QUESTION
Pump suggestion needed for domestic use.

Hi,

I need to buy a pump for domestic use and I'm glad to have found this extremely informative and helpful forum. I need a pump that will suck water from an underground water tank and then lift it all the way to the overhead tank on the second floor.

The overhead tank is 27 feet from ground level. The underground storage is 5 feet deep from ground level and is fed by municipal water. It is located about 15 feet away from the actual place where the pump will be installed. Hence total head is about 32 feet. The pipe diameter is 1.25 inches.

My estimate is that a 0.5 HP pump is sufficient for the job. However the thing that bothers me is that monoblock pumps need to be fed with water before it can reliably pump water. But in my case, the pump has to suck water from a depth of 5 feet, would this not damage the pump as it will run dry for some time. Secondly, would the monoblock pump be able to displace the air in the pipe. I'm not too sure it would.

I need clarity regarding the following questions

Would I need to buy a self-priming monoblock pump to do the job or would a simple monoblock pump be sufficient?

If I buy a monoblock pump would the strees of lifting water from underground reduce its lifespan?

Would a 0.5 HP pump be sufficent for my requirement?

What would be the output (liters/minute) for a 0.5 HP pump?

 

I would appreciate your feedback regarding my query.

Regards

Naeem

by
19 November 2010