I have separately bookmarked these postings on Firefox.
It is for those days when I
a) think that i know everything that i can
b) think that i can instantly read and understand (and do) anything written in English
c) should ever undertake a plumbing task again.

Thank you, posters, for bringing me back to reality and teaching me to respect my limitations...

Dakoda wrote:

Oldman, I have also drank from a well that was around the 350 foot deep mark, but the water itself tasted absolutely revolting, the rest of the family seemed to have adapted to the taste , just wondering if your's was ok?

In the States, we get them tested. I would not be drinking from a un-tested well

yeah I hear what your saying Dakoda, I have no idea wotsoever as to whether or not this well was tested, but believe me, it wasn't pleasant

Hey Bob, you are so right. I feel the same way about the computer help threads.

BobHelm wrote:I have separately bookmarked these postings on Firefox.
It is for those days when I
a) think that i know everything that i can
b) think that i can instantly read and understand (and do) anything written in English
c) should ever undertake a plumbing task again.

Thank you, posters, for bringing me back to reality and teaching me to respect my limitations...

Bob look at all the fun you will be missing and as it looks like you'll beat me to living in Udon and you could be the first to have an exotic water system. Just think you could say you have a solar powered water heater backed up by a deep well pumped high pressure water tank system Needless to say you would scare the day lights out of the locals but you would have enough water pressure and hot water to send any soi dog running from your place

The water system I have seems to be the standard in this village, if not all of the NE. I had nothing to do with getting it installed, but after some problems, figured I best look at it and get an understanding on how it works.

Upon arriving here in Udon, I learned one thing quickly, it is cheaper to get someone to fix or install something, than to do it yourself. You will spend much more in gas trying to find something, than the cost of labor.

My pump spec's are in Thai, so I have the foggest idea what they are! Some areas, like this one I am in, always have water problems, while TW area, (so she tells me everytime water is off), never have a water problem.

During water festival, we had no water, while all of the city had water to throw, hoses coming out of houses and shops belching the stuff, and we had none!

Sometime remind me to tell the story of the plumber that came in white shirt and tie, and was pumping the water from the bottom of the tank into the top of the tank, and was trying to tell me I had water! Did no good to point out that the level stayed the same in the tank, or that the water meter was not moving, he just said must be broke, and don't worry "you get free water" . Next day a neighbor down the soi, found the problem, soi shutoff was broke in the closed position, so we broke the seal and replaced it.

keeps life interesting

Good story. Also agree that it is sometimes better to let the local plumber do it.

Whilst gathering information on this thread for researching a prospective pump/tank purchase, I was looking upon my current (basic) setup (main water only direct to house). I stumbled up a question and my physics class days are long gone so maybe someone can answer this question.

I (think) I remember that pressure acts equally in all directions and if so : does the diameter of the water pipe have any effect on the pressure?
I have 3 different diameter pipes in a 10 metre run from the street to my first outlet. Is this because whoever fitted it used whatever he could find - or is there a great scientific reason and the plumber was obviously a genius? (I'd go for the former but......)

My theory is that the pressure/flow here is so pathetic it isn't going to matter whether I use one inch pipe or a 2 metre concrete tunnel !

Paul, most likely it is the pressure issue. There are several ways to reduce pipe from them water main to piping to house. Using several pipe sizes is one of them athough a bit dated. different size pipe, els, and pipe lengths do affect pressure. The going to different size pipe in a short distance, on a goop pressureized syatem should have very minamal effect.

In the case of Udon from listening to the posters, I would say most of the issue is just insufficient pressure to start. Sounds like they are running less than 20 to 25 PSI system. I bet they do not have any booster pump system either. When you add the distance of all the new piping9for Udon growth) to an already insufficient system, pipe drag will kill the pressure. This goes back to an eairlier post of water does not compress so you must use an inline booster pump to keep pressure and volume up.

as an example of the pressure here at my house. When the Main shut off on the city side of the meter, broke in the shut position, we just took it off and put a new one on. And No, we did not get wet. Maybe lost enough water to cook some spaghetti. Now try that in the states


Paul, the way mine is hooked up is not through the pipe that enters from the street. That one has been pluged. It now runs from the street to the pump area and from the pump into an outside faucet which now has a T in it! Maybe too hard to explain.

