Submersible pump in cistern.

[Greenmonster123]

I need to have a 10,000 gallon cistern installed for an irrigation system. Water will be delivered via tractor trailer. I want to use a submersible pump but I have never installed one in a tank. Can I lay it on its side in the bottom of the tank? I have heard of flow inducing sleeves, does that apply here? If so could anyone explain this ? I have only ever installed pumps in well casings. Thanks

 

[Valveman]

Yes you can lay it on its side. The shroud is needed to cool the motor, and makes a good place to lay the pump on. You can use a couple extra pieces of 4", 100# sewer pipe after making the shroud to use as a cradle to lay the pump on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Greenmonster123]

Thanks that is exactly what I am looking for. Was thinking of wiring a simple float switch to shut down the pump in a low water situation. Any recommendations on a switch?

 

[Valveman]

Just use a Cycle Sensor to cut the pump off if the tank runs dry. Then you don't have any float switch to mount.

 

[Greenmonster123]

Thanks again. We are getting salt water intrusion as the house is right on a bluff overlooking the bay. The cistern, pump system, alterations to irrigation system is going to cost every bit of $50,000. Not to mention the weekly water deliveries at $600 a piece.

 

[Smooky]

If I was you, I believe I would invest in drought tolerant landscaping.

 

[Greenmonster123]

If I was you, I believe I would invest in drought tolerant landscaping.

If it was my house I would but this is for a customer. And they have more money than sense

 

[Craigpump]

If it was my house I would but this is for a customer. And they have more money than sense

Trickle down economics at its best..

I like using a 4" abs seal & 4" sch 4PVC for a flow inducer sleeve. Works great/looks & sounds expensive.

 

[Greenmonster123]

Do you remove the check valve and install one vertically on the drop pipe?

 

[Craigpump]

You can leave the original & put one vertically

 

[Valveman]

I work with some resorts in Cancun that have salt water intrusion like that. The driller figured out how to cement off the upper section of the well and greatly reduced the salt intrusion, which now works fine for irrigation. Everything else goes through the largest RO system I have even seen. Then we have booster pumps with CSV's to supply the RO water to the resort, just like supplying a little city.

 

[Edward Encarnacion]

Valveman, can you tell me what is the name of that black product you used around the pump?

 

[Valveman]

It is called pipe wrap. But it is just regular electric tape that is 3" wide. You can use regular electric tape, it just takes a lot of it.

 

[Edward Encarnacion]

Thank you!

 

[Reach4]

Edward, please post a photo of your assembly. We could use an example photo of of a horizontal bottom-sitting assembly that has the flow inducer (sleeve) in place.

I would comment that the PVC for the flow inducer can be the thinner stuff, and that is advantages when putting the pipe into a 5 inch casing, and trying to clear a pitless or other hardware. I think that green pipe shown is solvent weld D2729 sewer pipe. It is cheap and available many places locally.

For a cistern, you could still use the thin stuff. But if schedule 40 is more available, you could go that way. However since it is less flexible, you may have to cut more notches to get enough flex.