Pump House Tour of My Rainwater Harvesting System - How It Works
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- Опубліковано 7 сер 2024
- Today I'm doing a tour/demo and showing how my Rainwater Harvesting System Pump House works. In the video I'll go over the water flow from the rainwater tanks, how each component works and what its function is. From the check valve and pump to the pressure tank and plans for a whole house water filtration system. And at the end I'll talk about my plans for when the HOUSE part of the pump house will get built!
Thanks for watching and please let me know if you have any questions!
Joe
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----------- DIY, Random Projects, Rainwater Harvesting, Welding, woodworking, outdoors... and whatever else I find interesting :)
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Homesteadonomics
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#rainwaterharvesting #pumphouse #waterpump
Tags: rainwater harvesting, water collection, water pump, pump house, well house, check valve, pressure tank, water harvesting, rainwater system, tank, how to, water tank, shallow well jet pump, PVC union
Congratulations; now you're going to get a half a million critiques. About 20 years ago when I lived in the country, I did a very similar project, you will find that this endeavor is a learning experience . After replacing 3 expensive Gould pumps, one after the one way valve failed, I went to Harbor Freight and bought 4, shallow well pumps. They also had a small pressure tank that fed into the large pressure tank, just like yours'. Before retirement I was a pilot and would be gone a couple times a month for 6 days, that's when things break. It must be a law somewhere. I set up 2 pumps in parallel with valves and circuit breakers, took pictures, printed them with valves identified and instructions for my very capable country wife. The third pump just fed the outside irrigation and bypassed the pressure tank., the fourth was a spare. You will find that the shark bite PVC fittings and sliding couplers work great, much easier when modifications or repairs are needed. In a few years, you may experience PVC failures from pump motor vibrations. What I did different is I used two 45 degree fittings to help with the flow rather than a 90 degree fitting, I don't really know if it makes a difference. I also used rubber mat to raise the pumps off the concrete to keep everything dry, reduce rust and vibrations.The third difference, is I used the 1 inch flexible PVC hose/pipe between the pump and manifold. The expansion tank bladders last around 10 years before the rubber fails. You will figure out what is best for your system, it will likely take a modification or two. Your knowledge and experience will help others that are new to off-grid life.
Haha….yep! I always expect critiques.
And it sounds like you had a pretty good setup. And I agree on the “things always break when you’re away”…..Murphy’s law I guess.
As for the bladder being about 10 years. That exactly how long my first one lasted. This one is about 3-4 years old.
Thanks for the great info too😊🙏
Wow, I guess I'm lucky. I have 2 Goulds bladder tanks that are each 21 yrs old. Now pumps are a different story, I've replaced 5 pumps in last 21 years.
Good job. 😅😂😅😂 Just wait.
I love your videos and presentations! Direct & to the Point! No fluff!!
Thank you very much😊🙏
You’re like my Arizona Dad. I appreciate it the opportunity to learn sustainable desert living.
I'm sorry I missed answering this earlier.... but I appreciate you watching Andrew!
Joe
I have a similar system for my off grid water system near Douglas. I use a diaphragm pump instead but use the same kind of tank and pressure switch. One suggestion to improve pump longevity is to install a sediment screen filter before the check valve. It keeps any gunk in your tanks from getting to your pump.
I generally have not had problems with sediment in my green tanks since they are not connected to my primary rain collecting tank. And when I transfer I wait until it’s all settled down…..so very little sediment makes it to the green tanks. But it’s a very good idea and I may just add one as a just incase.
Thanks! 😊🙏
@@homesteadonomics ha! I have my pump off of my rain collection system and deal with a lot. Maybe I oughta to have one off of the main system where I transfer to? Thats actually a good idea.
That hard bypass is a great idea. Serviceability is critical. Thanks for the tour!
Thank you Jake!
Thank you for the informative video. I do have a request, when you do the filtration and the UV system go into details please.
Second that request
A well done video on the pump and how things work.
