getting basic control systems to communicate over distance.

[angellonewolf]

how about 2 lines one line to the top high demand site and a line back to the low site from just under the top level of the high site so once the top site fulls up it then falls down to the low site under gravity

 

[Gareth J]

If you have water at the high site and are running low at the low site do you have to pump or will gravity let you return water.

Very rare but in this instance, pressurised clean water could be blown into the low site network and used directly.

 

[Gareth J]

how about 2 lines one line to the top high demand site and a line back to the low site from just under the top level of the high site so once the top site fulls up it then falls down to the low site under gravity

It's hard to appreciate how far apart these sites are, it just happens that one of the fronds of the low site network are close enough to the high site storage tanks. It would be the correct solution but I can't justify digging in a kilometre+ of 32mm pipe!

 

[angellonewolf]

^^^^^^bank holiday mondays coming if your board ?

 

[dannyp]

these two sites.

how do the water systems on eah work, pumped upto a head and gravity to point of use ? how are they sited elevation wise to each other ?

 

[dannyp]

It's hard to appreciate how far apart these sites are, it just happens that one of the fronds of the low site network are close enough to the high site storage tanks. It would be the correct solution but I can't justify digging in a kilometre+ of 32mm pipe!

mole plough

 

[Ton-up]

I may have misunderstood, but I still cant see why you can't pressurise the line and use float valves on outlets like I said?

 

[Gareth J]

these two sites.

how do the water systems on eah work, pumped upto a head and gravity to point of use ? how are they sited elevation wise to each other ?

Imagine a small network of pipes going to different outlets (a house, buildings, sheds troughs etc) all connected to a source that is kept constantly at a decent pressure by pumps with bladder pressure vessels. Gravity really doesn't come into it, we don't have enough of it to be of any use to supply water.

I may have misunderstood, but I still cant see why you can't pressurise the line and use float valves on outlets like I said?

Yes, this is what I'm going to do. The line I want to use has to be constantly pressurised almost to the point I can access it though which is why I can't control it's flow easily from the source side.

I do appreciate all the replies but I'm going to try the basics first.

 

[8ob]

Whats to stop you fitting a pressure switch to the pump so the line pressure to all these tanks is up to pressure at all times and time the individual tanks with solenoid valves at source?

Bob

Edit. These tap timers are battery operated and have 3/4" bsp connectors , they could be fitted on all the tanks if they have ball floats https://cityirrigation.co.uk/acatalog/Orbit-Buddy-Single-Outlet-Digital-Tap-Timer-CPORBAT01R.html

 

[knighty]

booster pump (something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272724551241 - not a recommendation for that one, just one of the first ones I found)

pump goes at the end you want to pump out of, have a float switch so it's only on when the tank is full / full enough / wherever you want

then at the end you need the water out have a solenoid valve which only opens when that tank is low - could just be a float valve low down... whatever works best for you

when powered pump turns itself on/off automatically to keep the pipe on it's output pressurised, so it'll go on/off as the empty tank calls for water

so the pump will only pump when it's tank is full enough
the low tank will only fill when it's empty enough

 

[rtbcomp]

To clarify - is the higher demand site actually at a higher elevation than the lower demand site?

 

[Ian James]

Would the simplest way not be a pump at the bottom site controlled by a float switch and pipe pressure sender with a ball cock set so far down the tank at the top site once the water level at the top site falls below the presser night of the ballcock the ballcock would fall droping the pressure in the system and if the bottom site was full of water and the float switch had risen the pump would then operate to pump water to the top site . After having re read the post I see that you are using a line that has troughs on it so making things more compicated
We have a system at work that is supplied directly from a bore hole with no storage the system is pressurised and if a tap is turned on or a ball cock drops the system pressure fall and the bore hole pump trips in

 

[knighty]

the booster pump at high end valve at low end is the most fool proof way to do it

 

[Gareth J]

To clarify - is the higher demand site actually at a higher elevation than the lower demand site?

It is. But it's not really relevant. The only access that the high site has to the low site is the end of a pipe that is (and must be) constantly pressurised.

Would the simplest way not be a pump at the bottom site controlled by a float switch and pipe pressure sender with a ball cock set so far down the tank at the top site once the water level at the top site falls below the presser night of the ballcock the ballcock would fall droping the pressure in the system and if the bottom site was full of water and the float switch had risen the pump would then operate to pump water to the top site . After having re read the post I see that you are using a line that has troughs on it so making things more compicated
We have a system at work that is supplied directly from a bore hole with no storage the system is pressurised and if a tap is turned on or a ball cock drops the system pressure fall and the bore hole pump trips in

Yes. If I were redesigning the setup, I'd do it very differently. Putting in new pipes wires and pumps now would not be cost effective. It would keep us in emergency mains water for decades.

I'm working with the end of a pipe that's constantly pressurised and cannot be intelligently controlled based on what reserve there is behind it. It's that simple.

 

[knighty]

how/why is the pipe constantly pressurised? that changes things a bit

is it because of the high difference between the tanks?