The most inexpensive but reliable devices for pumping water from wells and shallow wells include the Brook or Malysh pump. They are distinguished by their simplicity of design, stable operation, durability, and a pleasant price-technical capabilities ratio.
The types and parameters of the Baby will be discussed in this article.
The operating power of the Malysh pump is small, so it cannot be used to extract water from deep water. But it works great in wells and wells “on sand”, and can also pump water from rivers and lakes containing mechanical impurities.
What problems can be solved with its help:
Note. The design of the vibration pump Malysh allows it to be used for pumping liquids contaminated with insoluble impurities - sand, silt. But if their quantity exceeds the maximum permissible, a filtration system is needed.
The Malysh submersible pump is a vibration unit, the operating principle of which is based on the conversion of electrical energy into electromagnetic vibrations. They are transmitted to the piston, the vibrations of which lead to the injection of liquid and its expulsion from the device. Every second the piston makes about a hundred reciprocating movements.
A coil with a core is responsible for converting electricity into electromagnetic energy. Its winding is quite sensitive to overheating, which occurs when the pump is idle. Therefore, you must always monitor the water level in the source or equip the device with an automatic switch that is triggered when it drops critically.
Depending on the location of the suction valve, Babies are divided into two types of design:
Advice. Do not ignore the recommendations for installing a filter; this will protect your pump parts from rapid wear. Moreover, the price of the most popular EFVP filter for vibration pumps is only about one hundred rubles.
In the line of pumps of this brand there are several models with top and bottom suction. All of them are used to collect water from a well or shallow well, as well as from open reservoirs, and supply it horizontally over a distance of up to 100-150 meters. Which makes them convenient both for water supply at home (see), and for watering a personal plot.
Note. The Baby well pump can only work with water whose temperature does not exceed 35 degrees, and the content of contaminants and insoluble impurities is no more than 0.01% of the volume.
When studying the pump before purchasing, you should pay attention to the markings and be able to decipher the alphanumeric designations.
We will tell you how to do this using the example of the BV 0.12-40 Malysh-K (p) Ikl device:
Note. Malysh-3 is a pump, the only one of all units of this brand that can be used in narrow three-inch wells.
This is the simplest modification with a lower water intake, designed to work in a source with a diameter of at least 100 mm. It has no filter, no overheating protection, no pressure switch. But all this can be purchased and installed separately, as well as a hose with a diameter of 18-22 mm for supplying pumped water to the consumer.
The Baby deep-well pump has the following characteristics:
Note. The specified parameters are approximately the same for all modifications.
In terms of its parameters, this unit does not differ from the base model; the difference lies in the upper location of the water intake valve. The performance of the Malysh-M pump is the same as that of the Malysh.
The diameter of the Malysh-3 pump allows it to be used in narrower wells - from 80 mm. This is a more compact version of the basic model, the rated power of which is reduced to 165 W, and the pressure to 20 m. It is ideal for installation in sources with a small flow rate.
The kit includes a waterproof network cable 30 meters long.
This is the most advanced modification with built-in thermal protection and lower water intake. Automation protects the device from overheating by disconnecting it from the network in time when the engine temperature rises. Unlike other devices, rewinding the Malysh-K pump as a result of winding combustion is not required.
The main rule: the pump must be mounted in a vertical position, otherwise its service life will be seriously reduced. And the depth of its immersion should be such that the suction hole is always in the water. Therefore, you need to know the lower dynamic water level in your source.
For reference. The dynamic level is the mark at which the water in the well is kept when the pump is running. It depends on its performance.
Installation instructions:
Advice. Pumps with bottom water intake should not be placed closer than 50 cm from the bottom of the well or well, even if they are equipped with a filter.
Now you can plug the cable into the network and use the device. Connection is possible only after complete immersion, since idling will quickly lead to failure.
Unfortunately, the pressure the Malysh pump creates does not suit everyone, especially if there are devices in the house, for the normal operation of which it must be at least 2 atm. Vibrating devices, in principle, are capable of producing it, but if the source is located far away, then significant pressure losses occur in horizontal sections.
But there is a way out: the pump must be additionally equipped with a check valve, a pressure switch and a hydraulic accumulator, turning it into a mini-pumping station. Automatic maintenance of the water level in the accumulator is carried out using a relay: it turns on the pump when the pressure in it drops.
To get an idea of how it all works, we suggest studying the following diagram:
When the pump is turned on, it supplies water to the hydraulic accumulator connected to the automation system. When the pressure in it reaches the nominal value, the pressure switch turns off the pump and turns it on again when it drops.
Advice. To drain water from the system for the winter, install a ball valve between the filter and the check valve.
The technical characteristics of the Malysh vibration pumps, of course, are not amazing. But these devices successfully cope with the water supply of a small country house or cottage of several hundred square meters. Which, combined with the low cost, cannot but rejoice.
To avoid mistakes when choosing and installing a pump, we recommend watching the video in this article before purchasing it.
The efficiency of autonomous water supply in a private house or on a summer cottage is largely ensured by the water pressure switch for the pump, however, for its correct operation, it is necessary to correctly install and operate the equipment. Once you understand the operating principle of this device, you will be able to appreciate its necessity and the importance of trouble-free operation.
Pumping stations are usually not equipped with automation to monitor and control work. At the same time, turning on and off the pumping equipment in autonomous mode is extremely necessary, because performing these operations manually will require constant attention to the system and will not allow the inhabitants of the house to go about their business, work and rest.
A sufficient level of control is provided by the pressure switch. It is a block with a plastic casing. Inside the housing there are two springs, each of which is “responsible” for setting the value of the extreme position (parameters for turning the pump on and off).
