Pump System Questions and Answers > Pumps, Wells, Tanks, Controls
I'd like to optimize my well water system...help needed.
bjm999:
I have several questions but would basically like to optimize my well water system. I'm not happy with the current setup and I'm looking for solutions once I have a better understanding of how it could be improved.
My current setup:
We had our house built 3 years ago and the well guy put in a Goulds 25GS30 in a 4" well with a CSV2W. I then have a 1-1/4" sch 40 PVC from the CSV to a tee for a spigot. The CSV and spigot are about 1 foot apart. The 1-1/4" pipe continues a foot or 2 then tees again for a 1-1/2" irrigation mainline. The 1-1/4" pipe then continues to run to the crawl space where the pressure gauge and 50 gallon bladder tank are located for easy access. The PVC pipe then comes out of the bladder tank and converts to PEX to supply the house fixtures with water.
I think I remember my depth to water is 160' but I texted my well guy and he seems to think it is a little less than that. Either way I should be getting something like 25 to 28 GPM max at 60 PSI. The pump is about 350 ft deep from what I remember.
I have a large lawn thus a large irrigation system. I have 7 zones that require 22 to 28 GPM (may need to double check these numbers tomorrow). I also have a large drip irrigation system that supplies water to 30 large recently transplanted trees (15 to 30 feet tall trees). My pressure switch is currently set to cycle my pump between 45 and 70 PSI.
My problem is my pump cycles between 45 and 70 PSI every time we use water except when the 7 lawn sprinkler zones are operating. When they are operating we do get constant pressure although the pressure differs with each zone. ie Zone 2 may run at 50 PSI and zone 7 may run at 65 PSI, etc. They all run at different pressures. I would like them to run on the higher end pressure wise since each head runs optimally at 45PSI and that is difficult to get with the pressure drops I have in the irrigation system. ie. if the well is at a constant 65PSI I can maintain roughly 45 PSI at the irrigation heads but if the well is at a constant 50 PSI it is more difficult to get 45 PSI at the irrigation heads. This has forced me to move heads to different zones or find other ways to reduce the pressure drop in the pipe, valves etc.
I would prefer the system run at say 65 PSI when the house fixtures are being used, when the drip irrigation is being used, and when all lawn zones are being used.
I'm guessing the well guy installed the wrong CSV since the CSV2W requires 5GPM. I'm guessing that is the main problem.
Should the irrigation zones currently be operating at different constant pressures ie. Zone 2 runs at 50 PSI and Zone 7 runs at 65 PSI? Is it ok to have the spigot tee and the irrigation mainline tee between the CSV and the bladder tank? What changes in my system do you recommend?
Thanks for all your help! I'm sure I'll have more questions as you try to help with a solution. ;D
Cary Austin:
The CSV3A2T would have been a little better, but the CSV2W should work fine. With a water level of 160' and a pressure needed of 60 PSI, adding the 15 PSI friction loss from the CSV2W gives 337' Total head. At 337' the 25GS30 only producers 22 GPM. With the p[ump set at 350' I doubt the water level will stay at 160'. The lower the water level the less water the pump can produce.
It sounds like the adjustment bolt on the CSV2W is tightened too far down and the valve is not working. With the pressure switch shutting off at 70. the CSV should be set at 65 PSI while running slightly more than 5 GPM. The drip system needs to be larger than 5 GPM or the pump will cycle on/off. The pump will still cycle on/off while using less than 5 GPM, as when a 2.5 GPM shower is running. But the CSV2W should keep the pump running continuously and the pressure at 65 PSI while using small amounts of water. When using up to 30 GPM the CSV2W should still be giving you 60 PSI constant, but only if the water level in the well is not lower than 160'.
I don't think you will be able to run any zones more than about 22 GPM, and that is only if the water level doesn't drop much. Just have to make smaller zones and run them longer.
bjm999:
Thanks for the detailed reply! That was very helpful. So the well guy said I should be getting 28 to 30 GPM at 60 PSI but he is going off his memory of the water depth, etc, from 3 years ago. He is also not the nicest guy so I think the first thing to do is to somehow determine the flow rate and go from there. Is there an easy way to do this? I'm guessing that would eliminate the depth to water and pump depth uncertainties.
Also, why would something like a CSV1A not work in this application? And why would the CSV2AT possibly have been a little better choice? Thanks for helping me understand.
The drip system has got to be more than 5 GPM but the pump still cycles...something doesn't sound right. Probably the way the CSV adjustment bolt is set.
Thanks and if you know a good way to determine the GPM, I'll get that and we can go from there if you don't mind.
Cary Austin:
A bucket test with the pump running wide open and no pressure against it would tell you a lot. For instance, if the pump can produce 30 GPM (5 gallon bucket in 10 seconds) that would tell me the water level is at 220' at max flow. Then knowing the pumping level you can figure how much a 25GS30 can pump at 60 PSI by using the pump curve.
You can see a pump curve here.
https://www.pumpproducts.com/media/amasty/amfile/attach/5GS,%207GS,%2010GS,%2013GS,%2018GS%20and%2025GS%205-25%20GPM,%20Submersible%20Pumps%20Technical%20Brochure.pdf
bjm999:
Thanks! I just performed the bucket test with the pressure gauge in the crawl space reading 0 psi. It was a very tricky test to run, but I was able to perform the test several times. I filled up the bucket between 7.5 and 8 seconds. I know there's some error in the test so if we go with 8.5 seconds that gives me ~35 gpm.
With that info can you tell me my gpm at 60 psi? Can you tell me my depth to water?
Thanks!
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