Running Water Lines

[OkeeDon]

I haven't put a flowmeter on my float valve, but I believe it is putting out the maximum capacity of my well. The literature with the float valve, which has a 1" outlet, says it will provide "up to" 30 gpm. My 1 HP submerged pump is rated, according to my pump supplier, at 25 gpm. My well itslef is rated, by the well driller, as capable of 75 gpm. I have a 1-1/2" supply line to the 1" float valve. Therefore, I strongly suspect that I'm getting something very close to 25 gpm at the valve.

If I open once of the hose bibs in the line before it reaches the pond, the flow to the pond valve is dimished.

During the dry season, the pond vavle will run an hour or so per day to keep the pond topped up. I'm concerned that I won't have enough flow for the house during that period because the pond valve is so efficient. So, I plan to put an electric valve on the pond with a timer, so it can only run in the early morning hours, say between 2 am and 5 am, when we're less likely to need a lot of water.

I agree there is no reason to go to a larger size than is needed to transport the available flow with efficiency. I personally wouldn't go all the way to 2"; it seems a waste of resources. I think I was pretty indulgent to go with 1-12", but since all of the downstream uses are smaller (pond valve is 1", hose bibs are 3/4"), it makes for an efficient flow and, if I read correctly, increased pressure at the delivery point.

 

[Alan L.]

Gary, I guess I don't quite understand what you are saying about the open discharge. My well produces about 35 GPM I am told, but the pump is only pumping out 25 GPM, so it would seem to me that it would run indefinitely, in fact I have done so for 72 hours straight when the well was first dug, trying to clear it up.

If I run 1.5 inch out to the pond and put a regular 3/4 bib right there, I wonder what kind of GPM I could pump through that regular bib? If I can do 20 or 25 GPM through only about 36" of 3/4 and out the bib, then I won't need the large discharge.

I don't expect to fill the pond by pumping water into it but would hope to mitigate the evaporation somewhat.

 

[Alan L.]

Based on Eddie's design, I made 3 Frost-free (hopefully) hydrants. Used 3/4 PVC and standard bibs, inside 4" schedule 40 well casing.

On all three I used that black foam insulation around the 3/4 pipe. On the first one I try to fill the void with spray in foam insulation. However, I'm not sure I was able to fill up the whole thing because it would back up on me. Hopefully I got enough on that one.

On the other two, I put first the foam insulation and then I wrapped the pipe with some 3.5 inch vinyl back wall insulation I had from my building construction. I taped it in place only on the top and let it fill up the void loosely.

Something I did really stupid. On the first two I cemented the 3/4 slip to thread union in place before screwing the bib in there. Of course both of them want the faucet pointed to the side or straight up no mater how you start threading it.

My wife mentioned that perhaps I should screw it in there as tight as it will go, then cement it into place. Duh....

The only thing I worry about is the weight of the thing sitting on top of that little skinny 3/4 PVC. Of course once I cement it into the water line and get dirt around it, it should be fine. The total length of the outside casing is 40", so I figure maybe 18 inches will be above ground.

 

[Alan L.]

Here is the bottom that goes in the ground.

 

[Alan L.]

I managed to know over my can of primer. I now have a purple floor in the shop.

 

[Alan L.]

The insulation is not fun. And, it was about 90 in the shop with about 80% humidity.

 

[Alan L.]

The pieces layed out.

 

[EddieWalker]

Alan,

The spickets look great!!! No way you'll have any freezing issues with that setup.


Eddie

 

[_RaT_]

<font color="blue">I agree there is no reason to go to a larger size than is needed to transport the available flow with efficiency. I personally wouldn't go all the way to 2"; it seems a waste of resources. I think I was pretty indulgent to go with 1-12", but since all of the downstream uses are smaller (pond valve is 1", hose bibs are 3/4"), it makes for an efficient flow and, if I read correctly, increased pressure at the delivery point. </font>

Water and the delivery of it is complicated and complicated to explain. For his situation, it really does not matter on the pipe size if the purpose is purely to dump water in a pond. If he were using it for irrigation on a sprinkler system or for the house even, it comes into play and in a very big way. If your ever at a irrigation supply shop, pick up a Hunter or RainBird manual. It shows the pressure loss for every 100' of pipe depending on flow rate or GPM and the internal diameter size. Here is a link to the RainBird site. It shows PE pipe with highlights in orange the velocities over 5' per second, something you try to avoid.

At 14 GPM, in PE pipe of 1" in diameter, you loose 5.08 PSI for every 100' of pipe. For 350' of PE pipe at 14 GPM, you drop 17.78 lbs pressure.

Here is a FRICTION LOSS TABLE for PE pipe.

 

[bebster]

Do you think that will protect from freezing? If there is no heat source, then pretty soon everything above ground will reach the ambient air temperature as it drops below freezing. Insulation will just add a little delay to that happening.