Diagram of a water pressure switch for a pump
The relay is functionally connected to a hydraulic accumulator, which contains water and compressed air; the media come into contact through a flexible elastic membrane. In the working position, the water in the tank presses on the air through the dividing partition, creating a certain pressure. As water is consumed, its volume decreases and the pressure decreases. When a certain value (set on the relay) is reached, the pump turns on and water is pumped into the tank until the value set on the second spring is reached.
The connection diagram for a water pressure switch for a pump provides for connecting the equipment to a water supply system, a pump and an electrical power supply network.
For correct operation of the equipment, the pressure switch must be connected to the pump in such a way as to avoid the influence of turbulence and sudden pressure changes when the pumping equipment is turned on and during its operation. The best place for this is in close proximity to the hydraulic accumulator.
Before installing the pressure switch, pay attention to the operating mode recommended by the manufacturer, in particular, the permissible temperature and humidity values. Some models can only work in heated rooms.
In the classic scheme for connecting a pressure switch to a deep-water pump for an autonomous water supply, the following equipment is installed in front of the relay:
When using many modern models of surface-type pumping units, installing a water pressure switch for a pump can be much simpler: block installation is carried out when the relay is installed together with the pump. The pumping unit has a special fitting, so the user does not need to independently search for the most suitable installation location. The check valve and filters for water purification in such models are often built-in.
Connecting the pressure switch to a submersible pump can also be done by placing the hydraulic accumulator in the caisson and even in the well itself, since waterproof design of the control equipment is often required and the operating conditions of the pressure switch may allow its location in such places.
The connection diagram for a pressure switch and a pumping station with a surface pump differs slightly from the diagram with a submersible unit in the sequence of arrangement of some elements
Obviously, the choice of installation method and location depends on the design of the equipment; usually all recommendations in this regard are indicated by the manufacturer in the accompanying documentation.
There are two commonly used schemes for connecting the pump automation and pressure switch. The method recommended by the manufacturer is always indicated in the accompanying documentation, but it will be useful to familiarize yourself with the possible schemes.
Important: When working, you must follow the sequence: first, the relay is connected to the water supply, and then to the electrical network.
The relay is mounted on the pipeline (the choice of location is made taking into account the above rules and recommendations). Installation is carried out using a tee connected to a transition fitting (it can be replaced by a drain hose).
Hydraulic accumulator equipped with a fitting having five outlets, to which they connect:
The relay, in turn, is connected to a submersible or external pump and a 220 V power supply.
Connection diagram of the water pressure switch to the submersible pump
The following recommendations apply to both options:
All the nuances are determined by the connection diagram for a submersible pump with a pressure switch or a similar connection for an external pumping unit supplied with the equipment.
Common pumping station malfunctions and their elimination are described in our separate article. Almost all work can be done independently.
We have information about hydraulic accumulators here. What models are there and what is important when choosing them.
We talked about ways to clean a well in this material.
To configure the pressure switch, it is necessary to set the operating pressure in the system. To do this, after assembling the circuit, the equipment should be turned on and wait for automatic shutdown when the relay is activated. After this, the roof is removed and the settings are performed in the following sequence:
Let's continue the topic DIY plumbing. A previous article on this topic was published here
Today we will look at the second option: water supply for the dacha using "Baby" pump.
So, after the joy of making an autonomous water supply for the first time with my own hands had subsided and the constant operation of an automatic pumping station based on a self-priming pump began, some features began to emerge that are characteristic of all systems of this type.
1. The system does not start after being idle for several days.
If you come to your dacha on weekends, then one day, when you turn on the pump, you will find that it works strangely quietly, and the water does not flow from the tap. It's OK. It is necessary to turn off the pump and fill the suction line with water manually (see the instructions for the pump). After this, the pump will start working. There are usually two reasons for this:
A grain of sand got into the check valve on the suction pipe, or the valve did not close tightly due to misalignment and water leaked out
Air is sucked into the suction line from loose pipe connections.
The first reason cannot be eliminated, and the second is very difficult. This is the practice of operating self-priming systems. When this happens almost every other time, it starts to get annoying.
2. Operating a self-priming system during frost is very risky. Since our pump was located in an unheated utility room, one autumn, when we arrived at the dacha after frost, we discovered a cracked pump. After repairing the pump, we had to drain the water from the system quite early - at the first frost.
3. The system is very noisy. Since we don’t have a basement in a residential building, we installed a pump in the utility room.
After several years of operating a self-priming water supply system, we got tired of the above problems and I decided to make another system.
In order to get rid of the disadvantages of a self-priming system, you need to use a submersible pump. Since the pump is located deep in the water, it will never freeze and runs quietly.
I decided to use a reliable and inexpensive Russian vibration pump “Malysh” as a submersible pump. I have liked it for a long time, simple and reliable, the first pump served me for about 15 years, although it was made in the USSR and with a quality mark. And modern Chinese analogues are quite reliable (2 seasons work for me). It is better to choose a pump with an upper water intake - then there is less chance of sucking sand from the bottom of the well. Pump capacity is about 500 l/hour at a pressure of about 30 m (cm). The cheapest pumps can be bought at the Leroy Merlin store. In 2010, I bought a Chinese equivalent there for 700 rubles. At our dacha, one Malysh pump provides a shower, 2 washbasins, a kitchen faucet and a toilet. Of course, if you don’t turn on all the taps at the same time, but this doesn’t happen in life. The shower and one faucet work fine from the pump. If this is not enough, then you can connect 2 Babies in parallel.
For an automatic pumping station you will need (minimum equipment):
Pump Baby 750 rub.
3/4″ inch reinforced hose, for pressure up to 6-8 atm (for connecting a pump in a well with a hydraulic accumulator in the house and further to the point of water collection)
Coarse filter 50 rub.
Hydraulic accumulator, capacity min. 20 l – about 1000 rubles.
