what kind of circulating pump could I get that would work with a switch

euser1984

hi there

i want to use a float switch for a circulation pump. i've been looking around and can't find in the specs of any of these types of pumps amp usage.

i need to pump water along water hose pipe about 10 metres, without any gravity assistance into a 150l reservoir - the water is coming from another reservoir linked; that being beside the tap.

the switch needs to be in the remote reservoir, so the pump needs to suck the water - i don't know much about plumbing.

the hose can be whatever size it needs to be - i'm guessing 3/4"

this seems to be the best float I can find - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008MU2GMA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

Calahonda52

Are you helping Irish water?

circulation pumps just circulate, you need something better.
you also need to have a non-return valve to stop the water flowing back

A diagram with invert and top out levels of both reservoirs would help.

does the pump need to stop when the receiver one is full or the supply empty?.

my3cents

OP if you have a tap in the equation then just plumb off the back of it to a ball valve in the 150l tank.

euser1984

good morning, i've just taken two photos showing the storage and nutrients reservoirs (white) for the greenhouse reservoirs, which are visible I think in the photo. the plants are all sitting on them and they are black. 150 litres x2.

white reservoirs are 100l each with their own float and are intended to top up the greenhouse reservoirs as opposed to filling it from low; with a float switch.


my brain is telling me that the pump needs to be located in the greenhouse because the float will be in the greenhouse. I would prefer not to have to run cable back to a pump at the white reservoir containers.



i hope i have everything covered. those white reservoirs are beside the tap....the idea is to run the garden hose down to the greenhouse buried underneath the ground

thanks for the help so far

my3cents

If all you need to do is get water from the white tanks over to a tank in the greenhouse then why not just raise up the white tanks.

If you want something tidier than two stacks of blocks and two half scaffolding planks then build away and use the area underneath for storage.

euser1984

my3cents wrote: »

If all you need to do is get water from the white tanks over to a tank in the greenhouse then why not just raise up the white tanks.

If you want something tidier than two stacks of blocks and two half scaffolding planks then build away and use the area underneath for storage.

i don't think gravity is going to cut it here....the pipe has to come up into the greenhouse at the other end. the reservoir isn't able to create that kind of pressure i don't think....?

it would look nasty, two water pumps seems like the best solution to me.

euser1984

sorry i should have said two water pumps would at least be more elegant....

my3cents

Gravity will do it for you. You don't need any great pressure to fill one tank from another.

If you could adjust the water levels so they were the exactly the same with a pipe going from the bottom of each then the greenhouse tank would fill to the level of the white tanks by the wall.

You really are overthinking this.

euser1984

fair enough but this is a practice setup for a business.

the tanks would be a lot higher from the greenhouse already

you need to chill out mate or i'll just ring the plumber

Calahonda52

euser1984 wrote: »

...you need to chill out mate.....

O you come on here asking for ideas, help etc and this is what we get in response: case closed: another one for the ignore list.

euser1984

lol, this place is where some losers seem to hang out - have a nice day!

brightspark

You don't spec the pump based on the limitations of the float switch!

You need to spec the pump based on what you need pumped.

(Use the switch to power a relay/contactor)

euser1984

brightspark wrote: »

You don't spec the pump based on the limitations of the float switch!

You need to spec the pump based on what you need pumped.

(Use the switch to power a relay/contactor)

thanks for this - i'll check into the relay/contactor thing.

i know where your coming from regarding the spec of the pump - but I am limited by float switch availability unless i go to the likes of farnell or something

brightspark

euser1984 wrote: »

thanks for this - i'll check into the relay/contactor thing.

i know where your coming from regarding the spec of the pump - but I am limited by float switch availability unless i go to the likes of farnell or something

My point is the float switch isn't to switch the pump directly, so it doesn't really matter what the rating of the switch is.

Conservatory

euser1984 wrote: »

lol, this place is where some losers seem to hang out - have a nice day!

Ring the plumber. Hopefully you ring me. I’ve a holiday coming up and my bill will pay for it.

listermint

You do not need a pump.

This entire pump nonsense is a complete waste of money and you have over thought this thing to the extent of stupidity . Gravity will work , will be less complex will need no maintenance and the Romans managed to get it to run hundreds of miles sure he Egyptians did too.

Stop reinventing the wheel and put the tanks slightly higher than the output.


Pumps..... Dump that idea

my3cents

euser1984 wrote: »

thanks for this - i'll check into the relay/contactor thing.

i know where your coming from regarding the spec of the pump - but I am limited by float switch availability unless i go to the likes of farnell or something

OK so here's another problem

From what I can tell you want the float switch in the tank in the greenhouse to switch on a pump that will pump water to it from another tank outside the greenhouse then switch off when the tank in the greenhouse is full.

The problem is that most standard float switches are only single pole and switch on when held vertical with the power lead at the bottom so can't turn a pump on to pump water into the tank they are in because they will never be in that position when the greenhouse tank needs water.

You are going to need a low voltage mercury tilt switch (the mains one in my experience burn out) and a relay but as I suspect that flow rates aren't huge you could do the whole lot at low voltage 12 or 24 Volts.

OR you could use gravity and traditional plumbing methods.