Thank you!
i love the way he does things ,, not like any company ((commercial work, will not actually last)) but he does it very clean and elegant , the way everyone likes his home to be
This was a great video. I am really glad you spoke about how the system works and how the parts within the system work. THAT IS AWESOME! I built my pump house through trial and error. I had a design before I built it, but after putting that design in place I found other parts that would make the system before. The original design worked, but I found it could be better. Thank you for posting this video as I will be sharing it with others around me who are going to build pump houses for their homes.
I had a similar setup in my house when I lived in Alaska, retired now and starting to develop my 9 acres in Pearce, AZ. This is a Great video and nice to “see” the system. I’ll be doing something like yours!
Thanks for taking the time to make and share your experiences with us out here!
After you get the walls built, you could built a small box to cover the inlet pipe. To protect from uv rays. Just an idea.
You really want to do something about direct sun . It kills the pvc.
Yes, I’ll have it covered with a little insulated cover. I did the tour this as it was easier to film and talk about when uncovered. But it’ll be covered soon 😊👍
@@homesteadonomicslol
Another recommendation would be to have an external isolator for the electrical supply so you can shut down the pump from outside without having to enter the pumphouse itself.
Hey, thanks for showing us around the water pressure system.
Thank you for checking it out😊🙏
Just complementing you, you do such a great job with your video’s editing, and the way you explain things.
Thanks for taking time out of your day to make content like this for others to learn from. Greatly appreciated!
Smart design with the fittings and shutoffs! Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Thank you!
It's always great to have an explanation, it helps with the understanding.
Thank you!
Another great video sir. Thanks for sharing this insightful description and your thoughts that drove your decisions. Looking forward to seeing the roof and continuing progress. Wishing you and your family a blessed week filled with gentle rain, seasonally appropriate weather and restful evenings together. Peace brother
Well thank you kindly! And peace to you and the family as well😊🙏
Again, well thought out and executed. Also appreciate the "green" perspective.
Thank you! And yes, the ‘green washing’ has gotten a little out of hand in my opinion. So many people just assume that if it says green it’s gotta be good…. And it’s become a sort of religion to many as well🤪😂
Green?!? From the picture, it sure looks blue!
Your presentations are always great and I appreciate the information. I look forward to setting up a similar system in the next house.
Thank you for checking it out and hopefully it might be of help in your next house😊🙏
Good stuff, well thought out. Thanks for taking the time to share.
Thank you for checking it out!😊🙏
Clear explanation thanks. Looks like there’s enough room for batteries and panels on future roof.
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing about the pump house and its workings !!!!
Thanks for checking it out😊🙏
Great video as always. My brother built something similar but it is in a concrete block pit that is 7' deep to try to keep it from freezing. The roof is movable for access with a ladder and a 60 watt lamp provides enough heat to make sure it does not freeze up.
You might look into what is called a cold roof. The 1st roof is built to the point you would be ready to put the metal on. But 2x2 or 2x4 boards are screwed down from drip edge to peak and then another layer of sheathing and waterproofing and the roofing is screwed to this. At the bottom you put in screen to keep the birds and insects out and at the peak you put in a ridge vent. In our cold temperatures it keeps the snow from melting and turning to ice. However the Engineer that I know who did this on his house said that it also helps keep the roof cooler as it creates a convection current. Gary did this about twenty years ago and is still very happy with how well it works.
Great video and another example of why i subscribed.
Thank you so much! I appreciate that😊🙏
Excellent video. You are very professional
Lots of good planning went into this, nice work!
Thanks for your videos, I've learned a lot from you.
This is phenomenal, great work
I got tired of replacing those cheap pumps every year or so. Look into the Goulds J5sh pump they run for years and then you can buy a rebuild kit for them when the impeller finally comes apart after 5 years or so. Nice explanation on the parts.
Yeah this is a budget pump. But my first one went over 10 years. So i thought it was okay. This one is about 4 years old.
But I’ll definitely check out those Goulds you mentioned. 😊🙏
Great video and description coming from an ex plumber! I'm always impressed with the amount of work you do in this AZ heat. Stay healthy and God Bless America 🇺🇸
Well thank you so much! That means a lot coming from someone in the know. And May God bless you and your family too!
Very good instructional video. Gives me great set up ideas for my Collection System.. Thanks.. Shared it too..
Glad to hear that you got some ideas! Thank you for the share as well😊🙏
Thank you for another excellent informative and interesting video.