Check valve 3/4 inch (placed in front of the hydraulic accumulator) 100 RUR.
Pressure gauge 6 atm. 160 rub.
Pressure switch model RDM 5 price approx. 500 rub.
A fitting with 5 nipples (five-piece) for connecting the entire equipment to each other.
Clamps for securing hoses, sealing gaskets, flax for sealing threads.
All these are standard products, you can buy them in one Leroy Merlin store in Moscow or on the market, but more expensive. Prices are indicative for 2010.
System installation.
The water supply system is installed as follows. A hydraulic tank with an automation system is installed in a barn or in a house and is connected to a pump in the well with a hose and electrical wiring. Water is supplied to consumers from the hydraulic tank through a pipe. And now more details. We assemble the automation unit: we connect two electrical wires with plugs to the pressure switch, screw a filter, a pressure gauge, a pressure switch onto the five-piece, and screw the entire structure into the hydraulic accumulator. We connect a check valve to the filter with the flow direction towards the hydraulic tank. Pump "Baby" connect with a flexible hose to the check valve. From the five-piece on the hydraulic accumulator we lead a pipe or hose to the consumer. Everything is done with hydraulics, now electrics. We install two sockets for the pump control system - one in the well and connect the pump plug to it, the second in the barn or in the house where the hydraulic accumulator with automatic equipment is located and connect the pressure relay output voltage plug to it. We install another socket next to the hydraulic accumulator, connect 220 V to it, lower the pump into the well and plug in the second plug of the pressure switch into the network. ALL!!! Dacha water supply ready! The pump works and supplies water to the tank with an automatic system. As soon as the pressure in the tank reaches the set value, the relay will operate and turn off the pump. The maximum and minimum pressure in the system is regulated by a pressure switch.
This water supply for the dacha It works for me for two seasons without problems - I plugged it into the outlet and the water started flowing. I leave the pump in the well for the winter. I drain the water from the pipes of the water supply system and the hydraulic accumulator at the very end of the season, much later than in the first option with a self-priming pump. The hydraulic accumulator has a rubber container inside and is not afraid of freezing. And one more piece of advice - to easily drain water from the system, I recommend placing a tee and a ball valve between the check valve and the filter.
How did YOU resolve the issue? water supply for the dacha or a country house? Write your opinion in the comments or ask a question and we will definitely answer.
In conclusion, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that our site is actively developing and there will be many interesting articles ahead. Therefore, subscribe to our website and you will immediately receive a new article in your email and will not miss anything.
How to connect a plug to an electrolux cooktop with 4 wires?
Let's continue the topic DIY plumbing. The previous article on this topic was published here http://site/vodosnabgenie_na_dache/Today we will look at the second option: water supply for the dacha using "Baby" pump.
So, after the joy of making an autonomous water supply for the first time with my own hands had subsided and the constant operation of an automatic pumping station based on a self-priming pump began, some features began to emerge that are characteristic of all systems of this type.
1. The system does not start after being idle for several days.
If you come to your dacha on weekends, then one day, when you turn on the pump, you will find that it works strangely quietly, and the water does not flow from the tap. It's OK. It is necessary to turn off the pump and fill the suction line with water manually (see the instructions for the pump). After this, the pump will start working. There are usually two reasons for this:
A grain of sand got into the check valve on the suction pipe, or the valve did not close tightly due to misalignment and water leaked out
Air is sucked into the suction line from loose pipe connections.
The first reason cannot be eliminated, and the second is very difficult. This is the practice of operating self-priming systems. When this happens almost every other time, it starts to get annoying.
2. Operating a self-priming system during frost is very risky. Since our pump was located in an unheated utility room, one autumn, when we arrived at the dacha after frost, we discovered a cracked pump. After repairing the pump, we had to drain the water from the system quite early - at the first frost.
3. The system is very noisy. Since we don’t have a basement in a residential building, we installed a pump in the utility room.
After several years of operating a self-priming water supply system, we got tired of the above problems and I decided to make another system.
In order to get rid of the disadvantages of a self-priming system, you need to use a submersible pump. Since the pump is located deep in the water, it will never freeze and runs quietly.
I decided to use a reliable and inexpensive Russian vibration pump “Malysh” as a submersible pump. I have liked it for a long time, simple and reliable, the first pump served me for about 15 years, although it was made in the USSR and with a quality mark. And modern Chinese analogues are quite reliable (2 seasons work for me). It is better to choose a pump with an upper water intake - then there is less chance of sucking sand from the bottom of the well. The pump capacity is about 500 l/hour at a pressure of about 30 m (see http://ooo-comfort.ru/elektronasosy_malysh). The cheapest pumps can be bought at the Leroy Merlin store. In 2010, I bought a Chinese equivalent there for 700 rubles. At our dacha, one Malysh pump provides a shower, 2 washbasins, a kitchen faucet and a toilet. Of course, if you don’t turn on all the taps at the same time, but this doesn’t happen in life. The shower and one faucet work fine from the pump. If this is not enough, then you can connect 2 Babies in parallel.
For an automatic pumping station you will need (minimum equipment):
Pump Baby 750 rub. 
3/4" inch reinforced hose, for pressure up to 6-8 atm (for connecting a pump in a well with a hydraulic accumulator in the house and further to the point of water collection)
Coarse filter 50 rub.
Hydraulic accumulator, capacity min. 20 l – about 1000 rubles.
Check valve 3/4 inch (placed in front of the hydraulic accumulator) 100 RUR.
Pressure gauge 6 atm. 160 rub.
Pressure switch model RDM 5 price approx. 500 rub. 
A fitting with 5 nipples (five-piece) for connecting the entire equipment to each other.
Clamps for securing hoses, sealing gaskets, flax for sealing threads.
