Water volume and pressure question

   / Water volume and pressure question #1  

Kenneth in Texas

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Joined
Dec 16, 2008
Messages
470
Location
Pretty good ways from DFW, Texas
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Kubota L2800 4wd, FEL
ok i have a 3/4 line running to the house from the meter, I need to tap on to this and run a line 255' to a shop. Dont need much pressure at the shop since it will only run to a outdoor faucet, used for washing hands basically. Now i have excellent pressure in the house, so how will I figure how many gallons per hour I will get at the shop? Obviously im sure i need to know that figure for the house to be able to figure it for the shop. The land between the house and shop is basically level with just a slight rise (1 foot). I want to tap on to the line running to the house before it comes into the house and put a cut off on the new pipe to the shop for winter weather, etc. Guess my question is will i have decent pressure and volume at the shop? Anyone know how I should go about figuring this?
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #2  
You will have full static pressure at the shop, but as you try to get flow the pressure will drop due to friction in the [long] 255' line. For washing hands you can do fine with moderate flow ... like a strong spray, etc. If you want a strong bulk flow you will need to run a larger line to the shop. 1" coil pipe tubing would do well.
larry
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #4  
Do you know what the pressure is at the place you want to tap into and do you have a water regulator before the house. Not knowing the pressure I would use 1" also like spyderlink. If the pressure is huge, like 120 PSI or so, maybe a smaller hose or pipe might work, but not much cost difference would be saved anyway.

For example, I have 120 PSI from the meter to the house and a regulator in the house dropping it to 50 PSI.
I would hate to go through the work putting that in and finding I was very unhappy with the flow and pressure.

As a test, string 5 or 6 water hoses together and see the flow you get.
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #5  
225 feet I might even go to 1 1/4 or 1 1/2. Rolled black poly is available in large rolls. Price to jump from 1" to 1 1/2 " probably won't break the bank. Add a little more length and tap in close to the meter.

Ron
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #6  
you don't need much pressure to wash hands. 1/2" garden hoses strung together would deliver enough water to wash hands at 225'.
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #7  
you don't need much pressure to wash hands. 1/2" garden hoses strung together would deliver enough water to wash hands at 225'.

Agreed, I used to run 300 foot of 5/8 garden hose down to an area, and had plenty of water for hand washing.
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #8  
Yes, tap the 3/4 with 1 inch, it will give good service at that distance.
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #9  
I have way more than 350 feet of service line to my garden area from my meter. It is all 3/4" and I have excellent pressure and volume from my end of line faucet even going thru another 100 foot of hose. I have over 100 PSI at the meter so that may be a factor that you don't have.
My brother in law feeds his house with 3/4" which is about 400 feet from the meter with no problem. He then ran a full 10 zone sprinkler system for his yard that works fine even with another 300 feet of distance to the end.

I wouldn't worry about volume to the end of 225 feet for your shop and use the same size as your house feed line. Be sure that you tap in to the line before you get to a pressure reducer for the house. I have all my faucets on straight from the county water supply. I added pressure reducer at the house and again at my shop to reduce it to 45 PSI before entering the building but leave the 100-120 PSI for my faucets and sprinkler. By the way my longest run on the sprinkler is over 250' from the meter and all run with 3/4" pipe. It runs 10 sprinkler heads and they will spray a good 20 feet radius off each head.
 
   / Water volume and pressure question #10  
Are you on a well or city water? Most well pumps have flow rating of 10 - 20 GPM depending on the HP etc. My well pressure switch is a 60 PSI kick out and 40 PSI on with 10 GPM pump. 1" line run 150 ft and I get full flow out of a frost free faucet for the garden.
 
 
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