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Irrigation / Replace air bladder tank or switch to cycle stop valve system?
« on: July 31, 2014, 09:16:50 PM »
My lawn irrigation system consists of a 10 year old: 82 gal (equivalent) air bladder tank and a 1/2hp booster pump
The booster pump lifts water about 8-10' above the surface (from about 5' below the surface) of a long skinny pond (dammed up creek) right beside our house in the hill country of Texas (33" of rain per year average). The run to the pump from the source point is about 40'.
We only water grass immediately beside the house (lawn behind house and on each side, but not front). The watering system consists of 6 sprinklers. These go on during the dark morning hours every fourth day for four hours, and they are rotated so that two are not on together. On the days that there are two sprinklers operating, they go on consecutively.
We have a similar system for our domestic use system (rainwater only, no well) and I replaced the tank a year ago when it filled up.
The irrigation pump was beginning to cycle often and I thought that the tank was going out (and it probably is near, if not at, the end of its life). This afternoon I drained the system and checked the pressure. It was less than 10 lbs (so either the valve or the bladder is leaking). I added air to bring it up to 38 pounds, turned it back on. When it went off, I turned on a sprinkler.
The pump is off for about 90 seconds, pressure drops to 40, then the pump turns on and runs for around 130 seconds until it cuts off. I note that it is cutting off about 53 lbs of pressure instead of 60, so the pump may be dodgy too. (Or needs adjusting?)
So I can either replace the tank (and maybe the pump at the same time), or
I can replace it with a cycle stop valve and small tank.
Since the system is on continuously for either 4 or 8 hours each day, it seems like the latter would be a good choice. Which do you think is the better option of the two?
Also since it is pond water, with all the algae, plant and animal life, and very muddy water, I am wondering how this would affect a cycle stop valve system?
I suppose the same considerations apply to my current air bladder tank and it has lasted 10 years, so maybe it is a non-issue, but would it be a good idea to put some sort of filter in front of the pump and cycle stop valve.
Finally the two pumps and tanks, plus 2 20" filters and a U/V sterilizer are all crammed into a very small pump house and I would love to get shed of one of the two large tanks to gain a bit more free space.
What thoughts do you have? Thanks.
The booster pump lifts water about 8-10' above the surface (from about 5' below the surface) of a long skinny pond (dammed up creek) right beside our house in the hill country of Texas (33" of rain per year average). The run to the pump from the source point is about 40'.
We only water grass immediately beside the house (lawn behind house and on each side, but not front). The watering system consists of 6 sprinklers. These go on during the dark morning hours every fourth day for four hours, and they are rotated so that two are not on together. On the days that there are two sprinklers operating, they go on consecutively.
We have a similar system for our domestic use system (rainwater only, no well) and I replaced the tank a year ago when it filled up.
The irrigation pump was beginning to cycle often and I thought that the tank was going out (and it probably is near, if not at, the end of its life). This afternoon I drained the system and checked the pressure. It was less than 10 lbs (so either the valve or the bladder is leaking). I added air to bring it up to 38 pounds, turned it back on. When it went off, I turned on a sprinkler.
The pump is off for about 90 seconds, pressure drops to 40, then the pump turns on and runs for around 130 seconds until it cuts off. I note that it is cutting off about 53 lbs of pressure instead of 60, so the pump may be dodgy too. (Or needs adjusting?)
So I can either replace the tank (and maybe the pump at the same time), or
I can replace it with a cycle stop valve and small tank.
Since the system is on continuously for either 4 or 8 hours each day, it seems like the latter would be a good choice. Which do you think is the better option of the two?
Also since it is pond water, with all the algae, plant and animal life, and very muddy water, I am wondering how this would affect a cycle stop valve system?
I suppose the same considerations apply to my current air bladder tank and it has lasted 10 years, so maybe it is a non-issue, but would it be a good idea to put some sort of filter in front of the pump and cycle stop valve.
Finally the two pumps and tanks, plus 2 20" filters and a U/V sterilizer are all crammed into a very small pump house and I would love to get shed of one of the two large tanks to gain a bit more free space.
What thoughts do you have? Thanks.