All these are standard products, you can buy them in one Leroy Merlin store in Moscow or on the market, but more expensive. Prices are indicative for 2010.
System installation.
The water supply system is installed as follows. A hydraulic tank with an automation system is installed in a barn or in a house and is connected to a pump in the well with a hose and electrical wiring. Water is supplied to consumers from the hydraulic tank through a pipe. And now more details. We assemble the automation unit: we connect two electrical wires with plugs to the pressure switch, screw a filter, a pressure gauge, a pressure switch onto the five-piece, and screw the entire structure into the hydraulic accumulator. We connect a check valve to the filter with the flow direction towards the hydraulic tank. Pump "Baby" connect with a flexible hose to the check valve. From the five-piece on the hydraulic accumulator we lead a pipe or hose to the consumer. Everything is done with hydraulics, now electrics. We install two sockets for the pump control system - one in the well and connect the pump plug to it, the second in the barn or in the house where the hydraulic accumulator with automatic equipment is located and connect the pressure relay output voltage plug to it. We install another socket next to the hydraulic accumulator, connect 220 V to it, lower the pump into the well and plug in the second plug of the pressure switch into the network. ALL!!! Dacha water supply ready! The pump works and supplies water to the tank with an automatic system. As soon as the pressure in the tank reaches the set value, the relay will operate and turn off the pump. The maximum and minimum pressure in the system is regulated by a pressure switch.
This water supply for the dacha It works for me for two seasons without problems - I plugged it into the outlet and the water started flowing. I leave the pump in the well for the winter. I drain the water from the pipes of the water supply system and the hydraulic accumulator at the very end of the season, much later than in the first option with a self-priming pump. The hydraulic accumulator has a rubber container inside and is not afraid of freezing. And one more piece of advice - to easily drain water from the system, I recommend placing a tee and a ball valve between the check valve and the filter.
How did YOU resolve the issue? water supply for the dacha or a country house? Write your opinion in the comments or ask a question and we will definitely answer.
In conclusion, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that our site is actively developing and there will be many interesting articles ahead. Therefore, subscribe to our website and you will immediately receive a new article in your email and will not miss anything.
And in what cases is it justified to assemble a pumping station from disparate parts that can be bought in a store?
First of all, it seems to me that you should assemble the pumping station yourself if you already have some of its components, usually the most expensive ones. This is a pump and a hydraulic accumulator. Because the cost of the pump is approximately half the cost of the pumping station, respectively, the hydraulic accumulator is approximately a third. That is, it makes no sense to buy a new pumping station if your accumulator is crushed in winter or the pump burns out for some reason. You can buy both separately and simply replace what is broken; fortunately, the pump fasteners and the hydraulic accumulator mounting platform are usually standard and you can connect one to the other without much difficulty.
Another reason to assemble a pumping station yourself may be a discrepancy between your requirements and the characteristics of the equipment of the finished pumping station. For example, you need a pump with higher pressure or water flow than the pumping stations offered to you, and what suits you in terms of characteristics does not suit you in terms of cost or reliability. Either the dimensions of the pumping station are too large for the place where you are going, or you are not satisfied with the capacity of the hydraulic accumulator, well, etc. You just need to keep in mind that the final cost of the pumping station may well be much more than what you planned.
The third, most common option is when you are forced to assemble a distributed pumping station due to very... As a rule, in this case, a powerful submersible pump is used, and a hydraulic accumulator with an automation unit is installed somewhere at home.
A reasonable question: is it possible to do without a hydraulic accumulator? In principle, this is possible, but with a conventional automation unit the pump will turn on and off very often, reacting even to insignificant water flow. After all, the amount of water in the pressure pipeline is small, and the slightest flow of water will lead to a rapid drop in pressure and an equally rapid increase when the pump is turned on. It is precisely so that the pump does not turn on every time you “sneeze” that they install a hydraulic accumulator, at least a small one. Since water is an incompressible substance, air is pumped into the accumulator, which, unlike water, is highly compressible and acts as a kind of damper that regulates the accumulation and flow of water. If there is no air in the accumulator or too little air, then there will be nothing to compress, that is, there will be no accumulation of water.
Ideally, the capacity of hydraulic accumulators should be only slightly less than the debit of your water source, and the pump, in this case, will turn on only when some fairly decent supply of water has been used up, i.e. very rarely, but for a long time. But then it will be very expensive.
Now pumping stations with improved automation units with built-in dry-running protection have appeared on sale, which smoothly start and stop the pump and regulate its power depending on the set pressure. It is believed that, in principle, they do not need a hydraulic accumulator. But all this works well only in the absence of voltage surges, which our outback and holiday villages cannot boast of. And, unfortunately, stabilizers do not always save you from this disaster. In addition, the price of such a station is very often much higher than usual, which, it seems to me, does not justify itself.
Wistan.
Of all the ready-made automation systems for pumping stations, our domestic development Vistan, designed exclusively for organizing a pumping station based on a vibration pump, especially stands out. I am not a supporter of the use of vibration pumps in water supply systems of private and country houses, but I cannot help but pay attention to this device due to the great popularity of “Kids”, “Rucheykov”, etc. in the post-Soviet space.
There are a lot of flattering reviews about this device on the Internet. In life, unfortunately, not everything is so rosy. So, in short.
Advantages:
— Special development for vibration pumps;
— Automatically maintains the pressure in the system at 1.5-2.0 bar;
— Has built-in protection against dry running;
— Has a built-in voltage stabilizer, can work with voltage from 160 to 250 Volts;
— Can work without a hydraulic accumulator, smoothly changes the pump power;
— Smooth start and stop of the pump;
— Has overcurrent protection: 5 Ampere fuse;
— Automatically resumes operation when the parameters are restored: network voltage, the appearance of water pressure at the pump pressure (dry running).
