Running booster pump 24/7 Questions before I make an order

[gotbeans]

So the thing I circled is the check valve and I just need to simply replace that with a lower PSI one and my problem will be solved? If I am understanding correctly?

maybe.. depends if your pump lets water through or not


You can just remove it entirely and check if water creeps through

assuming nothing is higher than the cistern, water won't go backwards anyway

@sunshine_eggo any actual issues you can see with just removing it? Other than the above

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I fear replacing the check valve may not yield results. There may be other restrictions, and you won't get free flow through the pump. Recommend the bypass:

 

[Checkthisout]

What do you mean by ok pressure?

What are you wanting to do with it?

 

[Zeebest001]

I am in the states right now, and won't be back to PR for a few months, so I could bring it with me. What your saying makes sense though and thank you for that. The garden hose I have connected before the check valve runs water just fine, so for sure something is stopping the flow of water when I lose power.

 

[Zeebest001]

Sunshine Ego, thanks, makes sense if there is other restrictions, if I install that bypass like you showed, this would have to be something manual I would have to open and close correct? Nothing that will automatically do this for me?

 

[Zeebest001]

or is that what a ball valve does?

 

[gotbeans]

High-Flow, Low Cracking Pressure Flapper Check Valve, -12 Body Size

High flow, low cracking pressure flapper style check valve in -12 Body Size Exceeds most military specification requirements Made in USA, Lifetime Warranty

www.improvedracing.com

well this one is expensive but it has the lowest psi I've ever seen, 0.05.. you can blow on it with your mouth and that'd open..
and it's fully metal and has a life time warranty, and the best: you'd never have to deal with batteries.
and has insanely high PSI ratings

I didn't look at the pipe connections and types etc

 

[gotbeans]

Sunshine Ego, thanks, makes sense if there is other restrictions, if I install that bypass like you showed, this would have to be something manual I would have to open and close correct? Nothing that will automatically do this for me?

no it'd work automatically, the check valve would always let water throuhg if the pump is off.
When the pump is on, the check valve will close
when you lose power it'll let gravity feed from the cistern

use the check valve above and do a bypass with it, don't replace the current one you have because the pump probably has 100x more pressure than this check valve requires to open

so just make a bypass with the one above.
You need to find the correct threads etc for it

at that price I bet the people at that website will tell you the exact fittings you need to connect to your braided stainless stuff

 

[Zeebest001]

thanks gotbeans, it sounds like I may have to bypass the unit, so now I am wondering if what sunshinego said. Install a ball valve.
I will do this, my final question is, how does the water know what one to flow to if I have the ball valve and the booster. I understand when the power goes out it will flow to the ball valve because the check valve wont be able to open due to the PSI problem.

 

[gotbeans]

thanks gotbeans, it sounds like I may have to bypass the unit, so now I am wondering if what sunshinego said. Install a ball valve.
I will do this, my final question is, how does the water know what one to flow to if I have the ball valve and the booster. I understand when the power goes out it will flow to the ball valve because the check valve wont be able to open due to the PSI problem.

he meant check valve

you can install a ball valve AND a check valve and just leave the ball open all the time, but if you need to close it for some reason, it is there for you to close.

You are totally confused in your post, idk how to explain it to you.
The water has two paths and it'll go to the one that lets it go.
The pump doesn't let it flow, so the check valve bypass will
if the pump is on, the bypass will close and not flow that way

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Sunshine Ego, thanks, makes sense if there is other restrictions, if I install that bypass like you showed, this would have to be something manual I would have to open and close correct? Nothing that will automatically do this for me?

the ball valve is manual. You would need to open the ball valve in the bypass when the power is out.

 

[Zeebest001]

but if I have the bypass installed with a check valve and the current setup, it seems the water would flow through both at all times. So it makes sense that I would need to open the ball valve when losing power. I don't know what happens if I had both open at all times.

 

[gotbeans]

the ball valve is manual. You would need to open the ball valve in the bypass when the power is out.

He said he has people renting that though you expect them to open it without breaking everything else?

but if I have the bypass installed with a check valve and the current setup, it seems the water would flow through both at all times. So it makes sense that I would need to open the ball valve when losing power. I don't know what happens if I had both open at all times.

watch the videos on how checkvalves work..

 

[gotbeans]

The point of the check valve is so you don't have to touch it ever. If you want to go and manually open it, then use a ball valve
you have two options here

 

[Zeebest001]

gotbeans, I do have a manager / host, who can go there during a power outage to do this, though I would like the process to be as automatic as possible preferably. I wouldn't trust my guests though, would have the manager do it, but if something can be 100% automates 100% prefer that.

 

[Zeebest001]

Gotbeans, while the power is working though, how does the water know to go to the booster pump and not the bypass? Wouldn't the water flow to both the bypass and the booster then and if so, is that bad? or doesn't matter?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Ah...

I think I see what you're saying. I think a low resistance check valve in the bypass would work. I thought you were talking about replacing the existing check valve with a lower pressure one. I had to catch up on several posts between visits, and clearly had continuity issues.

Gotbeans, while the power is working though, how does the water know to go to the booster pump and not the bypass? Wouldn't the water flow to both the bypass and the booster then and if so, is that bad? or doesn't matter?

The pump operation would generate pressure on the outlet side of the bypass and serve to close the bypass check valve.

 

[Zeebest001]

Ok, thanks you two. I think I have it pretty much figured out.

I will bring with me a low resistance check valve.

First I will replace my current one and unplug the booster pump, so it doesn't have electricity. That way I will see if water will run through without power.

If this doesn't do the trick, I will put the pressure valve back on and create a bypass with the "T's" and put the low resistance check valve on the bypass.

Makes sense to me, am I correct with what to do?

 

[gotbeans]

Gotbeans, while the power is working though, how does the water know to go to the booster pump and not the bypass? Wouldn't the water flow to both the bypass and the booster then and if so, is that bad? or doesn't matter?

the water doesn't know anything, it flows the path of the least resistance
when the booster pump is on, the check valve will close (as I said like 4 times already lol)
the pressure from the pump will close the valve, there's no way it'll open while the pump is on, you'd need a tank to push that thing against the pump

If the water flowed through both, it wouldn't be bad, but it isn't possible. If the pump was on and there was no valve it'd go in a circle and that would be bad which is why we have a check valve.

Ok, thanks you two. I think I have it pretty much figured out.

I will bring with me a low resistance check valve.

First I will replace my current one and unplug the booster pump, so it doesn't have electricity. That way I will see if water will run through without power.

If this doesn't do the trick, I will put the pressure valve back on and create a bypass with the "T's" and put the low resistance check valve on the bypass.

Makes sense to me, am I correct with what to do?

You have to use the one I linked which is expensive but looking at the specs will last longer than we're alive probably
I looked at like 200 check valves all over different stores and saw none that were low enough psi to open. All of them are like 4+ psi I don't think your cistern will open them
all the home depot / lowes ones etc are worse or the same


You don't have to replace the current one, I'd just ignore it entirely. Just put a bypass in

 

[sunshine_eggo]

You don't have to replace the current one, I'd just ignore it entirely. Just put a bypass in

This.