Thank you for checking it out Daniel!
Great job with your rain harvesting 👌. I have land in Anza, southern California, and I have a similar project
Always good information on your channel! 😊
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoy it😊🙏
I had a similar setup in a 12' deep pit at a farmhouse I was renting, shallow well jet pump... ran heat lamps inside the pit in winter with hay bales covering the pit cover to add insulation
Yes, sounds like a shallow well pump probably suited it well.
As long as the roof is grey it'll look good!😁
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Gray is the new black. Goes with everything 😂
Very well done.
Thank you, very informative.
Thank you for checking it out🙏😊
Great video bud I love projects like this.
Always enjoy your videos Sir
my only comment:
i'm not sure if you're already planning on it, but you should consider having both filtered and unfiltered water outlets. it'll help extend the life of your filtration system.
That’s a great idea….for outside hoses especially!
@@homesteadonomics the question becomes, would you want to put the filtration after the pressure tank or before. the latter would mean less equipment since you'd only filter the line going to the house for potable water. the alternative would be at least dual pressure tanks. the plus side is, you could go all-in and have dual pumps as well, and basically have your "backup" nothing more than a valve or two turn away from being up and running.
ok after sketching it in a notebook, it's a more than 1 or 2 valves, give maximum flexibility (2 pumps, 2 pressure tanks, 1 filter, 13 valves, 2 check valves) for flow control and servicing. :D
still, there's the ever important WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) on how to deal with stuff when you're not home. :D
When you mentioned the possibility of a living roof - I pictured goats on top. 🤣🤣 -KJ
Haha….yes, and that makes me think of those videos of goats that climb dam walls and the ones that climb in trees. Very entertaining!
@@homesteadonomics Wow - You just brought back some great memories. We have goats on the dry side of Buford Dam in GA.
I used to take my boat and friends out on the lake and we would picnic on the south side to watch the goats.🙂 Good times.
Thanx Joe ! ! -KJ
Good work.
I'm glad that yours is gravity feed.
This is not gravity feed. But I wish it were.
Looks good im redoing ours again cause we are building a bigger cabin ... It would be nice for a huge metal tank but to expensive I will stick to the big polys... Keep it up brother
Thank you Dan! Hopefully this or my upcoming pumphouse build might give you some ideas. If nothing else, of what not to do😂
Btw…. I got your sticker out today
Thanks brother.. I built our rain catchment cause of u 6years ago.. I always appreciate ur videos... Keep it up brother
Thank you for thinking of your subscribers, way easier and clearer without the "pump house" in the way. Nice fore planning because sooner or later .....
Thanks! I thought it would be clearer to see and visualize. Now to get that house built😉👍
Well done. Great content.
😎👍
Thank you very much!
Move over Byron Donalds, there's a new speaker in town! Nice presentation Joe. Super clean set up and best of all, demystifies the whole process. 👍🏻BTW, I like the amended logo.
Well I’m going to take that as a compliment….thank you! Byron speak a lot of truth in the face of the current insanity 😊🙏
And I’m glad you like the updated logo too!
I used a quiet submersible pump inside holding tank then to the pressure tank. I have to place my ear on holding tank to hear the pump running. No need for pump house and with it being submerged will not freeze in southern AZ.
Outstanding
Regards Joe 🙋This is a great download of excellent content 👌✔️This installation is excellent and I imagine that you will have to protect it, right? Excellent Sunday friend 🌵🌻👩🏻🌾🇲🇽
Thank you Rosario!
And yes, it will eventually be protected by a house structure thylakoids will get built around it😊👍
Homesteadonomics fans -
KNOW your PSI pressure rating of the plumbing fixtures inside.
If you set pump pressure too high the fixtures will fail and flood.
50-60 PSI is usually safe. 90 PSI is asking for faucets to pop off.
You can also use a pressure regulator inside the house but it's redundant. 🖖-KJ
Yes, spot on! All good advice😊👍
Just a suggestion, replace the pvc pipe and fittings with a flexible hose connection from the pump to the first pvc connection. This will help on vibration with the pump do it does not put stress on the pvc fittings.