— Easy to install and dismantle the circuit: the manufacturer recommends using a ½-inch flexible liner.
Flaws:
— The pump must create a pressure at the inlet to the device of at least 3.0 bar: not every vibration pump is capable of this, given the difference in height between the water surface in the well (well) and the location of the Wistan.
— Water flow is limited by the internal cross-section of the flexible line, or you need to install a hydraulic accumulator.
— Dry running protection is solved in a unique way: the device turns off the pump if the inlet pressure does not rise above 0.8 bar in 10 seconds. Those. There is actually water, and the pump pumps it properly, it just doesn’t have enough strength to raise the pressure to the required level.
— There is no way to regulate the pressure in the system.
— High price of the device compared to the cost of vibration pumps. The cost of the “Wistan + pump” set is comparable to the cost of a ready-made pumping station, which is not of the poorest quality (and the Chinese ones are one and a half times cheaper).
In general, this option for organizing a pumping station is suitable for summer residents who are accustomed to their vibration pumps and are not spoiled by the benefits of civilization in the country. In addition, the system is easy to assemble in the spring before use and disassemble in the fall, taking the entire household with you to the city and without fear of it being stolen or torn apart by frost. For a more serious water supply system at home, this device, like its use, is unlikely to be suitable.
Automation unit for centrifugal pumps.
To organize a pumping station based on, no matter submersible or surface, an automation unit is required. The simplest thing is to assemble it yourself using purchased elements: a manifold, a pressure switch, a pressure gauge. But you can also buy a ready-made unit on which all this will already be installed. All that remains is to install it on the pump head in a place convenient for maintenance.
Various companies offer a wide variety of such blocks, differing in configuration and cost. The simplest and most inexpensive ones include only the necessary elements mentioned above. Blocks that have a dry-running sensor added will cost a little more. The most sophisticated are the automation units, which independently, by adjusting the power of the pump, maintain the set pressure in the system, and also have several (up to three) protections against various unpleasant things (dry running, pump overload, rupture of the pressure pipeline).
Collector.
Actually, everyone is free to make their own choice. For some it is easier to assemble such a block themselves, for others it is easier to buy it. It seems to me that the only drawback of such blocks, besides the price, is their block nature. Those. If something breaks as part of such an automation unit, then the entire unit will have to be replaced, and this can sometimes be expensive.
The most common scheme of a pumping station is when all its elements are assembled together, as one reader wrote: “pump on a barrel.” In this case, the automation unit is placed at the pump head, and water is directed to the hydraulic accumulator through a separate pipe or flexible connection. It turns out that you can install a pump and a hydraulic accumulator (HA) in different places by simply replacing the outlet to the HA with a longer one.
But the best option would be to install the automation unit on the GA by connecting the unit’s manifold to the pump with a pipe. Then we get a distributed pumping station, where the pump can be located, for example, in a well (or in a well for a submersible pump), and the HA is located in a warm house.
Continuing to improve our scheme, we can find the most convenient place for the automation unit. I imagine such a place is the cold water distribution manifold, where the automation unit will maintain constant pressure (after all, this is exactly what we need). The hydraulic accumulator, in this case, can be placed under the bathtub or in any other free place in the bathroom, and a pressure pipeline will be connected to the pump. The pump itself can be placed closer to the source of water supply and away from the house, so as not to hear its noise, or you can buy a submersible pump (again, no noise in the house).
Thus, by placing the elements of the pumping station in those places where it is convenient and not conspicuous, you will receive maximum comfort during operation: “like in an apartment.” The main thing is not to forget what and where you stuffed it.
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Hello,
Great site. I found the information I've been looking for for a long time
Please help me decide on a pump. We are talking about the water supply of a country house. The system has been working for about 20 years without problems, however, everything becomes unusable. The house has a 500 liter storage tank, which is filled from a well (small debit) by a pump automatically. Next OK-NS (saer tk1, RD and ha included) - shower, sink, toilet, kitchen. Last year the GA broke. I changed it to a larger 50L. The result is a scheme OK-NS+RD-GA-water intake. However, the pump does not pump more than 1.8 atm. I decided to change the pump, it worked. I just can’t decide which one to choose - vortex or centrifugal. As I understand it, with this scheme, self-priming is not necessary (the pump is below the tank and will fill itself with water). The old pump seemed to cope (saer-kf1). But the question is about noise. As you wrote correctly, the old vortex squeals and is not particularly comfortable at night, but how will the centrifugal one behave under such a scheme? And is it worth installing a more powerful pump? I read somewhere that when the voltage drops, a weak pump cannot cope.
Hello, Ruslan.
If the noise level of the pump is critical to you, then centrifugal ones without an ejector are best suited for your design (with such a flat body, as if a pancake with legs was attached to the engine, with a suction hole exactly in the middle of the pancake). Their main source of noise is the engine itself. It’s just that it’s very difficult to select a pump based on their characteristics.
The fact is that such pumps, as a rule, have a very high flow rate (performance) at a low pressure. Those. a flow rate of 100 liters per minute at a head of 20-25 meters is normal for such pumps. However, they are reliable, are not afraid of “dry running” (with a brass wheel) and are almost insensitive to changes in consumption, i.e. almost always give the same pressure.
The second noisiest, but more appropriate in terms of characteristics, is a pump with a built-in “short” ejector with a cast iron or plastic body. In appearance, the body resembles a hemisphere with two holes or pipes. In it, together with the engine, the pump begins to make noise, namely, the noise of the water circulating in the ejector (mid-frequency noise with high-frequency harmonics), plus low-frequency vibrations (noise) created by the movement of water in the impeller. Overall quite quiet and not annoying.
