Well pump selection and placement

[davejo]

I have agreed to help a friend construct his horse watering system. I'm learning as much as possible about wells etc but could use some advice for size of pump, wiring, tank etc along with placement. It's a system designed by a soil conservation entity but they leave the pumping plant details to the user.

They specify we need 12 gpm capacity running through 2 inch pipes for the majority of 2-2500 feet of pipe.

There is a new well dug to 165 feet with 6 inch casing. Water is seen 15 feet down and the well produced 40 gpm when drilled. The pressure tank will be about 30 feet higher than the well location. I might have to trench 4 to 500 feet to get to the pressure tank from the position of the well. The highest troughs will be 30-40 feet higher than the well top.

Initial thoughts are:

1.5 hp 20gpm pump placed pretty deep
1.25 drop pipe and pitless adapter
8g wire
44 gallon pressure tank (suggested minimum by the designer, I was thinking bigger would be better and 80 gallon was the same price as 60 from one supplier)

Does this look to be in the right ballpark? I'm not sure how deep the pump needs to be placed in the well and if 1.5hp is overkill. This info might change the size wire required etc if I can get by with shallower placement, smaller pump...

 

[cvairwerks]

Without even running the calculations, a 1.5 hp pump is not going to give you 12 gpm at 2500 feet of pipe.....

 

[dcg9381]

You need to run the calculations for water main size and PSI drop for 2500 feet - that's one hell of a run.

Along with others - seems way overkill for animal watering..

Have you considered tanking the water closer to the animals - if you really need 10+ GPM.

I have a 1.5hp Goulds pump. Highly recommend the brand (not cheap) - we've had these pumps last 20 years before.

Also use a Stop Cycle Valve (google it). I'll never use a large pressure tank again. I run the pump at 55-60 psi, 2" pipe, but only 300'.

Gotta do the engineering on that length of water main and look at different pump specs. I suspect you're into the 2hp range, but pressure drop might be a thing.

Practically speaking 2" of PVC water line that's 2500' is sorta a pressure tank itself... PVC does expand some at 50-70psi. At least schedule 40 does.

 

[larry_g]

I have agreed to help a friend construct his horse watering system.

They specify we need 12 gpm capacity running through 2 inch pipes for the majority of 2-2500 feet of pipe.

There is a new well dug to 165 feet with 6 inch casing. Water is seen 15 feet down and the well produced 40 gpm when drilled. The pressure tank will be about 30 feet higher than the well location. I might have to trench 4 to 500 feet to get to the pressure tank from the position of the well. The highest troughs will be 30-40 feet higher than the well top.

Something is not computing here for me. To fill a watering trough for animals you do not need 12 gpm, and should not need a pressure tank. A trickle of water into the trough will keep it filled and if you use a float valve at the trough then it is automatic. The use of a non-pressurized tank above the height of the trough will allow the water to gravity feed into the trough. A float in the NP tank will turn the pump on/off and if mechanical then just a pressure switch at the pump will signal when the water stops flowing.

Is this watering system supporting more than the animals?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[davejo]

 

[davejo]

Yes I didn't explain very well. Cattle and horse waterers

 

[PoorUB]

Plus, some of the waterers are 30 feet above the pump. That will add to the situation. Waht type of waterers? Why not just a small stock tank and float valve? With a stock tank the water flow can be reduced greatly as the tank holds enough water to satify the livestock, and if it takes an hour to fill, who cares?

Is there some reason the livestock can not get closer to the water supply? I imagine he has areas fenced off. We had 80 acres of grazing land for a small heard of cattle. If they wanted water they had to come to the water tank at the one end of the property.

 

[larry_g]

Yes I didn't explain very well. Cattle and horse waterers

So is the system using these water's? https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...KVdpdgdLGWPtdg2vIiyHeoy5llI25lfxoCIH0QAvD_BwE

If so then your outa my league. I also note that your consumption rate is figured at 25 gal/animal. That is near 2x what I can find for large animals out side of dairy cows. Can we assume that these are some hi-dollar race horses or breeding stock? I know that a lot of horse people have no upper end to what they spend on horses and infrastructure.

lg
no neatsig line

 

[davejo]

The soil people want rotational grazing so they offer help paying for cross fencing and automatic waterers to give owners incentive to rotate pastures.

They are sizing the demand based on how many animals might drink simultaneously. They tend to want to all drink at the same time.

 

[davejo]

So is the system using these water's? https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...KVdpdgdLGWPtdg2vIiyHeoy5llI25lfxoCIH0QAvD_BwE

If so then your outa my league. I also note that your consumption rate is figured at 25 gal/animal. That is near 2x what I can find for large animals out side of dairy cows. Can we assume that these are some hi-dollar race horses or breading stock? I know that a lot of horse people have no upper end to what they spend on horses and infrastructure.

lg
no neatsig line

Yes those are the typical cattle waterers they like

 

[dcg9381]

Yes I didn't explain very well. Cattle and horse waterers

Wow.. above my pay grade for sure! I could calculate for one of those, but not that many...