Great video😮 If you can, place a water filter (not the type for drinking water but just for micro sand ecc) before the pump for a higher pump lifespan.
Saluti from Italy 😎
From afar, your garden looks like a 1 in 1,000 scale model of a refinery...
I can see that!
Thank you!
You're welcome!
If you slip in one translucent/clear panel on the roof it gives you some free daylight in there if you ever have a power issue.
it's been a long time since you im form 🇱🇰 srilanka
Super Review
Thanks for the tour! How do you cut off water to the pump? The couplers are great idea. Need them for my AC condensing line so it’s easier to clean.
Man, be careful working outside down there. It hit 118 up here near Camp Verde yesterday and 115 today. I don't generally mind the heat but as much as I wanted to get some stuff done outside this weekend, I decided to stay indoors. That's almost just too hot to breathe!
Yeah it’s definitely hot….but thankfully we got monsoons right on the cusp. Lots of cloud cover and I just adjust my stuff to early morning and late afternoon when it’s pretty nice. And when I do go out in the middle of the day I just make sure to do short bursts with breaks inside😊👍
We were just on vacation in southern AZ near Tucson. Would be awesome to meet you sometime when we are out that way and maybe help build a project, if it wasn't too far away! I think I've seen all of your videos, well done!
Nice job
Thanks!
I hope you cover your filter system when you do it.
I sure will!
Brass ball valves are much better than the plastic ball valves. Last much longer and fewer broken handles. Cost a bit more, but worth it.
This, it might cost a bit more up front but worth it on the back end.
Just a suggestion but when I built our new pump house ( Northern MN so we'll insulated and a deep well) I made the roof removable so that when, not if, I need to replace the pressure tank I can do it easily.
Yes they are😊👍. I’ve got them on my tank outlets and on my house inlet from the pump.
Only reason I didn’t add them here is, well, no good reason. Just making it easier to build this out and they won’t be used all that often😂
@@WoodNMetalWorkshop Good idea! For an above-ground pumphouse it might be beneficial to make relevant parts of the walls hinged or removable for the same reason. Working with plumbing in restricted spaces soon becomes a right pain.
Pump up the jam, pump it up while the pump is pumping.
Now you’re gonna have me looking up that song and getting it stuck in my head😂
What's your company name so I can tell the world what you have for us
💃🕺😃😃
@@homesteadonomics I hope you have the power, 'cause it's gett'n kinda hectic out there
Your videos are extremly helpful. Can you say if the pressure tank is rated for outdoor use and which model do you have thanks
Great video on how all this works.. I wonder though, would you still need the pump if the water tanks sat higher than the pressure tank? I also still can't wrap my head around the "back pressure" from the pump, to the water tank then to your house. Why does the water from the pump go to the pressure tank (after passing through the T) instead of just straight to the house?
I am looking for more information on this what you were in a cold climate paraphrasing in your tanks still have to have water for everything 5 stop Garden Greenhouse & house
Best thing for colder climates is thermal mass insulation…. As in being buried in the ground more, or added heating elements at freeze points.
Great design. Mine is similar to yours but is galvanized pipe which is starting to rust out. I plan on going PVC like yours, what schedule did you use? 20,40 or 80? I also like the idea of a filtration system installed, will be waiting to see your completion on that.
Great video…got a bunch of info from it. Doing 5 acres in Apache County and have a few questions. From other videos, it looks like your tanks are top fed, how do you balance them…are they bottom balanced? My well pump is rated at 9 gpm, but the water heater is at 4 gpm, will the pressure tank control the difference? Any suggestions would help a lot. Thx.
Nice setup. Similar to our (deep) well pump. Our submersible pump works well for 14 yo, but takes a lot of juice to run. How much power does your pump use? We'd like to expand our rain harvest system for house use, but have Midwest cold winters with potential for frozen pipes. Really like how you've got things setup for yourselves. Well done!
5:01 I would use standard electrical wiring for the pump, rigid wiring can break due to vibrations.
The run from the wall to the pump will still be in flexible format. It will just run out of the side of the outlet that I place on the wall.
Do you do tours? Crazy question. My husband and I bought acreage in Avra Valley and I would love for him and my kids to see what is possible on our property.