Accordingly, the “longer” the built-in ejector, the more mid-frequency noise is added due to the longer path of water along the narrowing of the ejector. And it is this noise that begins to irritate. These are the next noisiest pumps with an elongated cast iron casing.
If the body is made of stainless steel (beautiful, of course), then the resonant frequencies of its thin metal “come into play.” However, the better the pump, the less disgusting they are.
Well, vortex pumps, as you correctly noted, squeal when pressure builds up.
Another quiet option: install two circulation pumps with a “wet” rotor in a series connection, but with pressures of at least 15 meters (this is rare, but you can find it). Just under no circumstances should they be vortex-type (although what does a “wet rotor” have to do with it?) In this combination, even the engines will hum very quietly. You won't hear the pumps at all.
Thank you very much for your answer. Stupid question. What's wrong with high consumption? After all, more than will spill through the tap. I don't need a lot of pressure. Vertically a maximum of 2 meters and horizontally a maximum of 20.
Nothing, Ruslan. Only the greater the maximum nominal flow rate of the pump, the greater the minimum required flow rate through it without the occurrence of cavitation, and in the limit of the occurrence of “dry” running. Cavitation itself is more or less dangerous for a pump made of any material. The “softer” the material, the more dangerous: the faster erosion of the impeller will reduce the performance of the pump. Typically, the minimum flow rate through a household pump is 0.6 m3/hour. This is 10 liters per minute. And this is another reason for using GA in autonomous water supply systems.
Basically, cavitation heating (the main consequence of “dry running”) is dangerous for plastic pump parts. This is most often a built-in ejector, but it can also be an impeller. Therefore, to minimize the effects of cavitation heating, as a result of minimal flow through the pump, all pump parts must be made, at a minimum, of metal.
By the way, vortex pumps have a different problem. It is not cavitation that is to blame, but abrasives contained in any water. They grind off the pressure separating ridge inside the pump housing. Accordingly, both pressure and flow decrease over time.
Vadim, thank you.
Now it’s more or less clear. It turns out that if you open the tap slightly, cavitation will occur. But shouldn't the RD turn off the pump in this case? After all, as I understand it, the pressure will rise sharply. Or will this lead to frequent switching on/off? Or am I misunderstanding?
Thank you. I apologize for perhaps stupid questions.
All this is both true and not true at the same time, Ruslan. When discussing such subtleties, details are very important. And the most important thing is that you need to consider the operation of the SYSTEM, and not a separate PUMP. In short...
And if we consider the operation of a serviceable, correctly configured system, then... “if you open the tap slightly, then...”
1. Water will flow not from the pump, but from the HA, until the pressure in the system becomes equal to the pump activation pressure.
2. RD turns on the pump.
3. The pump lifts water from the source, pumping it into the system.
4. Part of the water goes directly to the “slightly” open tap, the other part goes to replenish supplies in the GA. At the same time, the pressure in the system rises (if the total flow through the tap and in the gas pump is less than the pump capacity).
5. The RD turns off the pump when the pressure in the system becomes equal to the shutdown pressure.
If the tap remains “slightly” open, the cycle repeats.
And now - the nuances:
1. Even in this cycle, with a working and correctly configured system, with a correctly selected pump, for several seconds before turning off the pump operates in a critical mode, with the formation of cavitation or close to it. In general, it's not scary.
2. If the pump’s performance is so high that the number of cycles per minute is more than two, then the pump (and the engine) do not have time to cool down after critical conditions. For an engine this is a start-up, for a pump it is a cavitation mode before stopping.
3. If the system is faulty or incorrectly configured, the duration and (or) frequency of critical modes can increase multiple times, up to constant “dry” running and (or) very frequent switching on and off of the pump, and, as a result, failure of the pump.
Therefore, it is so important to select the equipment CORRECTLY (or close to it) and configure the SYSTEM for long (and happy) operation of all its elements.
Vadim, thanks for the clarification.
Please forgive me for being so meticulous, but I want to ask a couple more questions.
1. I calculated the pump as shown in the article on the website. The pressure turned out to be 25 meters. My system is installed in such a way that the length of the cold water pipe to the farthest point of disassembly is almost 2 times shorter than the hot water pipe running through the water heater. To calculate the horizontal section, I took only the length of the hot end (as the longest). Is this correct, or should we also take into account the cold end?
2. The search for a centrifugal pump that produces a flow rate of about 24 l/min turned out to be almost in vain. As you wrote, the majority either do not have the required pressure, or the flow rate at such pressure is much more than required. The only thing that seems to be close is Calpeda NM 2. The flow rate is about 40 l/min at a pressure of 25 meters. Will it be possible to use it, or is it too much (GA in the system is 50 liters, the pump is located half a meter from the tank, below the intake level)?
Thank you in advance.
Greetings, Ruslan.
Actually, the answers (sorry, but I don’t have much time right now):
1. You did everything right. Otherwise, hot water will flow with much less pressure. You will have to constantly adjust the adjustment on the mixer. There is no need to take into account the additional length of the “cold end”. Calculations need to be made only for the longest pipe.
2. Kalpeda are very good pumps.
3. Passport costs and pressures are relative concepts. Actual flow rates and pressures may vary greatly from those stated due to system conditions. As you correctly noted last time, the pump will not be able to produce more than what flows from the tap.
In your case, pauses will be sufficient due to the capacity of the HA, the consumption of which will be at least about 1-2 minutes. Then, perhaps, the pump will pump up the HA in half a minute or a minute. In general, these are quite acceptable operating conditions for the pump. In reality, most likely, the pause time and pump operation will be longer.
Or, if you are asking about additional water collection points, then, of course, it is possible. With such pump parameters, you will have a very large flow reserve at the maximum possible pressure.
Hello.
Good article.
My station is assembled according to the following scheme: well-return valve-pump-accumulator-pressure switch-automation unit.
