Water Tank

[Scooter]

Time to bite the bullet and buy a water tank and pump.
How many litres do I need to store for the three of us and does it have to be metal or plastic?
Most important how much will this cost me ?

[Thetyim]

2 cubic meters should be enough.
The fibre ones are cheaper than stainless.
I wouldn't recommend a steel one

[Marmite the Dog]

I just bought a big plastic one (about 1000 litres I think). It was much cheaper than the stainless steel ones. I already had a pump. The tank was around 5 or 6k.

[Scooter]

Chears.
I'll get a Thai mate to go and get one then for me it'll be cheaper still.

[stroller]

Have a look here:
https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...ater-tank.html

[Marmite the Dog]

I'll get a Thai mate to go and get one then for me it'll be cheaper still.

I got ours from HomeMart and I'm sure a Thai would've been charged the same as me.

[dirtydog]

Go for a stainless steel water tank, the plastic ones if out in the sun only seem to last about 20 months before going brittle and breaking, the stainless ones you just need to change the fitments every 8 to 10 years, ie outlet and inlet bits.

[Panda]

I would think the size of the tank required would depend on your needs.
For drinking water only in the dry season, 3 liters a day x 3 people X 200 days comes out to just under 2, 000 liters or 2 cubic meters. If you want to use it for showers, washing and drinking, then probably best to look at 10,000 liters minimum. In the west the average home uses 500 L/day plus!

[hillbilly]

I have a stainless steel tank. Works great. The tank and the pump cost about B14000, but this was a few years ago.

The only problem is unless you really like a hot shower in the afternoon it is best to to keep your tank in a shaded area.

[DrAndy]

I have a stainless steel tank. Works great. The tank and the pump cost about B14000, but this was a few years ago.

The only problem is unless you really like a hot shower in the afternoon it is best to to keep your tank in a shaded area.

if you have a 3000 litre tank, it will hardly get warm, even in the sun

I agree with DD on this, get a stainless tank, cheaper in ther long term

If you have an automatic system, then the capacity is hardly a problem. When the tank is about a third empty, you can have a switch that pumps more water in until full, so you never have to worry...as long as your supply is available

we have a 3000 litre tank in our city house, it would be empty in a day as there are quite a few people using it (9), but it keeps full using the system above

[cali kid]

2000 ltr. tank
Stainless steal 16,000 - 17,000
Plastic 7,500
plastic underground 12,500

Been looking at these items just very recently and the prices seem to be the same everywhere.

[dirtydog]

Pattaya, 1,000 liter stainless about 7,500baht, plastic about 5,500baht.

[hillbilly]

^^^Luckily, I only have 3 people...

[Scooter]

Thanks for all the above chaps.
I will go for a stainless one now.Right now for the pump.The kid in HomePro CM told me I would need a 280W pump.This seems a little too powerful for my needs.I have three bathrooms all ground level. One is in the guest room which rarely gets used,one me and the missis use and my stepson has his own shower room but he's at that age where he's scared of soap and water.The chances of all three going at the same time wouldn't happen.What size pump would do?

[Scooter]

Have a look here: https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...ater-tank.html (A budget Water Tank)

Thanks stroller but I can't be doing with all that.

[buad hai]

On Saipan I had two 300 gallon fiberglass tanks (about 2200 liters, total). They were in the sun all day. I bought them in 1980. They are still going strong. I used a half-horsepower (375 watt) pump with a 10 gallon (38 liter) captive air tank. The water pressure on Saipan was such crap that we were always on the pump. I had a float valve which kept the tanks full when the mains water flowed. I had a float cutoff switch which prevented the pump from cycling if the water level in the tanks ever got too low. Worked like a charm.

This was for three people.

[Thetyim]

What size pump would do?

280w sounds about right.
If you go for a 150w then as soon as you open two taps the flow drops to FA which is a pain if you are trying to have a shower.
Get a pump with a large buffer tank, 15 litres is a nice size , this will even out the pressure better.

[Scooter]

280w sounds about right.

Nice one thanks. HomePro Cm its 6,800.for 280W

[dirtydog]

I am pretty sure my pump is 275, I use it to pump from the ground floor up to the roof tank of our 6 storey building, the bathroom on the 5th floor is powered by that pump, due to the pump being too powerful it cuts in and out for that floor, although that does make for a nice massage type shower going from really powerful to normal all the time.

[Thetyim]

Shop around a bit.
I paid 4500 baht for a 250w pump

[Thetyim]

due to the pump being too powerful it cuts in and out for that floor

I don't think that is the problem.

Mine used to do the same until I fitted a larger buffer tank (captive air tank)

[Scooter]

Could I get away with using a 250w pump then?

[Thetyim]

Could I get away with using a 250w pump then?

Yes. Our house originally had a 150w pump which wasn't big enough. It was changed for a 800w one which was fine but it broke down and I got pissed off with having to airmail parts from Oz so it was changed for a 250w one. This works fine but needed a bigger buffer tank to stop it cutting in & out all the time.

[dirtydog]

I don't think that is the problem.

That is the problem.

Mine used to do the same until I fitted a larger buffer tank (captive air tank)

And that would fix it, all you need is some upright 4inch pipe connected after the pump that is capped off, you can also use that to stop water hammer on down pipes.

[DrAndy]

anyway, get a nice Japanese pump and fit and forget...more or less

they are very reliable, I had one for years and almost did not know where to find it when I had a problem

shop around, Homepro is not the cheapest