you're gonna move that piping over near the access panel, here's a possible solution for you to consider.
used to use these hudson floats for revivor topoff valves. nothing the tank volume you're talking about, but they were super dependable. we put them in 100-150g holding tanks that we used to store RO water in.
https://www.agrisales-inc.com/1-hudson-valve-v
with a valve like this in play, for manual use you could just put a simple isolation valve before it, and then when you need to refill - open the isolation valve and let it top off. then when its full close the isolation valve.
used in conjunction with a sprinkler timer and inline sprinkler solenoid valve - this would limit the number of cycles on your lower pump and allow you to maintain a full tank up top. have the sprinkler valve open for X hours and close after the cycle completes. a basic sprinkler timer can have multiple start times per day as well as different programmed run (open valve) times. little bit of trial and error and you should be able to come up with a operating cycle that maintains your fill level and maximizes the off time on the supply.
all 24v, solenoid based, affordable and reliable. the bonus is with the rainbird solenoids, if you have a failure - all you have to do is replace the top half of the assembly that houses the solenoid if you do have a failure. the main body of the sprinkler valve stays in place. 6 screws, takes about 5 mins to swap them (i do these fairly regularly retrofitting 10+ year old solenoids as they fail on the aquarium systems i repair)
kind of the best of both worlds with a timer based application with a manual stop to prevent over filling.
these are the controllers we use.
https://smile.amazon.com/Orbit-Irrigation-Products-Station-Sprinkler/dp/B099G9C64M/
and this is the solenoid i'm talking about
https://smile.amazon.com/Rain-Bird-CP100-Automatic-Sprinkler/dp/B00002N8NN/
hth
used to use these hudson floats for revivor topoff valves. nothing the tank volume you're talking about, but they were super dependable. we put them in 100-150g holding tanks that we used to store RO water in.
https://www.agrisales-inc.com/1-hudson-valve-v
with a valve like this in play, for manual use you could just put a simple isolation valve before it, and then when you need to refill - open the isolation valve and let it top off. then when its full close the isolation valve.
used in conjunction with a sprinkler timer and inline sprinkler solenoid valve - this would limit the number of cycles on your lower pump and allow you to maintain a full tank up top. have the sprinkler valve open for X hours and close after the cycle completes. a basic sprinkler timer can have multiple start times per day as well as different programmed run (open valve) times. little bit of trial and error and you should be able to come up with a operating cycle that maintains your fill level and maximizes the off time on the supply.
all 24v, solenoid based, affordable and reliable. the bonus is with the rainbird solenoids, if you have a failure - all you have to do is replace the top half of the assembly that houses the solenoid if you do have a failure. the main body of the sprinkler valve stays in place. 6 screws, takes about 5 mins to swap them (i do these fairly regularly retrofitting 10+ year old solenoids as they fail on the aquarium systems i repair)
kind of the best of both worlds with a timer based application with a manual stop to prevent over filling.
these are the controllers we use.
https://smile.amazon.com/Orbit-Irrigation-Products-Station-Sprinkler/dp/B099G9C64M/
and this is the solenoid i'm talking about
https://smile.amazon.com/Rain-Bird-CP100-Automatic-Sprinkler/dp/B00002N8NN/
hth
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
I am curious what the OP has for a well pump and if it has enough pressure to also fill the upper reservoir. That way the existing lower jet pump does not need to be replaced.
Either the well pump or the jet pump. I will say this again...
Get a bigger pump and use a 60/80 pressure switch and a 24V solenoid valve with a float switch at any tank you want to fill and maintain a level.
Get a bigger pump and use a 60/80 pressure switch and a 24V solenoid valve with a float switch at any tank you want to fill and maintain a level.
Rockwind1
Member
hi L i am tryin to get that info, the original well was sunk in 2000,, then replaced in 2008. none of my paperwork that is supposed to be recorded with the state water agency gives me much info. i got the property in 2012 thru a foreclosure situation, the last owners had simply vacated it a year or so earlier, so i am trying to find local well driller person who replaced it last time. the well set up has always been fine enough for my needs over the years but i am now going there more often and doing some improvements to the property which has led me to this particular dilemma. generally speaking, i am about a 5 hour drive away from the property when i am not there.
Rockwind1
Member
i like the 60/80 idea,, i presume iw ould have to increase my pressure tank air pressure to 58 psi?
i am considering just using this simple float valve and running a very flexible type of hose from the drop in water supply,, i figure even with a 60/80, i won't be getting that much pressure or gpm
https://www.amazon.com/Water-Float-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7KR6KGFHPBX3KAA481E0
i was looking at this if i used a selinoid valve
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Sol...24V&s=industrial&sr=1-1&ts_id=1265148011&th=1
and what is consensus opinion on this float switch?
https://www.amazon.com/Float-Switch...Water+Tank+Float+Switch&qid=1640374883&sr=8-4
Yes, with a 60/80 switch you will need 55-58 PSI air in the tank. 60/80 will be 20 PSI higher than you have now and with the right pump can deliver very strong pressure and flow.
I refuse to look at anything on "A" and hate to even mention the name. Shop anywhere but there, as that company is destroying small businesses.
Here is what I would use.
https://sprinklersupplystore.com/co...ol-1-inch-npt-globe-valve-flow-control-155812
https://www.completeplumbingsource.com/sje-rhombus-pump-float-switch
https://store.rainbird.com/ut1-replacement-transformer-rain-bird-sst-timers.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=RainBirdPLA&utm_term={keyword}&msclkid=5256232bc38a18ccf32e42ecdab0b7a6
I refuse to look at anything on "A" and hate to even mention the name. Shop anywhere but there, as that company is destroying small businesses.
Here is what I would use.
https://sprinklersupplystore.com/co...ol-1-inch-npt-globe-valve-flow-control-155812
https://www.completeplumbingsource.com/sje-rhombus-pump-float-switch
https://store.rainbird.com/ut1-replacement-transformer-rain-bird-sst-timers.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=RainBirdPLA&utm_term={keyword}&msclkid=5256232bc38a18ccf32e42ecdab0b7a6
Rockwind1
Member
i totally agree with you,,, now that you have posted some links, i will get stuff there. the internet has become so vast, sometimes finding the specialty store is like finding a needle in a haystack.
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