would anyone be able to point me to a US style water system design for my cabin;
water supply is irratic due to freezing of the supply pipes so I need tanks in the basement to hold a supply on hand, probably 300gal ish, on some of your builds I see a pump and some kind of cylinder, is that a pressure control device, that kelps the pump for start stopping every minute ?
Tanks will have heat pads and I want an external fill point so I can top up from my portable tank or a water truck when required.
Can't seem to find a cabin water system design guide or document.
Maybe some of these site will point you in the right direction or at least help.
https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=Off+grid+water+system&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4TSNA_enUS401US438&q=off+grid+water+system+design&gs_l=hp..1.0l2j0i22i30l3.0.0.0.9693...........0.DPsn9zddgrw
(https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll257/loonlakebound/DSCN0238_zps3c43630b.jpg) (https://s290.photobucket.com/user/loonlakebound/media/DSCN0238_zps3c43630b.jpg.html)
This is my system. I have a 350 Gal storage tank, Water pump, Pressure tank and hot water heater. I do not keep it filled in the winter and would have to come up with some form of heat to keep the system from freezing. I also used PVC pipe to create a fill tube that you can see coming out of the wall about the water storage tank.
(https://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/rick91351/house/DSC_0565_zps7ed82ad3.jpg)
This is our design. But we have a tank buried up on a hill above us. A spring supplies the water to that tank. The pressure into the house is only 13 lbs. So we boosted it with a inline jet pump. The pump charges the pressure tank - there is a pressure switch we I think set to turn on at 35 lbs and off at 55 lbs. There is a brass pressure relief valve just below the tall pipe with a pressure gauge. It is not hooked up to it proposed PVC piping in this photo because of over sight and no piping here on sight causing another trip to town. It now loops around behind the furnace and down spouts to the floor drain. Pretty simple.....
Do you have internal rust problems with those metal pipes Rick? It seems when I leave my system sitting for awhile, the first surge of water is quite rusty.
Quote from: hpinson on September 13, 2014, 08:26:39 AM
Do you have internal rust problems with those metal pipes Rick? It seems when I leave my system sitting for awhile, the first surge of water is quite rusty.
You know that is a great question. First why the galvanized. This system is in the open in our utility room. Normally you would secret it away in a pump house or cellar, we even thought in the crawl space. In the open as this is everyone thought the metal would be better than plastic. As far as rust - nope. But it is new ;) Though the house is not finaled. We use the water system for laundry, showers and baths, (So much better than the fifthwheel!!!) and drinking water when working in the house. Which feels like 24/7 right now. So it does not sit stagnate. This is all the iron in the house minus a few elbows and connectors and nipples to the plastic in the crawl space. Down side it is noisy but knew it would be when the pump cycles.
One thing I would encourage anyone designing a system for a mountain cabin or home such as ours make sure you can drain the system easily. We had a friend who had a cabin in the brutal cool of West Yellowstone - Henrys Lake area of Idaho. They always just turned the thermostat down and never thought about it. One year a tree took out their power line and froze their beautiful old cabin up like and ice sickle. Pressure tank and hot water heater in the basement even froze tight and split. Dry wall had to all come out most places. Lots of damage to the furnishings as well. Very sicking and expensive. I would really look at easy way to drain the system. Even like us who have no interest in snow birding or leaving here in the winter for extended periods. The way this is designed we can blow it out and drop some antifreeze in the traps and could leave here in the winter if we had a change of heart. Or decide to go on a short trip or a cruse [waiting] in the winter time.
New landowner. ...........that's exactly what I was thinking about !
Pressure tank size-what's the rationale behind sizing one ?
Cost . Water usage. Or pump size ?
Pump size flow rate .....what's the norm ?
I wish I had better information on choosing my system.
I found the pressure tank at a Habitat for Humanity re-store, for $50.00, I bought the least expensive water pump that tractor supply carries. I also found the electric hot water heater at Lowes on clearance. My water tank is 350 gal and that is more than enough for my wife and I to be at camp for a week both taking showers daily.
I found a Pick up truck style water tank, for $200.00 on Craig's list, that I have mounted on a small Harbor freight trailer.
(https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll257/loonlakebound/DSCN1221_zpsf32c217e.jpg) (https://s290.photobucket.com/user/loonlakebound/media/DSCN1221_zpsf32c217e.jpg.html)
It works very well for a budget system. The only issue I have is with water pressure and I am sure that is just a setting on the water pump that I need to figure out. I do not know the size of my pressure tank but it is suited for my system as the pump does not run very often.