To boil it all down it is infastructure. Ever wonder why taxes might be a bit cheaper there. Better than here whee they are too damn high. Will rig my own water system and hope it works.

banpaeng wrote:Paul, most likely it is the pressure issue. There are several ways to reduce pipe from them water main to piping to house. Using several pipe sizes is one of them athough a bit dated.

let me add then that after the water meter, the pipe is usually 1 inch (in fact even up to the water meter is about 1 inch too - come to think of it) so no different size piping should be required all the way to where it enters your house - which is always 1 inch connections.
So really there is not a need to go from 1 inch to 2 inch - back to one inch, a little bit of what looks like 2 1/2 inch then back to 1 inch as it enters the house ?

Or like I said - perhaps the work of a genius LOL !!!!

I have been browsing the stores looking at tanks and pumps. The tank is no problem - they're all pretty much the same - however the pump selection has got me completely confused now. In each shop we asked the staff for advice - and almost every shop had conflicting advice on the power and type of pump we need !
It seems there are two kinds generally , round ones for pumping from an underground storage tank and square ones for pumping from an external (S/Steel) surface mounted tank. Apparently the square ones have a kind of miniature accumulator inside (a small cylinder with a small air pressure and a rubber ballon which the water sits inside) this apparently will cut down on fluctuations and assist in pressure drops when multiple appliances are turned on. I remember that from my hydraulics days - so can understand that)

But.... if I want to use a round one - that will be fine too, (apparently) although I might suffer from a little initial pressure drop.

And then ... not all the square ones have the small accumulator to provide header pressure (Hitachi do)

Some said I need 100w power (about 19 L/p/min) others say I need 125 or 150W (about 26/29 L/P/M)

Some say i need cast iron casings on the pump - others (Mitsubishi) say I need plastic for easy maintenance

What do the others here use.
All I can think of is to see what others use and are happy with - and use the same. I feel like I am never going to get a straight answer from any of the stores - especially the small chinese shop on the roundabout who was basing his selection(for me) on budget. After showing me one made in korea and another made in China - I made for the exit and he gave the "ok sir - how much u wanna pay" - as if it was the price, not the crap quality that I was unhappy about.

Oh how I miss going into B&Q or Wickes and getting clear unbias advice which was pretty consistent wherever you went.

Its as if they couldn't care less about what you buy here as long as they can sell you something. "Oh yes sir you can use that too" - dai dai !!!
Knowing full well that it is completely unsuitable.

Please help - somebody !

Paul

They are a bit correct on either. Waht you really need to find out is what pressure they pump to along with the volume at that pressure. Would hate to have a pump that pumped 19L at 10 PSI but at 50 PSI it pumped 3L. I will only add this to this question.

This is what I would do.

1. Buy the round centrifigul pump. It is about 8 GPM and will suffice all household needs you have.

2. This is where I differ if I understand you correctly. I would have the pump, pump into the pressure tank(about 60 gal tank). You will need a pressure turn on switch and turn off switch. I would set the swith to turn on at 35 PSI or whatever it translates to. I would have the switch turn off at 65 to 80 PSI. The tank will do the same thing as the bladder in the smaller pump. Wven on the lower pressure if you turn on multipul faucets it should have about 28 PSI.

3. Come from tank to house.

This should allow for a very nice shower and household experiances.

I am only guessing you are on public water. As this is spotty then before your pump, you might put up a normal in the air tank on a float system. Teh float will not let it run over but when pressure is low form city you will still have water.

If you are on a water well syatem let you well pump serve as the only pump you will need. Just hook it up to your pressure switches as above.

A lot of talk for a simple system. Surely you can find a country boy from the states and let them hook you up. The pump systems are common here in the states.

Items needed

1 pump
1 pressure tank
2 pressure switches.
1 half ass electrician

Hope this helps.

Paul I finally found something with a picture of what I am describing. In this picture they are using a submersible pump and like I said in above post if you are on a water well this should be all you need.

If on a water system from city etc., Just let the centrifigual pump take the place of the submersable pump.

http://www.do-it-yourself-pumps.com/

I will look a bit more to see if I can find a better picture.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to find that for me - I appreciate it. Its a minefield out there LOL.