I have a question. I am using four 330 gallon storage tanks that I attaching together on the bottom with PVC pipes to my pump. To fill these tanks I have a 2: quick disconnect outside my garage which fills all tanks through a hole in the top of the tank. I want an overflow pipe to spill out water when the tanks are full. My question is what is the best way to configure the overflow so that I get a quick indication without forcing water out the top of the tanks and into my garages?
what about tank floats? That's what I use in my tanks - water comes in until the float rises to the shut offpoint and that's it. I am on city water so I get pressure during the night
russ,
I am in Cholla so we get water via the water trucks so the water get delivered quickly through a 2" hose. The tanks are in my garage so he will fill them when I am not there. Many of the houses out in Cholla just have an overflow pipe and the water comes out when the tanks are full, letting the driver know.
Would it be possible to install a clear small diameter vertical pipe outside the garage that would be a gauge of your tank water level? I assume you could attach it to the nearest tank at the bottom, run it outside, elbow up with clear tubing, and it would fill up to the same level as the tanks. You could paint a red line on the "gauge" to indicate full tanks. Then install an overflow pipe a couple of inches from the top of the tanks that runs outside. Tell the water truck guy to turn the pump down to idle when the water level approaches the red line and off when water spills out of the overflow.
Landshark,
I thought about that and it is a great idea but I am concerned about drilling holes in the bottom of the tank. I don't care if it spills over outside I just don't want to much water in the garage. Not sure what happens with full pressure from the pump when the tanks get full.
What if you put a T in one of the lower pipes that connect the tanks and ran your gauge from that. I would be afraid of damaging the tanks or pipes if you sealed the lids on the tanks and just ran an exterior overflow. The water truck pump would be running at full rpm's and they wouldn't shut it down until water came gushing from the overflow. Would create quite a pressure surge. Would need to have a very large diameter overflow from the nearest tank, but even then it would be questionable.
Landshark The tee is a better idea. I can't seal the tanks because you need a vent for the air to excape. No mater what I do I will most likely have to tweek it to work right.
You install an overflow tube just below the fill line and exit the building beside the fill inlet. This tells the pumpers when to stop. If your storage tank is below ground you may need alternate device. Plumbers are cheap in RP. Spend the couple of bucks to get the job done right and protect your investment.
Believe a plumber, I spend hours fixing simple little jobs with major do-it-yourself complications.
You install an overflow tube just below the fill line and exit the building beside the fill inlet. This tells the pumpers when to stop. If your storage tank is below ground you may need alternate device. Plumbers are cheap in RP. Spend the couple of bucks to get the job done right and protect your investment.
Believe a plumber, I spend hours fixing simple little jobs with major do-it-yourself complications.
That is my plan to add the overflow tube. What I don't know is what to expect when the tanks fill and with the pressure of the water truck pump, will the water simply come out of the overflow. I am a engineer an plan everything out before hand. There is very little information on the web but the people of Cholla Bay have been doing this for years and will have the answer. Most of the plumbing I have seen in Cholla Bay leaves little to be desired.
I am trying to imagine how that would work. I use one of these on my auxillary 100 gal tank. I am using 4 IBC totes in series. One fill pipe that feeds the top of each tank. The bottom valves are connected together and feed the pump plus the overflow line to out just below the inlet. I am trying to make it fool proof. My overflow is a 2" line so that I would have no restrictions if the truck continues to pump.
I installed that Harbor Freight pump in May. Operates fine. Downside is that if you are gone for a couple of weeks you need to re-prime the pump. Not quite Plug and Play like the SHURflo pumps.
Any ideas on keeping the pump primed for extended periods ?
What I don't know is what to expect when the tanks fill and with the pressure of the water truck pump, will the water simply come out of the overflow.
Rick
Cholla Bay
Not sure whey you would worry about the pressure as there should be virtually no pressure in the tanks , since they are not sealed water tight tanks as you have already indicated. The pressure in the line when filling is sure to be very low as there are no restrictions to the flow and surely they use high head low pressure pumps as well. If you had a 3/4 overflow with a 2 in.inlet there would be some pressure incease at fill but again only if the tanks are sealed.
I think you are obsessing too much !! You know what to do, just do it !!!:D:D:o:D
If the pump is losing prime there is a leak somewhere in a line or maybe a fixture dripping somewhere or maybe a leaking backflow valve in the tank. The water inside the pump is going somewhere. You could put a shut off valve on the input and output lines and close both when you are not there. If the pump is watertight it should hold the prime.
If tank is above the pump it should not lose prime if you do not shut off the feed line to the pump. If you do shot off feed line you have a leak.
In ground tank. The feed line should have a check valve under the tank to stop feed line water from returning from the pump to the tank.