A manual switch to force the pressure tank to fill?

[spendlove]

Our power sometimes shuts down by 8PM in the dark winter months when solar panels aren't enough to keep the system charged. So whatever water in the pressure tank at the time is all that is available if I want a shower. Is there a manual switch I could install that will force the pressure tank to fill, even if the PSI is not low enough? Is so, this would allow me to have a full tank and get a hot shower, even if the power system has already shut down.

Thank you.

 

[snoobler]

It looks like the metal plate against which the springs rest could be pushed down to override it and start a cycle. This video shows the movement:

 

[Hedges]

Do you have a non-pressurized holding tank?
If so, a small 12V pump running off a battery ought to give you as much water as you want.

 

[snoobler]

I like that idea too, or a dedicated 12V battery kept on float by the main system with an RV pump plumbed into the system would make for a great backup pump to the pressure tank.

 

[Zil]

Dangerous to bypass the presure switch. I would try a small blead valve just before the pressure switch. Draining off some water presure might cause the switch to close circuit. Close the valve and the switch would come up to pressure to open circuit.

 

[Hedges]

Not bypass. Just push on the plate which toggles between "turn on" and "turn off". It has some hysteresis.
I've done that while working on air compressors and the like.

Draining off pressure would be draining off a quantity of water in the captive air tank.

 

[Zil]

Recommending a stranger sticking fingers close to or in contact with the pump operating voltage is outside my comfort level.

 

[Hedges]

Yes, but that plate and the springs are all grounded pieces of metal.
The electrical connection is probably insulated connectors on the spade terminals of a microswitch.
Live wires are accessible if you have wet hands or insert a screwdriver to touch the recessed contact.

Just remove the cap, attach a rod to snap plate to "on" position, put it through a hole in cap (or base) to access from outside.
There are two threaded rods on springs. A coupling on that might be the place to connect an extension (not sure, have to play with it)
Maybe what it needs is as lever outside the cap. Could be a hole in side of cap, to insert small screwdriver and pry position of plate.

 

[Ai4px]

I'm a little late to the party on this one as this thread is a couple months old. My pressure switch is in the basement where it's very easy to get to. The cover for our pressure switch isn't screwed down so it's nothing to lift it off... so lift it off and still holding it in your hand use the cover as the tool to force the contacts to close. Then set the cover back on top of the switch. It'll cycle as normal and shut off.

I did like the idea in this thread of the intermediate tank. My father in law had a dairy farm and he had a 1500 gallon cistern with a float switch in it. It would run about once a day. The pressure tank and pump drew from that cistern. Saved a lot of wear on his deep well pump.

 

[alcook62]

Maybe I am not understanding the question properly, but what I am understanding is that by 8pm you lack power to operate your well pump and pressurize your tank. Rather than jimmy-rig your pressure switch and fill the tank prior to 8pm, can't you run a generator to provide temporary power to the system to take a shower, etc...?

 

[Hedges]

Of course.
But that would mean observing that tank is low (or shower stopped), going outside at night to start generator, filling tank.
Just because tank happened to get drained toward end of the day.

Given solar power in the day, why burn fuel in the evening, why not just top off tank before sun goes down?

With the proposed resetting of pressure switch, there is still a need to intervene. And it is a mechanical kludge.
An alternative might be a couple valves between pressure tank and switch, which could be controlled by a timer to operate briefly around 7:00 PM.
One valve closes to cut off tank from pressure switch. Other valve opens to relieve pressure, resetting switch.
Pump starts, and then valves return to normal positions.

(Similar to what Zil said).
Installing just an orifice from tank to switch, then a single valve momentarily bleeding off pressure (maybe a sprinkler valve) could work.

 

[alcook62]

Yes, going outside @ night and starting a generator just for a shower would be inconvenient. I was thinking of a remote start/stop generator. I have incorporated such a setup into my off-grid system. If Ai4px is lacking in battery storage this could potentially solve additional power issues and be less expensive initially, rather than increasing the battery bank.

​

 

[Hedges]

My bootleg setup was a 50 gallon drum on a hill 10' above the RV, fed by tube from a spring.
Same idea with float valve and check valve would provide additional supply at reduced pressure after pressure tank was depleted.

 

[alcook62]

That would actually be a great way to provide water w/o needing nighttime power. Gravity is inexpensive! Perhaps impractical in winter, depending on your locale.

 

[Hedges]

Another solution is to adjust the on/off settings of pressure switch so it never lets pressure get as low. That will leave more pressure for the night. Problem is, that cycles the pump more often, shortening its life. Additional pressure tank for more capacity would compensate for that.

Ideal is to reset pressure switch to boost to full pressure late in the day. With mechanical switch, that requires a mechanical or hydraulic solution. If electronic could be much simpler, except if software then in practice often far more expensive to change than hardware.

An elevated, insulated tank (e.g. electric water heater) with vacuum breaker, plumbed in-line, would also work.
That's in-line so earth temperature water cycles through the tank each day. At night, insulation keeps that thermal mass from getting cold enough to freeze. Each morning, tank is filled by pump and air is expelled through vacuum breaker (float that seals valve when lifted.) At night, when pressure tank depleted, vacuum breaker opens and allows gravity feed to house.