And here’s the peculiarity: first, after switching on, the pump works for about 1-2 minutes, then a break for 20-30 seconds, and again it works with good pressure.
It seems that it first uses up the reserve in the battery, then accumulates water and repeats the cycle again.
It should be?
Or maybe remove the extra pressure switch?
Or incorrect assembly diagram?
Hello, Sergey.
No, it shouldn't be like that. And this is a consequence of the installation of two automation systems, possibly operating on different principles of turning the pump on and off. I wonder how your pump is connected to these systems electrically: in series or in parallel? Most likely, in parallel. And these 20-30 seconds of break arose due to the difference in the automation settings.
What to do?
It is necessary to remove one of the automation systems. And depending on which system you remove, or rather, on what principle the remaining one will work, you may have to change the general scheme.
If you leave the pressure switch, you won't have to change anything. It operates from the pressure in the system, and it doesn’t matter where it stands, as long as it’s after the pump.
If you leave an automation unit, which possibly works by measuring water flow and (or) pressure, then it must be placed between the pump and the hydraulic accumulator (HA) in the direction of water movement, so that the automation “feels” the filling of the HA and stops the pump only after the flow stops .
Although, in fairness, it must be said that if the system has a sufficiently powerful pump, then the result may be the same on-off cycle: First, water is consumed from the gas pump, the pressure drops, the automation (pressure switch) turns on the pump, it pumps to the consumer, and in the HA until the pressure rises to the cut-off pressure. Then the cycle repeats.
If the automation unit operates on a flow, then it will not turn off the pump as long as there is flow to the consumer and (or) the gas pump. But again, if there is no pressure limit.
Good evening, please help me with the choice. Private house, city water supply, no water pressure (no water pressure at all), washing machine washes, you have to interrupt the program, good times are not clear when they will come, we decided to install a storage tank of 500 liters. Question at the pumping station, is a hydraulic accumulator needed, I read a lot, principle the work is clear, in stores they say that you only need a pump and automation, but I am tormented by doubts, maybe with GA, analysis into 5-6 points, the site is informative, thanks for your efforts. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE, sorry for the long wording
Hello, Semyon.
The presence or absence of a hydraulic accumulator (HA) in the system depends on the type of automation being installed, and only on it.
GA is definitely needed when used in a mechanical pressure switch (MPS) system.
It is not necessary to install a GA (but it is possible, and in some cases, desirable) if the system uses automation with a smooth (discrete) engine start system.
As a rule, electronic control units (ECUs) already include a dry-running protection system, a small GA (from 0.4 to 1.0 liters) with a spring membrane and a smooth (discrete, i.e. stepwise) engine start system, limiting the starting current of the motor. The exception is blocks based on the same RDM, which, in fact, are not ECUs.
It is not necessary to install a GA (but it is still possible, and only in some cases it is harmful) if the system uses inverter automation with the function of maintaining the pump engine speed required for the system to operate.
The specifics depend on the device, principle and algorithm of operation of the specific automation.
When organizing a water supply system at home, you need not only a pump, but also automation to ensure its operation. One of the necessary devices is a water pressure switch. This small device turns on the pump when the pressure in the system drops and turns it off when a threshold value is reached. The magnitude of the on and off parameters can be adjusted. How this device works, how to connect it and how to regulate it is in the article.
In order to maintain constant pressure in the water supply system of a private house, two devices are needed - a hydraulic accumulator and a pressure switch. Both of these devices are connected to the pump through a pipeline - the pressure switch is located in the middle between the pump and the accumulator. Most often it is located in close proximity to this tank, but some models can be installed on the pump body (even submersible). Let's understand the purpose of these devices and how the system works.
A hydraulic accumulator is a container divided into two halves by an elastic bulb or membrane. In one there is air under some pressure, in the second water is pumped. The water pressure in the accumulator and the amount of water that can be pumped into it are regulated by the amount of pumped air. The more air there is, the higher the pressure is maintained in the system. But at the same time, less water can be pumped into the container. Usually it is possible to pump no more than half the volume into the container. That is, no more than 40-50 liters can be pumped into a hydraulic accumulator with a volume of 100 liters.
For normal operation of household appliances, a range of 1.4 atm - 2.8 atm is required. To maintain such a framework, a pressure switch is required. It has two response limits - upper and lower. When the lower limit is reached, the relay starts the pump, it pumps water into the accumulator, and the pressure in it (and in the system) increases. When the system pressure reaches the upper limit, the relay turns off the pump.
In a scheme with a hydraulic accumulator, water is consumed from the tank for some time. When enough has flowed out for the pressure to drop to the lower response threshold, the pump will turn on. This is how this system works.
This device consists of two parts - electrical and hydraulic. The electrical part is a group of contacts that closes and opens turning the pump on/off. The hydraulic part is a membrane that exerts pressure on the metal base and springs (large and small) with the help of which the pump on/off pressure can be changed.
The hydraulic outlet is located on the back of the relay. This can be an outlet with an external thread or with an American-type nut. The second option is more convenient during installation - in the first case, you either need to look for an adapter with a union nut of a suitable size or twist the device itself, screwing it onto the thread, but this is not always possible.
The electrical inputs are also located on the back of the case, and the terminal block itself, where the wires are connected, is hidden under the cover.
