Homemade water pump?

[RPW]

If electrical power isn't a problem how about a booster pump? If I use my well for my domestic water on our new property I'll have to use a low volume pump to get the water into a 1500 or 2000 gallon storage tank and then use a booster pump to get it to the house/barn. Because of distance I'll probably be looking a a solar pump designed for this application.

Good luck.

 

[GE222]

Zmoz,
The pool might be ok for short term, but I would worry about dirt, debris, and insect larve. I was originally thinking your drums were steel, but I like the idea of the plastic drums. Much better and should last indefinitely.

I think the 5hp engine should be fine, especially since you don't have to meet a hard spec for GPH.

 

[tommu56]

I have a used pool pump that I use for similar things it wont give you 75 psi but lots of water just remember to keep the suction piping bigger than it has to be because mine in plumbed 2" to 1 1/2 in inlet most pumps don't suck as food as they push.

tom

 

[Qapla]

In Florida there are areas that have sulfur in the water. This is not the best smelling or tasting water. Those with these types of wells us an aerator to help disperse the smell/taste.

This is done by using a special tank that the well pump feeds. The water is sprayed into the tank and the top of the tank has a screen around the top portion. There is a second pump that pulls the water from the bottom of the tank an into the house. Usually this is done with a 1/2 to 1 hp shallow well pump.

A system like this should work for you.

BTW - keep in mind that even though the pump you are asking about delivers around 18 GPM, a 3/4" hose only delivers around 12 GPM for normal use.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I have almost that same roller pump but I got it from Tractor Supply.
Got the pump, PTO adapter, and mounting kit all for $180.
8 roller pump kit $180
Or
6 roller pump kit $150

My house is 500 feet from the Sequatchie river. 23 feet elevation.
I have one inch black poly-pipe buried down to close to the river.
At the 220 foot mark the property drops over a steep embankment before
continuing the rest of the way to the river. I parked the tractor at about
the 300 foot mark. I ran 200 more feet of pipe to get out into the water.
I did place a 50 micron strainer right before the pump on the suction side.
The pump was about 3, maybe 4 feet above the water level.
I filled the pipe to the river with water and then let the tractor start pumping.
Up at the house the pipe terminated in a water hose spigot and I ran
about 30 feet of water hose into a 3x12ft round above ground pool.
At 540 pto rpm it took 3 hours to fill the pool.
The pump was rated for 11gpm at 540 rpm and 22gpm at 1000 rpm.

So, 500 feet total length of one inch poly-pipe. 23 feet elevation.
Pump placed with 200 feet of suction pipe and 300 feet of output pipe.
Took 3 hours to fill a 3x12 round pool.
I have pictures and video somewhere of all of this at work.

Pooh Bear

 

[zmoz]

Wow, thanks for all the information! That's definately what I want, the equivalent of a nice city water supply - sort of industrial sized. Right now I have an electric 1hp centrifugal booster pump and it provides about 600 gal/hour at zero pressure through my 50' 3/4" hose. If I add any kind of nozzle to that it's just pathetic. Pump claims something like 50psi and over 1000gph....

I would like to have enough capacity to power two seperate hoses with spray nozzles at the same time. I may step up to a 1" hose too....

 

[zmoz]

Would I be correct that a pump like this will put out very little pressure if I necked the outlet side down to garden hose size?
Portable Clear Water Pump with 6.5 HP Gas Engine and 2" Inlet/Outlet

 

[mmurphy]

Would I be correct that a pump like this will put out very little pressure if I necked the outlet side down to garden hose size?
Portable Clear Water Pump with 6.5 HP Gas Engine and 2" Inlet/Outlet

You will lose flow at a garden size hose vs. 2" line. The only way you would lose pressure is if you were using more flow then could be kept up with. The head capacity I believe said 85', that = aprox 37 psi. When you hit that level of pressure with a centrifugal pump, it basically stops flow. All energy at this point is then just wasted.

 

[zmoz]

Zmoz,
The pool might be ok for short term, but I would worry about dirt, debris, and insect larve. I was originally thinking your drums were steel, but I like the idea of the plastic drums. Much better and should last indefinitely.

I'm thinking about something like this to catch any summer rain water, with a cover and some bleach:
INTEX 10' x 30" METAL FRAME POOL SIMPLE SAND SUN + PUMP - eBay (item 220709228622 end time Mar-09-11 19:06:53 PST)
Hard to beat ~1200 gallons for $150! Even has a filter. Sometimes my drums aren't enough...

I would love to use those big square 250 gallon tanks but for some reason the prices on them are ridiculous around here!

 

[pat32rf]

Our local volunteer fire depts use the pools as a resevoir that they dump the tanker trucks into, then the pumper trucks suck from them. Short term but portable....