How To Set Up A Water Tank Pump

What you need to look for when buying a pump for your rainwater tank

If you desire to buy a rainwater tank pump, the information below is what you need to wait for when buying a pump for your rainwater tank.

Now that your rainwater tank/due south are full of water, you need to go that h2o pumping around your business firm and / or garden.

What are you using the rainwater tank pump for?

Pump to water your garden only

You may only need a 1" inch Transfer Pump for a small garden with 2-3 taps or a larger pump for 7-12 taps.

Pump for your house water supply

You lot will need a pump suitable for drinking water with enough menstruation to supply every bit many taps as you would have open at ane time.

Depending on the menstruation (amount of taps that you desire to open up at a time) volition determine the size of the pump.

On this website I have included a tap rating, also equally the menstruum it produces. I have too added the hp/kW size for each pump. These are displayed on the LHS of the product page.

If you lot are using the pump to supply water to the business firm then y'all will demand an automatic pressure pump that is rubber for drinking water. An automated pressure level pump is simply a bare pump with a 'Pressure Controller' or a 'Force per unit area Tank with Switch' on the pump outlet.

Pump Flow Rate

The corporeality of taps that the pump volition service will determine how much flow you volition need.

As with all water pumps, you lot will need to know the Menses RATE (in LPM – Litres of water per minute) and the Caput. Every pump volition take a flow nautical chart with the 'flow rate' and 'head'. Y'all match these up and can then select the correct model.

The college the required menses rate, the more water volition need to be supplied.
As an example, I have a iii chamber house with only 2 people living in the house. I will occasionally use a garden hose for watering the garden and occasionally employ a pressure cleaner. A pump with a max flow of 50LPM allows for well-nigh taps to exist opened at the same time as long as I am not using the pressure cleaner when all my other taps are opened.

As I accept a footing level firm with an above ground rainwater tank and pump close to the tank and firm, the HEAD is minimum. A 1hp pump is all I need.

The more outlets being used at once, the college the menstruum rate (LPM). This will result in a larger HP/kW pump.

An boilerplate water saving appliance such as toilet, hand basin, shower is max 4.5 to 7 LPM.
An average Not water saving appliance is max 11 to 18 LPM.
A good flow rate from each outlet is approx 15LPM.

Water supply catamenia rates. It is a requirement of Australian Standards that the maximum menses rate from an outlet for a shower, basin, kitchen sink or laundry trough must not exceed 9 L/min.

A typical installation

A rainwater tank pump is typically positioned at basis level, next to the tank. The water exits the tank from the bottom of the tank and flows straight into the pump (encounter RHS image at top of page). The pump is usually close to the house.

A NOT SO typical installation

The water tank is a long way from the house.
The pump is positioned college than the water source.
The pump needs to suck h2o up from an underground tank.
The pipe has many elbows and bends.

Cocky Priming Pressure Pump

If the to a higher place 'NOT And then Typical installation' is the instance, you will need a cocky priming pump. On this website, I have displayed the "Self Priming Pumps" in their ain category to make this selection easier for yous.

Pelting h2o to Mains h2o changeover Pump

If y'all want a pump that will pump water from your rainwater tank and then switch over to using MAINS water when the tank is empty, then you volition need a 'Rain to Mains" pump. If yous already accept a rainwater tank pump then you can install a "Rain to Mains Switch Over Valve" to your existing pump.

Constant Force per unit area Pump

If y'all want a pump that will supply a constant pressure equally you turn more taps on, a variable speed pump, also known as constant pressure pump are very popular household pumps. As you turn taps on and off, the motor speed adjusts accordingly giving you constant pressure.

Submersible Rainwater Tank Pump

If yous would similar a really quiet rainwater tank pump, then you may consider a 'Submersible Rainwater Tank Pump". Submersible pumps are generally quieter than external pumps, as the water in the tank muffles their dissonance. Some submersible rainwater tank pumps have an internal pressure switch such every bit the RPS036 and RPS050.

Rainwater Tank Pump Features and Options

Automatic Pressure Switching

If you would like your pump to turn on and off automatically when yous plow on the tap y'all volition need to add an Automatic Pressure Device to the pump. You'll need this if you're connecting to indoor plumbing. Pumps without a Pressure Switch (paradigm of a blank pump) must exist switched on or off manually.

The almost common devices used are:

An Automated Pressure Switch, also known as PressControl, MasControl (for pumps over 1.5kw), Pressure Controller, Pressure Switch, and more
A Pressure Tank/Vessel with mechanical switch

Run-dry out protection

This feature prevents damage to your pump'southward motor if the rainwater tank is empty. Most automatic pressure switch devices have run-dry protection. It would be rare to discover ane that does not have this characteristic.

Weatherproof your pump.

Yous'll demand a weatherproof cover and base of operations for the pump. This will protect the pump and plug from the elements and muffle its noise. Don't connect the pump via an extension cord to an indoor ability betoken, as this might not exist weatherproof and could be dangerous.

Installation

Most pumps are easy to install. Make certain yous take all the necessary fittings and hoses to connect the pump to a h2o tank. External pumps should require a short piece of kink-resistant hose, secured with two hose clamps to connect the pump inlet to the rainwater tank. PVC pipe and fitting can also be used, however, if you e'er need to change your pump or pressure switch/tank, information technology can be more difficult with a rigid pipe.

The distance between tank and pump should be as short as possible.

Prime the pump with water, plug the pump into the power and switch information technology on.