Thread: I need water storage and pressurisation - any chance of a Dummies guide?

Originally Posted by Thetyim

^ ^
Got any piccies.
I have only seen blue ones

Sorry, I don't have any pic's, but they seem to be on display in all the builders merchants out here.
They also have a website Jumbo Brand

Follow the links to the PE Tanks

There is that to consider... Another issue about that is that very few people even regularly clean out their tanks which develop a layer of algae and other contaminants on the surface. They need to be thoroughly cleaned with a long brush and some chlorine/bleach on a regular basis especially when the water is seriously suspect..

Many, many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to respond in this thread. Some of the technical discussion has left me more in the dark than I was originally but I think I've gleaned enough to feel I can handle a visit from the plumber!

Some factors in my particular situation that may not have been clear:

- We have no clear idea where the existing pipes run other than where the water meter is at the entrance to the property, the thought of digging up the garden, the drive and the concrete platform that the house is built on gives me nightmares.

- An underground tank would be aesthetically fantastic but, again, the idea of digging up the established garden gives me the shivers.

- A tower would look particularly ugly the way our land is set out and it seems would not give us much in the way of any practical advantage.

- We are on village water which is unreliable and during the frequent periods of maintenance it runs heavy with sediment. Over the few years that we have lived in this house the longest period of no water has been 12 hours.

- We have no well or bore of our own and will consider adding this at a later time. For the meantime the need to water the garden will have an impact on the size of the storage tank.

So, I think I'm going to be asking the plumber to comment on and quote for the following:

- 3,000 litre, resin, sandstone finish storage tank with float valve to control mains supply and float cut off switch,
- 250W Hitachi pump,
- connection to electricity including circuit breaker,
- pump "house".

The location will be at the entrance to the property for easy access to the water supply - ie immediately after the water meter at the only place where we can be 100% certain of access to the pipe.

Factors to be considered/problems to be addressed:

- should the water supply be filtered before the storage tank?
- how can the tank be cleaned and would a stainless steel tank make more sense (due to the location of the drain/discharge) with this in mind?
- will the pump be able to handle the 30 metre distance from the tank to the house and still provide a good shower when the washing machine is running?
- are there any issues (read: major costs or safety compromises!) in installing the pump immediately after the electricity meter and therefore before the main fuse box?


Considering the popularity of this thread I will report back with progress and ultimately with photos of the installation - I've been given the impression that ChiangMaiNoon in particular will appreciate this.

If anyone can see that I'm heading for a fall with the above plan then please let me know.


Thanks again,

JxP

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- should the water supply be filtered before the storage tank?

If it's the city-water, then I wouldent bother, you're not going to drink it anyway. If you feel like spending a extra 10K then you can add a carbon filter before the storage tank.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- how can the tank be cleaned and would a stainless steel tank make more sense (due to the location of the drain/discharge) with this in mind?

Not to much of a problem, it would hardly ever need cleaning, normally there is a drain in the bottom of the tank, so any small solids would settle there, then you can drain some water out from there onece a month or what fit the best.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- will the pump be able to handle the 30 metre distance from the tank to the house and still provide a good shower when the washing machine is running?

Should not be any problem, make sure you're main pipe to the house is not less than 3/4".

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- are there any issues (read: major costs or safety compromises!) in installing the pump immediately after the electricity meter and therefore before the main fuse box?

Not a problem, those pumps goes straight into a normal 220V plug.

Originally Posted by Dalton

If it's the city-water, then I wouldent bother, you're not going to drink it anyway. If you feel like spending a extra 10K then you can add a carbon filter before the storage tank.

Village water can get pretty nasty in certain seasons. Yellow, bad smelling with a lot of sediment are the norm 3 or 4 months every year at my place. Taking a shower in it is self defeating as one is dirtier after the shower than before. The filter I have eliminates the problem and always have relatively clean, clear water.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

should the water supply be filtered before the storage tank?

Before the water tank is what I have. It really cuts down on the amount of cleaning needed to keep the tank clean. Also, the pump will then be pumping clean water from the tank which will give you more pressure and reduce wear and tear on the pumps impeller.

Plumber is on his way - this thread may be drawing to a long awaited close!

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Fukk me.

you have asked more questions in that post than you did in the OP.



super read though this thread.
I had ignored it till this morning because it sounded dull.
should have learned by now not to judge a thread by its cover.

some very clever people on this board.

I have to get through that 100 post barrier somehow!

You're absolutely right about the level of knowledge around here though, most impressive.

