All you booster pump users

[camcap]

Hi well due to my crapy water pressure I'm in the market for a booster pump, I just want to clear some things up do I connect the pump to the water mains (out side tap) or do I have to have a water storage tank for the water to be pulled from as I'm reading that you shouldn't run a booster pump of a tap as to do with back pressure or something thanks for any help

 

[Jake]

Most run it after the pre filters and just before the RO,

It's illegal to boost the mains from a domestic tap I thought? - not that that stops people!

I'm not 100% sure, someone will be along to clarify,

I use a friends unit to do mine, just have a large booster pump after pre filters right before the RO

 

[Smurf]

They sell booster pumps for showers etc so I would have thought a ro boster pump is not much different.

 

[Smurf]

What is illegal though in the eyes of the water authorities in UK is to connect a high spec pressure washer that draws more water lpm than the domestic supply can handle. That is why most high flow pressure washers draw water from a buffer tank instead.

 

[spruce]

What is illegal though in the eyes of the water authorities in UK is to connect a high spec pressure washer that draws more water lpm than the domestic supply can handle. That is why most high flow pressure washers draw water from a buffer tank instead.

Bit of a grey area isn't it @Smurf

 

[Smurf]

Yep as the chances of getting caught are very slim indeed . Unless you are unlucky enough to say cause damage somehow to the water meter,pipe work etc. Not only that there is a high risk that could knacker the pressure washer pump if it get starved of water.

 

[johnny bravo]

it sucks from the last RO vessel, then goes into membrane fitting to force through the membranes, then out to go through your DI vessel for pure., should speed things up 4 you

 

[johnny bravo]

i treat myself to the purefreedom pump, good reviews, i leave mine on for 4 hours, then turn off to cool down.

 

[spruce]

i treat myself to the purefreedom pump, good reviews, i leave mine on for 4 hours, then turn off to cool down.

@camcap has a 4040 so the booster pump you are most probably thinking about (having to let it cool down after a certain running time) will be too small for his r/o.

 

[john39]

so where does the pump attach to? still no clear answer for the guy

 

[Jake]

Pump attaches inline before the RO, I have read the water regulations and it's illegal if it's over 12lpm apparently... Not 100% sure as there's not much clear info on it..

Ditto - it is up to 12lpm for sure, just checked

So just get a pump that's running 12lpm and that'll be fine...

 

[camcap]

Cool will 12lmp be enough for a 4040 ro as most seem a lot higher

Thanks for all your help

 

[Jake]

Yeah most are a lot higher, so I'm guessing you'll need some sort of tank before the pump, but yeah you could just get a 12lpm one, but not sure how effective it'd be... Probably much better than mains water at least...

 

[spruce]

Cool will 12lmp be enough for a 4040 ro as most seem a lot higherThanks for all your help

The problem is that it isn't as simple as that. /emoticons/smile.png

Yes, you're right in that most pumps are higher rated than that. But the whole thing changes as you are now working a pressure. Take a Shurflo wfp pump. at free flow (theoretically 0psi) the pump should deliver 5.2 liters of water a minute. But running fully on pushing water through 100 meters of hose and 2 jets it would be less than half that.

Doug Atkinson sells a 6 liter per minute booster pump for a 4021 but that would probably be too low for a 4040.I'm afraid I haven't seen any recommendations on a 4040 booster except what June from GAPS Water recommended.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cbm240e-1in-multi-stage-230v-booster-pum

this will deliver up to 101 lpm. The electronic controlled unit will boost pressure to 4.8 bar (67psi) but there isn't a graph on the spec sheet that relates delivery volume in LPM at that pressure. The non electronic controlled booster will take that to a maximum pressure of 8 bar (112 psi) but again there is no mention of what the lpm would be at that pressure.

What I also find interesting that on Doug's site, www.daqua.co.uk the specs of the pump are 6 LPM freeflow and 5 LPM at 80 psi. I have looked on the PureFreedom site and I can't see anything regarding the booster that they supply for their 4040 r/o units.

http://www.purefreedom.co.uk/pumps-controllers/large-booster-pump-with-fittings.html

We have had numerous threads over the years with regard to booster pumps. Some have reportedly used standard non electronic controlled pumps such as

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/051011800

I haven't heard of one warning that if a booster is in operation all other cold water taps in the house are starved of water. In fact, If the booster pump was having to suck water through the pipes, opening a tap in the house or flushing the toilet would cause air to be sucked into the pipe feeding your booster and r/o.

Maybe an email to Doug would get you an answer.

Interestingly, Salamander shower booster pumps don't do much to increase water pressure. 1.5 to 3 bar depending on pump is 21 to 42psi.

 

[camcap]

Just out of interest could you just use a booster pump or pump, to pump water from a large storage tank rather than the water mains therefore not having to worry about pulling to much water out of the water mains. would this work ??

 

[Jake]

Just out of interest could you just use a booster pump or pump, to pump water from a large storage tank rather than the water mains therefore not having to worry about pulling to much water out of the water mains. would this work ??

You could, that's similar to what most of us do with our pressures washers, but with a smaller tank.

However,

You would have to keep an eye out on the tank to make sure it's topped up, unless you were only running it for a short time, which would be annoying and mean you couldn't just walk away and leave it alone...

best option would be to adjust the booster pump to run sweet at your water rate, You should be able to adjust it to suit your flow rate from the mains...