One Shallow Well / Two Houses

[marksbar]

I own two houses side by side , live in one and the other is a rental.
The rental well is useless for now. I want to use my well to supply both houses.
As seen in the diagram we each have a pump , pressure tank , and pressure switch. Will the check valve placements at the wellhead
(one for each house) work for this situation ??

 

[Valveman]

I am afraid you will have problems with two pumps drawing from a single sand point. It would be best to use a single pump system that is large enough to supply both houses and tee to both houses after the pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Is that well a sand point driven into the ground, or a drilled 2-inch PVC pipe, or what?

 

[marksbar]

It is a drilled 2" galvanized pipe around 80' deep. Plenty of volume and supply. Household use only, no irrigation. Want to keep electric bill separate thus the two independent systems.

 

[Valveman]

Are you using it like a sand point well or is there a drop pipe in the 2" casing?

 

[marksbar]

Is that well a sand point driven into the ground, or a drilled 2-inch PVC pipe, or what?

Are you using it like a sand point well or is there a drop pipe in the 2" casing?

I don't know. My main concern is whether or not the separate check valves will prevent suction from the other house when the pump kicks in. Both pumps are 1 hp and have very short run times. I think there is sufficient water volume for intermittent or same time pump cycles from either house. Only one person lives in each house so not a lot of use.

 

[Reach4]

It is a drilled 2" galvanized pipe around 80' deep. Plenty of volume and supply. Household use only, no irrigation. Want to keep electric bill separate thus the two independent systems.

Does one pipe connect from the pump to the well now, or are there two pipes connecting to the well?

With a single pipe you can only reliably suck up water from about 25 ft. With a deep well jet pump you can draw water from deeper.

It seems to me that your proposal works with a single pipe (shallow well) suction system, but I am not picturing how you would implant your plan with a pair of deep well jet pumps.

 

[Valveman]

I don't know. My main concern is whether or not the separate check valves will prevent suction from the other house when the pump kicks in. Both pumps are 1 hp and have very short run times. I think there is sufficient water volume for intermittent or same time pump cycles from either house. Only one person lives in each house so not a lot of use.

If you were just drawing from that check valve before, it is just being used like a sand point. In that case, your check valve locations are correct to keep each pump from drawing air through the other pumps seal. It will work as long as you don't draw more water than the well can make.

 

[marksbar]

Does one pipe connect from the pump to the well now, or are there two pipes connecting to the well?

With a single pipe you can only reliably suck up water from about 25 ft. With a deep well jet pump you can draw water from deeper.

It seems to me that your proposal works with a single pipe (shallow well) suction system, but I am not picturing how you would implant your plan with a pair of deep well jet pumps.

If you were just drawing from that check valve before, it is just being used like a sand point. In that case, your check valve locations are correct to keep each pump from drawing air through the other pumps seal. It will work as long as you don't draw more water than the well can make.

Thanks Valveman. Sending pictures of the wellhead and the pump set up (same at both houses). In south Florida we hit a great water table at 80 ft.+ and use shallow well pumps / iron and sulpher filters / salt for softner. I appreciate your wisdom about the check valves and will put it to the test !

 

[Valveman]

The well maybe 80' deep but the water level is less than about 20' for that set up to work. With filters and softeners I usually start with a 50/70 pressure switch and a constant 60 PSI to make up for friction losses. Looks like a J15S pump? If so, and the water is shallow it will work with a 50/70 switch.

 

[marksbar]

The well maybe 80' deep but the water level is less than about 20' for that set up to work. With filters and softeners I usually start with a 50/70 pressure switch and a constant 60 PSI to make up for friction losses. Looks like a J15S pump? If so, and the water is shallow it will work with a 50/70 switch.

These are old mobile homes. Not sure the plumbing can take that pressure. Has good pressure now. The pressure tanks are large and inside house pressure differential is very slight. Has been acceptable for 15 years. Not a constant pressure setup.

 

[Valveman]

It is not the higher pressure from a 50/70 switch that causes pipes to break but rather from the water hammer that happens when a pump starts and stops. When a pump shuts off a slamming check valve can cause 5-10 times more pressure than the pump can even build. A Cycle Stop Valve prevents check valve slamming and eliminates water hammer spikes and can deliver strong constant pressure without hurting any pipes. "Acceptable" and "very slight pressure differential" is a compromise. Even staying with the 40/60 switch a strong constant 50 PSI from a Cycle Stop Valve will be much better than 40 to 60 over and over from a large tank. People who have never had constant pressure don't know what they are missing. It is your water system. There is no reason to live with "acceptable" pressure when you could have as good a shower as in a 5 star hotel.

If you have ever seen that old Quest or pex tubing in a mobile home shake when the pump shuts off you will realize how important it is to eliminate water hammer. Pump cycling, and everything that goes with is what destroys pumps, pipe, and everything else.