Well pressure tank location -- how close to wellhead?

[Keyst0ne]

I'm planning to relocate my well equipment out of an old well pit adjacent to my foundation and into my basement. I have two choices:

1. Move the equipment from one side of the foundation wall (in the pit) to the other side (in the basement) and call it good. Drawback here is that the basement in that corner of the house isn't really set up for housing equipment so I'd need to make a closet or something to hold it.

2. Use the existing piping and move the well equipment into the corner of the basement where all the other mechanical stuff (water heater, boiler, etc.) are. This would make for a cleaner installation and keep everything together.

The problem is that location #2 is the complete opposite corner of the basement. There are already water lines going there because of the aforementioned water heater (and I'm not afraid to run PEX) but I'm concerned about the well pressure switch being able to effectively manage the well pump (submersible type) with a substantial (figure 75-100 ft) amount of 3/4" pipe between them. Should I be concerned, or should I put the equipment wherever I feel comfortable running the water and electric lines?

Thanks,
Tom in WI

 

[C4Ranch]

My pressure tank and switch is in my garage while my well is probably at least 200' away plus 320' deep...

I see no reason to worry about distance.

 

[boggen]

prefer well pressure tank. nearest to usage (within reason). it will help some with "water hammering" with that said 2nd location would be my choice.

pipe size on other hand. prefer to run larger hoses / pipes. for main lines. 3/4" to 1.5" INSIDE DIAMETER. not what the pipe might be called by the outside diameter. but the inside diameter is what counts.

the pressure difference between 3/4" to say 1" over 30 feet can make a difference running yard hydrants (garden hose sprinklers), water pressure out of shower heads. with running in house i might encourage a 1" inside diameter hose.

as long as the well pump is a submersible (down in the well) above should be all fine.

if the pump is setting in the pump pit, then i would advise leaving the well pump there. you get into "suction problems" and other issues. that may come up. (pumps like to push water, and don't do so well with sucking water) everything else can be moved to were ever.

 

[oosik]

After 32 years I had to have my well pump(jet pump) replaced. They replaced it with a submersible pump. The old pressure tank was abandoned and a new tank was installed in my basement - some 250 feet from the well and approximately 40 feet higher, in elevation, than the level of the submersible pump. After a year of use I've had no problems and now have greater pressure and volume than I ever had with the old system.

I would definitely recommend your option @2.

 

[square1]

Shouldn't matter where the tank is as the pressure is going to be pretty much the same (with very minor system losses) in both locations you're considering. If there were a major elevation change it may impact performance, but it doesn't sound like that's the case.

 

[Keyst0ne]

Great, thanks all! Sounds unanimous that locating the equipment wherever it makes the most sense for equipment to be is the way to go. I'll look into running the main line with 1" pipe as well -- thanks for the suggestion.

 

[SPIKER]

yep as suggested, also the tank SHOULD be as close to the use points as possible and the line between the pump and tank can be as big as affordable as that is flow rate into the tank. The flow rate out of the tank to individual point of use is (line dependent of those individual lines 1/2" to 3/4" lines.) so a Tank close to them is great. The Pressure switch can be about anywhere and if you choose to leave it outside in the pit that will work as long as it has some restriction between the switch and main feed line going to the tank. free flow into the switch can damage it so a small 1/4" line with it in a larger line "T" so it does not become a venturi problem.

Mark

 

[KRBrouwer]

I have two pressure tanks on my system. The large (50 gal) one in the barn (200 yards away), and one in the house (20 gal), about 500' away. I have had this arrangement for the last 20 years, and have never had any issues. My pump is 450' deep.

Ken