Originally Posted by Dalton

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- should the water supply be filtered before the storage tank?

If it's the city-water, then I wouldent bother, you're not going to drink it anyway. If you feel like spending a extra 10K then you can add a carbon filter before the storage tank.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- how can the tank be cleaned and would a stainless steel tank make more sense (due to the location of the drain/discharge) with this in mind?

Not to much of a problem, it would hardly ever need cleaning, normally there is a drain in the bottom of the tank, so any small solids would settle there, then you can drain some water out from there onece a month or what fit the best.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- will the pump be able to handle the 30 metre distance from the tank to the house and still provide a good shower when the washing machine is running?

Should not be any problem, make sure you're main pipe to the house is not less than 3/4".

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- are there any issues (read: major costs or safety compromises!) in installing the pump immediately after the electricity meter and therefore before the main fuse box?

Not a problem, those pumps goes straight into a normal 220V plug.

Thanks for all that Dalton, I'll keep it all in mind.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Dalton

If it's the city-water, then I wouldent bother, you're not going to drink it anyway. If you feel like spending a extra 10K then you can add a carbon filter before the storage tank.

Village water can get pretty nasty in certain seasons. Yellow, bad smelling with a lot of sediment are the norm 3 or 4 months every year at my place. Taking a shower in it is self defeating as one is dirtier after the shower than before. The filter I have eliminates the problem and always have relatively clean, clear water.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

should the water supply be filtered before the storage tank?

Before the water tank is what I have. It really cuts down on the amount of cleaning needed to keep the tank clean. Also, the pump will then be pumping clean water from the tank which will give you more pressure and reduce wear and tear on the pumps impeller.

Sounds like we have similar water supplies. The plumber that I've spoken to is insistent that any sediment will settle and can be drained off, I'm not convinced, I would prefer to have some basic filtering before the tank. What you say about pressure and wear and tear makes sense - there must be some basic filtering that can be included without going to the expense of RO and/or carbon filters.

Originally Posted by Driventowin

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Dalton

If it's the city-water, then I wouldent bother, you're not going to drink it anyway. If you feel like spending a extra 10K then you can add a carbon filter before the storage tank.

Village water can get pretty nasty in certain seasons. Yellow, bad smelling with a lot of sediment are the norm 3 or 4 months every year at my place. Taking a shower in it is self defeating as one is dirtier after the shower than before. The filter I have eliminates the problem and always have relatively clean, clear water.

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

should the water supply be filtered before the storage tank?

Before the water tank is what I have. It really cuts down on the amount of cleaning needed to keep the tank clean. Also, the pump will then be pumping clean water from the tank which will give you more pressure and reduce wear and tear on the pumps impeller.

All true and you should absolutely clean your tank every 2 to 3 months as it will build up a scum not clearly visible (or maybe it will be I some locations) that will breed bacteria and other unhealthy parasites as the water in the tank is very seldom ever completely cycled out and can have a tendency to get a bit stagnant at which point it will pollute your water supply continually from that point on..

This is especially true when the community water system is being maintenanced or some other cause for it to become murky or low quality for a given time frame..

The supplier and the plumber say that the resin compound tanks have anti-bacterial, anti-lichen and UV-protection properties which all sounds a bit miraculous for around B10,000 . . .

Originally Posted by jaiyenyen

Can I suggest that, providing the main's water pressure is ok, you draw off the water supply for the garden BEFORE it goes through the filter, tank and pump thus saving wear and tear and electricity.

Agreed 100%, unfortunately it will not be possible with our installation. Once our neighbour agrees to sell her land with a well to us then I'll be revisiting this!

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- how can the tank be cleaned and would a stainless steel tank make more sense (due to the location of the drain/discharge) with this in mind?

I prefer a SS tank for this reason.
I have not seen a resin tank with a bottom plug but get one if, as Dalton says, they exist.
Don't plumb the tank in permanently. Plumb it in using flanged connections. That way you can remove the tank and tip it on it's side for cleaning.

Excellent advice - now to get the plumber to agree and implement!

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Originally Posted by JuniorExPat

- are there any issues (read: major costs or safety compromises!) in installing the pump immediately after the electricity meter and therefore before the main fuse box?

Install a fuse/trip/cut-out whatever as close to the meter as possible .
You can get little plastic splash-proof boxes to house these.

Thanks - that seems to be the route we are going to go down.



JxP

I thought you would've got it installed by now. It's pretty straightforward.

Mains to tank. Tank to pump. Pump to house.

Even I managed to get a system installed.