There are two types of water pressure switches: mechanical and electronic. Mechanical ones are much cheaper and are usually preferred, while electronic ones are mainly delivered to order.
| Name | Pressure adjustment limit | Factory settings | Manufacturer/country | Device protection class | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDM-5 Gilex | 1- 4.6 atm | 1.4 - 2.8 atm | Gilex/Russia | IP 44 | 13-15$ |
| Italtecnica PM/5G (m) 1/4" | 1 - 5 atm | 1.4 - 2.8 atm | Italy | IP 44 | 27-30$ |
| Italtecnica RT/12 (m) | 1 - 12 atm | 5 - 7 atm | Italy | IP 44 | 27-30$ |
| Grundfos (Condor) MDR 5-5 | 1.5 - 5 atm | 2.8 - 4.1 atm | Germany | IP 54 | 55-75$ |
| Italtecnica PM53W 1" | 1.5 - 5 atm | Italy | 7-11 $ | ||
| Genebre 3781 1/4" | 1 - 4 atm | 0.4 - 2.8 atm | Spain | 7-13$ |
The difference in prices in different stores can be more than significant. Although, as usual, when buying cheap copies, there is a risk of running into a fake.
The water pressure switch for the pump is connected to two systems at once: electricity and water supply. It is installed permanently, since there is no need to move the device.
To connect a pressure switch, a dedicated line is not required, but is desirable - there is a greater chance that the device will work longer. A cable with a solid copper core with a cross-section of at least 2.5 square meters must run from the shield. mm. It is advisable to install a combination of automatic + RCD or difavtomat. The parameters are selected based on current and depend more on the characteristics of the pump, since the water pressure switch consumes very little current. The circuit must have grounding - the combination of water and electricity creates a zone of increased danger.
Connection diagram of the water pressure switch to
The cables are inserted into special inputs on the back of the case. Under the cover there is a terminal block. It has three pairs of contacts:
The connection is standard - the conductors are stripped of insulation, inserted into the connector, and tightened with a clamping bolt. By pulling the conductor, check whether it is securely clamped. After 30-60 minutes, the bolts can be tightened, since copper is a soft material and the contact may weaken.
There are different ways to connect a water pressure switch to the plumbing system. The most convenient option is to install a special adapter with all the required outputs - a five-pin fitting. The same system can be assembled from other fittings, it’s just that it’s always easier to use a ready-made version.
It is screwed onto the pipe on the back of the housing; a hydraulic accumulator, a supply hose from the pump and a line that goes into the house are connected to the other outputs. You can also install a mud pan and a pressure gauge.
A pressure gauge is a necessary thing - to monitor the pressure in the system, monitor the relay settings. A mud trap is also a necessary device, but it can be installed separately on the pipeline from the pump. In general, a whole
With this scheme, at high flow rates, water is supplied directly to the system - bypassing the hydraulic accumulator. It begins to fill after all the taps in the house are closed.
Let's consider the process of adjusting the most popular model - RDM-5. It is produced by different factories. The adjustment limits change, since different sized water pipes require different pressures. This device leaves the factory with a basic setting. Usually this is 1.4-1.5 atm - the lower threshold and 2.8-2.9 atm - the upper threshold. If you are not satisfied with some parameter, you can reconfigure it as required. This procedure is usually necessary when installing a Jacuzzi: the standard pressure of 2.5-2.9 atm is not enough for the desired effect. In most other cases, reconfiguration is not required.
The water pressure switch RDM-5 has two springs, which regulate the threshold for turning off/on the pump. These springs differ in size and purpose:
The parameters change when tightening or unscrewing the nuts on the springs. If you tighten the nuts, the pressure increases, if you loosen it, it decreases. There is no need to tightly tighten the nuts; one revolution is a change of about 0.6-0.8 atm, and this is usually a lot.
The pump activation threshold (and the lower pressure threshold on the water pressure switch) are related to the pressure in the air part of the accumulator - the minimum pressure in the system should be 0.1-0.2 atm higher. For example, if the pressure in the container is 1.4 atm, the shutdown threshold is desirable to be 1.6 atm. With these parameters, the tank membrane will last longer. But in order for the pump to work under normal conditions, look at its characteristics. It also has a lower pressure threshold. So, it should not be higher than the selected value (lower or equal). Based on these three parameters, you select the switching threshold.
By the way, the pressure in the accumulator must be checked before setting - there are significant deviations from the declared parameters. A nipple is hidden under the removable cover (it looks and is located in different places in different models). Through it you can connect a pressure gauge (can be a car one or the one you have) and see the actual pressure. By the way, it can be adjusted through the same nipple - increased or decreased if necessary.
The upper threshold—pump shutdown—is set automatically during adjustment. The relay in the initial state is set to some pressure difference (delta). This difference is usually 1.4-1.6 atm. So if you set the switch-on, for example, to 1.6 atm, the switch-off threshold will automatically be set at 3.0-3.2 atm (depending on the relay settings). If you need higher pressure (to raise water to the second floor, for example, or the system has many water points), you can increase the shutdown threshold. But there are limitations:
That's all for choosing the water pressure switch settings. In practice, when setting up the system, you have to adjust the selected parameters in one direction or another, because you need to select everything so that all water points, including household appliances, work normally. Therefore, it is often said that parameters are chosen using the “scientific poker” method.
To set up the system, you will need a reliable pressure gauge, the readings of which you can trust. It is connected to the system near the pressure switch.
The adjustment process consists of tightening two springs: large and small. If you need to raise or lower the lower threshold (pump activation), turn the nut on the large spring. If you turn it clockwise, the pressure rises, if you turn it counterclockwise, it decreases. Turn it a very small amount - half a turn or so.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
What else do you need to know about adjusting the water pressure switch? That not all models have the ability to change the delta, so look carefully when purchasing. There is a pressure switch for the pump in a moisture- and dust-proof housing. They can be installed in a pit; some models can be installed directly on the pump body, if it has such an outlet.
Some water pressure relays also have an idle (dry) relay; in general, this device is in a separate housing, but there are also combined ones. Idling protection is necessary so that the pump does not break down if suddenly there is no water in the well or borehole. Some pumps have built-in protection of this type; for others, relays are purchased and installed separately.
