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1

Reviews / Re: Pump options for an off-grid, cistern only rain water collection

« on: August 18, 2020, 05:46:57 AM »

One additional question: I believe I read something about you can't have a foot valve and a check valve, only one or the other, correct? We are drawing water from a rainwater collection cistern  using a shallow well jet pump.

Thanks so much,
Brad

2

Reviews / Re: Pump options for an off-grid, cistern only rain water collection

« on: August 17, 2020, 05:44:03 PM »

Thanks again for all the suggestions and explanations. I do have more questions regarding pumps and tanks.

First is size: I will probably go with the 10 gallon tank because the house will have 3 full baths, 3 people living in it full time with the occasional boost of up to 10. It's a house on an island off the coast of Honduras so we are expecting freeloaders, I mean visitors from time to time. We will also be all solar, most of the homes in the area are two story, our's is three (max shower height) is roughly 30'. They are all using 3/4 hp pumps. You have recommended 1hp. I think I need a 1hp, just want to make sure.

Second is make of pump: You have suggested either Gould or Grundfos. A lot of people on the island started out with Gould but have switched to Flotec. This environment is probably the harshest on earth.....salt.....moisture.....salt.....UV. Obviously the later won't be a problem because everything will be in the bodega. Thoughts?

Speaking of the environment, the sidekick tanks are steel. Everything on the island deteriorates at some point, some sooner than others. Would you still recommend the steel tank vs a fiberglass tank. Everyone down there uses 30 or 40 gallon fiberglass tanks. No one uses the CSV, they haven't even heard of it, they are all waiting for me to be the "experiment".

Thanks in advance.
Brad

3

Reviews / Re: Pump options for an off-grid, cistern only rain water collection

« on: August 16, 2020, 11:23:25 AM »

Good morning,

Couple of more questions:

If I order the Pside-kick set it comes with the pressure switch set to 40-60, I'm looking at getting a Gould J10S pump, but all of the pumps I've looked at already have a pressure switch installed and it is set to 30-50. Would the 30-50 still deliver a consistent 50psi or would it then be 40 because of the CSV?
Do I adjust the preinstalled switch to match what your kit has? Or bypass that switch and just use yours? I thought I remember seeing something about the PS has to be mounted after the CSV?
Also, the builders in our area install these sediment traps to help with the filter system, should that go on before the sidekick set up or after? Attached is a picture of one of the set ups they do.

Also, is the only difference between the 4.5 gallon and 10 gallon, the amount of water available before a cycle of the pump? So you might get 1 or two toilet flushes extra? And the pump might run an extra 10 or 20 seconds to fill the tank after the water is stopped but you would still be well within the recommended 2 minutes, correct? Is there any other advantage to the 10?

Thanks, Brad

4

Reviews / Re: Pump options for an off-grid, cistern only rain water collection

« on: August 12, 2020, 06:00:33 PM »

Hi Cary,

Another question regarding the low yield pump illustration. So with my tank being separated I would use a sump pump to move water from one tank to the other tank which has the Grundfos pump to supply the house. Most sump pumps work opposite of what I'm trying to do which is move water from a full tank to a half full tank. Do you have recommendations on float system and pump that work that way?

Thanks, Brad

5

Reviews / Re: Pump options for an off-grid, cistern only rain water collection

« on: August 11, 2020, 08:23:57 AM »

Thanks, I saw that illustration in a previous post from 2009 and thought that might be what I have to do with the way the cistern was built. The next cistern may be built differently.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Brad

6

Reviews / Pump options for an off-grid, cistern only rain water collection

« on: August 10, 2020, 11:16:39 PM »

Building a home in a remote area which will be solar, and rain water collection.

Many of the homes in the area have cisterns which are piped from underneath then come up to the pump, then pressure tank, then to the house. No one has heard of CSV so we will be the first to try it. Our cistern will hold about 19k gallons. The Cistern is the first floor, the second floor is bedrooms with 2 baths, third floor is living area, kitchen and a bath. Each floor is 9 feet. Total height of the home is 38 feet to the top of the roof.

Fear of a leak made me decide to build the cistern as one piece, with access from above, there are two 2" pipes to feed the pump. The other problem is there is a divider wall in the cistern with a leveling window at 7 feet. Both sides will be feed by rain collection. The drawback is making sure my pump can bring the water up and over the cistern to fill the pressure tank and then the house while not killing my solar system or pump. That is why I am interested in the CSV. Most of the homes use Jet pumps.

What are my best options: Jet pump vs Submersible (Hallmark)? Now for the twist, I have to be able to pump out of both tanks, a Jet pump could do that, but I would need two Hallmarks, and thus would I need two CSVs? I'm visual so illustrations or pictures work best.

Attached is the top of the cistern with the two 2" pipes, the divider wall is between them.
 

Thanks, Brad