pressure tank

wapitiscat · 06-09-2006, 10:14 AM

Does anyone have or know of a used pressure (for a well water application) they'd like to get rid of for free, cheap, or trade? The new ones are pretty pricey and the shipping charges for ones on eBay are deal breakers for me. For those of you paying close attention, you may be thinking .. "Hmmm, first 55 gallon drums and now he's after a pressure tank. He's either building a time machine or a distribution system for harvested rainwater." Well, it's the latter. I've found that collecting my roof runoff is easy but getting the cloud juice to my thirsty lawn and plants is a bit more challenging.

Todd

Monty · 06-09-2006, 10:22 AM

Hah!!! Distribution system for harvested rainwater - cool! Actually I just assumed you were making a still.

chris99z71 · 06-09-2006, 11:37 AM

I assumed that you were cooking meth!

wapitiscat · 06-09-2006, 07:05 PM

All right wise guys. While moonshine or methamphetamine may be more profitable in the short run, I assure you my intentions are above board. Mike, I hear you loud and clear. The lay of my land means I'd have to have my rain barrels higher than the roofline. I got a 1/2 hp Sears shallow well pump on eBay. I had considered an on demand pump (115VAV or 12 VDC) but didn't know how well they would hold up to continuous duty (like sprinklers) and figured there might be a lot of duty cycles. Maybe that would have been the better play. Anyhow, I'm kind of comitted to my fake well plan so I guess I should pony of for the pressure tank. I guess I'll get as much drawdown volume as I choose to afford. My goal is to treat my collection barrels as a well or cistern and have 30-40 psi to use for various irrigation runs throughout my 1/3 acre spread.

Todd

Travis Porter · 06-09-2006, 07:17 PM

If you are really trying to get by cheap, you could just get a 55 gallon drum that is tight and put a pipe joint to it. It won't have a bladder like the newer ones, but growing up, ours never did and we had to pump air into it every few months anyway.

Tarhead · 06-10-2006, 08:32 AM

Todd,
Looks like you're pretty far along with your plans and will use your system for irrigation. For others looking into this for primary and backup drinking water...www.braewater.com in Oakboro has a wealth of information and supplies for rainwater harvesting.
Mark

wapitiscat · 06-10-2006, 02:48 PM

Travis, that's sounds like it's worth a shot. Mike, would I just put an inner tube in the tank, inflate it to some low psi and leave it "free" in the barrel? Of course, I'm proud that I've already figured out to put it through the bung before inflating.

This route would certainly fit better with the whole hillbilly system I've cobbled together so far. I just need to check the pressure rating for the barrel. I tried a while back to pressurize the barrels with my air compressor. I "potato chipped" the top of the open head drum. I didn't do a good job of pressure regulation I guess. Thanks for the input so far.

Todd

Gofor · 06-10-2006, 09:58 PM

Be careful pressurizing a 55 Gal drum. You can blow the top out with as little as 10 psi. (10 psi puts about 1000 lb load on that thin steel top). When I was in Okinawa years ago, we had to transfer aircraft cleaning soap from 55 gal drums into an above ground 1000 gal tank. One of the guys decided to force it up with air pressure, rather than lifting 15 to 20 barrels up with a chain hoist and gravity feeding the tank. Worked slow but okay with about 7 psi. One guy got in a hurry and hit it with 25 psi. Blew the top out and covered him with strong alkaline soap. He suffered a few chemical burns and it took a week for his eyes to heal up, but he was lucky that the jagged metal from the top didn't decapitate him.
I strongly suggest using a rated vessel for any pressure application. Realize that air pressure is measured in Pounds pressure per square inch. multiply the surface area times the pressure and you get the amount of force that is that is trying to get out. The pressure tanks commonly used on well pumps are small, not having a lot of surface area, and have heavier metal and all welded seams. A 55 gal drum normally has crimped, rolled seams and is thin guage metal. Doesn't take too much to turn it into a shrapnel bomb.

Go

Gofor · 06-11-2006, 08:52 PM

A water heater is designed to hold normal system pressure which can exceed 100 psi (don't know what they are rated for but mine in Fl withstood occasional hammers over 200 psi) so I would think it would be more than enough to operate a sprinler system. IMHO a much better choice than a 55 gal drum.

junquecol · 06-15-2006, 01:32 AM

First- DO NOT PRESSURISE A 55Gal DRUM, unless you have both a GOOD LIFE INS POLICY and DISABILITY POLICY, along with LONG TERM CARE POLICY. Go to TT&E Iron & Metals on Old Garner Road and look for used tank. Take cap off of schrader valve and depress core. If air comes out, bladder in tank is good. They will sell it to you by the pound. Be sure to add low pressure cut off switch to pump. That way when pump gives out of water, it will cut off automatically. A typical lawn takes about one inch of water/ week. 400 gallons will water about 640 square feet to this level. That is approximately a 25X25 square. Even if you live in town, you can probably drill a well for irrigation purposes.

wapitiscat · 06-15-2006, 12:36 PM

Ok, so the consensus is DO NOT PRESSURIZE A 55 GAL. DRUM. Got it. This set up up will be to irrigate shrubs and flower beds and not to keep grass alive. This is due in part to the sheer volume considerations you pointed out. I'll try to call or visit TT&E Iron & Metals before buying any more components. Do you have their contact info?

I guess I should have had all my collection barrels operational yesterday. Oh well, perhaps I'll be ready for the next tropical system.

Todd

junquecol · 06-15-2006, 11:43 PM

TT&E doesn't maintain an inventory. They are a recycling yard. they only make money when the metal goes into truck leaving yard. A few rules to be observed. First, NEVER CLIMB ON PILES of steel. A yard (Raleigh Metals) had some students do that and pile shifted, injuring one, whose parents were named-I SUE YOU! Enough said? Now, NO ONE goes in there! Make sure the crane operator knows where you are! Try to go at less busy times. Remember that they don't have to accomendate your needs. Prepare to cry as you see something that you would dearly love to have broken to pieces to make it fit into truck. Last time I was there, they were breaking up a Clausing lathe that cost over 30K new. Sometimes original source requires that product be destroyed. If something isn't with in reach, ask crane operator if he can get it for you, if he isn't to busy. Take a hard hat, safety toed shoes if possible too. Scale operator can generally point in direction of items you are looking for.

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