Well Done, for me this video is very timely, as I am approaching that part of my build soon. You had a video about your culvert cistern, are you still using it? Also Backwood Homes reprinted your original article in the J/A/S edition.
What size of pipe did you use? What does the connection to the tank look like?
Tank connection is 1.25” threaded outlet with a brass 1/4 valve and that connects to the 1.25” pvc that runs to the pump house.
Great set up! What size is the pressure tank?
I’ve been getting my ram pump back up and running and l I’m amazed at how quickly PVC degrades in the sun. What do you do to project external PVC?
This is going to have a pump house built around it. So I won’t stay exposed. Just taking the opportunity to do this while it was exposed as it was easier to film.
What are your thoughts on a recirculating pump?
Good stuff. I do plumbing system design if you ever have a question.
I might just take you up on that. Appreciate you watching and hopefully my DIY version isn’t too crude😂
@@homesteadonomics
Your design is sound as far as that part of the whole system goes, and that's all that's visible here.
The big thing, and you got it right, is to keep the pump shut-off pressure below the maximum that the bladder tank manufacturer specifies for their tank, and that is typically 60 PSI. I call out pump kick-on pressure at 40 PSI, but less is great if the rest of the system allows it. It's easy to think that you have a pump, so you can have as much pressure as you want in your house, but the system has to be designed using 40 PSI or less, if you play by the rules.
40 PSI is plenty for most houses, but there are some circumstances where you have to use unusually large diameter pipes to get everything to work. Some of those circumstances that force the use of large pipes are big houses with many bathrooms and extra fixtures, houses on a hill, and multi-story houses. At least that's true if you do everything according to code and abide by the tubing manufacturer's specifications.
Do you have a filter between the holding tanks and the pump?
No. My tan rain tank if what collects rain from my roof. Sediment gets in that tank as it kid if acts as a first flush, settling tank.
But when I transfer rain water from that to my green tanks (that are connected to the pumphouse) I always wait a couple days for all the sediment to settle down and my transfer pump from the rain tank to the green tanks has a sediment filter. So the water that is in the green tanks is very clean.
What size pipe is that being used? And how many liters does the pressure tank hold and does it maintain the same water pressure all the way down till when it is empty? For example - if you were having a shower - would you have to adjust the cold water tap because less and less water was coming in per second?
You may want to make certain all your PVC joints between the pump inlet and intake pipe in your tank are tight if you chose not to glue them, because air is being introduced into the water inlet side. That constant cavitation we hear may cause early failure of the impeller, check valve and/or pressure switch or pressure gauge.
For future consideration, to minimize risk of constant cavitation vibrating your pressure gauge's working parts, install a liquid filled 0-100psi pressure gauge. and maybe make sure to keep a spare pump, check valve and pressure switch if you live remotely and FedEx only delivers once a week.
Where is your video for installing your water pump and forming and pouring the well cement? What brand/model well and pump do you have? What size motor do you have?
Very nice simple design. My brother lives in Vail AZ, and hauls water every 2 weeks from a municipal water supply to his house storage tank. How much square footage of collection area and storage volume would you need for six months usage assuming 35 - 50 gals/day consumption?
Well 6mo, or 180 days at 50gal/day would be 9,000 gal of total need. Sonifnit was all in one fell swoop you’d need that capacity on the high side. Of course rain is sporadic and more spread out than that.
So considering 1,000sqft equates to approx 600gal for each inch of rain. You’d need to approx 15” of rain within that time to accumulate that amount of water.
BUT if the roof was 2000sqft….. then you only need 7.5” of rain.
AND for 3000sqfr of collection surface then you’d only need about 4.5-5” of rain.
Hope that made sense. And thanks for bringing that up. I think maybe perhaps a scenario video like that could be interesting. So if you see one get posted. You can know that you have a little inspiration in it😉👍
That will be a nice pump house. Looks like plenty of room to to move around and do maintenance. I know you don’t get much freezing temps. Do you have a plan for those freak times?
Well, once it get the house structure built, that will take care of mild freezes. But for previous hard freezes I’ve always added a heat lamp in the house.
