Two houses on one pump

[Wrangler]

The situation is this:
There is a house (1933) on the side of sloping ground. I don't know any specifics of the well like depth or water column. The pump is an old 1/2HP Water Ace two pipe jet pump that has been there since probably the 80's. It will barely build 40psi and gets there after 10-12 minutes and it is worn out of course. I am going to replace the pump with an equal, probably a Wayne. I really do not want to open the well and hope it works with just replacing pump unit at surface. Right now the well produces about 88-9 gpm. from boiler drain on tank cross. It has a 20/40 switch that I would like to be 30/50 or even 40/60. I don't know the gal size of the relatively new Well-X-Trol pump tank, but it is about 40" tall and 18" in diameter. This well has worked great since 1933.

The second house is further down the slope, about 25' lower in elevation and approx.180'away. I have buried a 3/4" pex A pipe from pump room of upper house down to what will be second house pump room along with a 12ga. tracer/ground wire.
So after all that, the questions(sorry so long but I wanted to give good details).
Do I :
1. build a cinder block cistern (300 gal?) at the lower house (there will only be me living there). The upper house will never have more than two people living in it. I could use a ball cock valve, like a cattle trough valve to keep the cistern full thereby not using the upper pump all the time. I could also use a solenoid system with a float switch on a timer in place of cattle tank valve. That way it would only refill cistern at night when upper house people are not using the pump From there a 3/4" pex to a house pressure booster pump with a pump tank and pressure switch.
2. Hook 3/4 line coming down hill straight to pressure booster pump and then on to pump tank. The pressure boosters have an intregal switch usually.
3. Use another method that you suggest. This has probbly been done a million times and I am just not getting it. If I have to open the well I can get more info on it and would probably install a 3/4hp pump. I just don't want to suck the column out of the casing (should be 4") as I don't know depth of well or height of water column. It could be that a new 1/2hp pump could support a 30/50 switch right now (please,please).
This has been a total head scratcher fo me and ANY help would be greatly appreciated.
Long days and pleasant nights to you.

 

[Valveman]

The ejector down the well has to match the pump. It is probably a problem with the ejector down the well more than the pump anyway. 30/50 or 40/60 is no problem as long as you make sure the pump can produce that much pressure. 8-9 GPM is enough for two houses. The 3/4 PEX going to your house is the problem. With 1" or larger you would not need a cistern and booster pump. One good pump and control could supply both houses. But the restriction of the 3/4 PEX may not supply the volume you need at the lower house. The drop in elevation will help. I would just hook up the water line directly to the house and see how it works. If you don't use much volume it might be fine.

The tank size sounds like a WX203. It is a 30 gallon tank that will hold about 8 gallons of water, which is not enough to keep the pump from cycling too much. When you get the pump building the pressure it should, adding a Cycle Stop Valve prior to that tank would give many benefits, including strong constant pressure. Constant pressure will also help with the 3/4 Pex being too small.

 

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[Wrangler]

Thank you very much for your information and advice! I need to get it tied in up top and then get a gauge on the bottom to see what I've got. I really like the idea of going the extra mile on pump up top and eliminating costs and equipment at the bottom house.