However this new house I’m planning to incorporate some PVC fittings on the south wall to make a solar wall to heat the pump house in the day. Alway been a project that I wanted to do and figured this would be a good opportunity to try it out.
@@homesteadonomics that is something that I have wanted to do as well. Super cool! Can’t wait to see that.
So, what do you use to filter your water now?
Curious, what size pressure tank and HP pump are you using to service your home?
Did you consider an elevated water tank on a stand or tower to provide water to your place?
And what other options did you have available to you that provided pressurised water?
I have always wanted to build a water tower….so yes. It would be more of an emergency water thing.
However, I’d I had the topography and location slightly different on my house then I’d love to install a tank on a hill or upslope to give pressurized water via elevation/head pressure.
But when we built our house I wasn’t thinking that far ahead🤦♂️😂
I just need one for my fish tanks. Im trying to figure out do i need to connect the sump pump from the water tanks and connect them to the reverse osmosis system for soft water for fish? Do you recommend this or? Do i need a small pressure tank for 100 gallon tanks? 👋🏾
👍👍
😊🙏
Tip: keep two pressure switches and one extra of everything else except pressure tank.
Can this system work on solar panels?
👍💨
Is it possible to do your exact setup, but on 12V solar, or would a 12v pump not be sufficient ? This would be an alternative solution to a power outage, not full time setup.
Yes, you sure could. I will eventually set up a 12v backup for this system too. But it might be several months to a year down the road. As once I get the pumphouse and filtration setup finished I got several over thing to need to get too first.
Just an FYI, lithium mining is a very minor problem with production of batteries. Lithium is generally "mined" from salt flats or deserts where there is no life. Cobalt is the main problematic component within lithium batteries, but not all lithium batteries use cobalt (ex. LTO, LiFePO4). Generally for electric vehicles they use lithium cobalt batteries, but for home/commercial energy storage, LiFePO4 is commonly used due to increased lifespan.
I am aware….as I live near a very large mine. The ‘lithium’ is just the term that most people are familiar with. But the point is that there is a cost that many do not take into account when they advocate for narrow solutions to broad problems without being aware of the costs.
For example the mine near my house, mines mostly copper and molybdenum, but also gets trace amounts of many other things. But still very significant volumes.
And there is a multiple thousand foot hole in the ground that is so deep that it’s hit the ground water in my area. Affecting wells and secondarily affecting ground water supplies with the mining processes. Which for this mine, have been cleaned up drastically from how they previously operated.
But I understand you point as well. But just wanted to point out something that many people and politicians rarely consider regarding the cost benefit.
Anyways, thanks for checking out the video and hope all that made sense😊🙏
@@homesteadonomics Oh yeah 100%, people who think that green energy is 100% green from extraction to production to the end consumer are delusional. The real advantage of green technology isn't the initial offset of CO2 (because most green technologies actually product *more* CO2 initially compared to fossil fuel products), it's the benefits in the long run.
@@Felipe2077tvyes, I agree! 😊👍
Good simplistic description but that pump sounded horrible! Are the seals failing?
I'm curious, you seem to be out away from town and with all the wild natural land around you, do you have a way to use your collected water with a pump for fire suppression? The fire department near us is a minimum of 15 minutes away and a burning creosote bush or mesquite, or just dry grasses, ignited by lightning could become a 1/2 acre wildfire by the time they get here. I keep the area around our house and shop building clear of brush but there is wild land all around us that I don't own. I've been considering buying a pump and hose to take advantage of our small above ground pool and some additional storage tanks I'm planning to buy. I have no illusions of being able to fight a raging wildfire but if I'm able to put out a small one, or at least keep it at bay, until the fire department gets here, that beats fleeing and leaving the home in peril.
?? Can I just by the bladder? And where ? It's not holding air. Great presentation, as always
I’m not aware that you can buy just the bladder specifically. But I’d imagine you might be able to. But It would probably have to be something that is pre-connected to the bottom outlet plumbing. So it might be more cost than simply getting the bladder
Ok, thank you!
Check valve shpuld never be on the inlet. Potential for cavitation.
Are you a ham operator? If so, do you plan on a tower?
No I am not. Yet. But some friends of mine are trying to get me to get into it.