Everyone who lives in an apartment building, and even on the upper floors, was faced with the problem of a weak pressure of water in the crane. This is especially true in the summer, when water can not reach the apartment at all. Meanwhile, all modern household appliances that use tap water need a stably high pressure, at least 2 atmospheres. This is especially true of the shower and Jacuzzi. With a smaller pressure, washing will be simply impossible. According to the standards, the pressure should be at least 4 atmospheres. How to increase the pressure in the water supply? After all, an apartment is not a private house, it is impossible to make your own water pipe with a powerful pump. Yet there is a solution.
Causes of low pressure in the water supply system
In many cities and towns, water supply networks were built in the 70s-80s of the last century. If on the surface they are periodically repaired, then the underground part of them is repaired only in emergency cases. For this reason, no matter what powerful pumps are installed at pumping stations, the pressure of the end user still falls. To cope with such a problem an ordinary citizen living in an apartment building can not, but to reduce its influence on himself is quite capable.
The second reason is old or clogged pipes in the house itself. This problem is solved more simply. Residents should initiate network repairs in their management company. Replacement of pipes with new plastic ones is likely to solve the problem of pressure in the water supply. The third reason is clogs in pipes and fittings in the apartment itself. This is solved by a simple replacement of cranes and other elements, as well as the washing of pipes.
If the networks in the house are new and the pipes in the apartment are changed, but there is still no pressure, then the first reason should be considered. In this case, repairs can not wait until retirement, and water is needed now. It will have to be solved independently.
What technical means can increase the pressure in the water pipe
Today, the industry produces several types of pumps to increase the pressure in the water pipe. Let's consider some of their variants.
Pumping station
This is a whole complex of equipment for raising the pressure in the water supply system. Most often it is used in the organization of autonomous water supply in a private house, since the capacity of this installation is sufficient to suck the water from a large depth of the well. The principle of its operation is based on the fact that with the help of an electric motor, coupled with a piston, the air from the accumulator, similar to a large balloon, is pumped out.
In the vacuum formed, water rushes from a well or well. If you install such a system in an apartment, then most likely you will be with water, even if before that it did not reach you at all, but your neighbors are unlikely, even if they had it before. Therefore, the installation of such equipment must be coordinated with all stakeholders and organizations. In addition, because of its size, to install it in the apartment will be problematic.
If you have received all the approvals, then it will be necessary to determine the place where all the equipment will be installed. It has quite large dimensions, and it is very troublesome to place it in a city apartment. It is necessary for him to allocate a corner in the bathroom. The pump station includes: an electric motor with an air cooling system, a hydraulic accumulator, which can be of various sizes, depending on the volume, coarse and fine filters, various sensors and an electronic control unit of the system. In addition, for such an assembly, pipe wiring is required. That is why pumping stations are installed in private houses to raise water from deep wells and wells, and not in urban apartments where there is no place for them.
Pump station - able to deliver water even where it was not.
Centrifugal pumps for increasing the pressure in the water supply and their installation
If the water from the tap runs at least in a thin trickle, then there is no need for a bulky pumping station. It will be enough to buy a small device, which is mounted directly into the pipe at the entrance to the apartment. Most modern pumps have two modes of operation: manual and automatic. In manual mode, the pump must always be switched on and off by yourself. In automatic mode, the equipment is switched on when one of the cranes in the apartment is opened. This provides a special device, which is called the flow sensor. It gives a signal to turn on only if there is movement of water through the pipe. If it is not present, for example, when the tap is closed, the pump turns off. Such a device provides protection against burning out during dry operation. Therefore, when choosing an assembly, it is necessary to stop on this option.
As with any positive work, according to the laws of thermodynamics, the system gives off heat, the pump must somehow cool down so as not to burn. By the method of the cooling system construction, centrifugal pumps for raising the pressure in the water supply can be divided into:
- Pumps with dry rotor. The impeller, located on the rotor of the engine, pumps air into the motor housing, which cools it. The distinctive features of such pumps are: low noise during operation and high efficiency.
- Pumps with wet rotor. Water flowing through such a pump itself cools the engine. Quiet work is their main plus.
When buying a centrifugal pump, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that some of them are universal, while others are intended only for hot or cold water supply.
Centrifugal pump for increasing pressure with a "dry rotor".
Centrifugal pump for increasing pressure with a "wet rotor".
To connect any of these pumps to the apartment's water supply system, you need to arm yourself with a special soldering iron for the pipes and a suitable tool. The crane at the entrance to the apartment is closed and after it a piece of pipe is cut, which along the length must coincide with the length of the water flow path through the pump and the flow sensor. The soldered pipe is then soldered to the ends of the cut pipe and the pump is screwed together with the sensor. The joints are carefully sealed with a special sealing tape. The pump is plugged into the mains and the faucet is opened. It can work, either manually or automatically, by increasing the pressure in the entire water pipe of the apartment.
Scheme of the tie-in of the raising pump in the water supply system at the entrance to the apartment.
The above types of pumps are used to increase the pressure in the entire water supply system of the apartment. However, many experts today believe that if there is water in the apartment, but there is not enough pressure, for example, for a boiler, the pump can be installed directly in front of it. Such a decision is not without meaning. After all, under normal cold water pressure, hot water can be practically absent, because it can not get through the storage tank of the water heater. How to increase the pressure in the water pipe only at the entrance to one of the household appliances? This is even easier than in the whole apartment. Here, a tie into pipes with their soldering is not required at all. You can dispense with the usual flexible piping.
Installation of a pump to increase pressure using flexible fittings
As already mentioned above, it is not difficult to install a pump to increase the pressure in the water pipe in front of the household appliance. Let's consider step by step how to do it.
1. We study the technical characteristics of the device, the work of which we want to normalize. In them we need to pay attention to the permissible maximum pressure.
2. We buy a centrifugal pump to increase the pressure in the water pipe, which has a thread at the inlet and outlet for flexible connections. Do not confuse with centrifugal pumps for the heating system. They have a similar appearance, only the carving on them is much larger. When buying, pay attention to the pressure characteristics. They should not significantly exceed the allowable for the device to which you plan to connect. This moment is very important, as violation of this rule can lead to equipment breakdown, which will deprive you of the guarantee for it.
3. To the pump we buy in addition a ball valve and flexible piping of the necessary length. The thread on the appliance and the hose must match. If the pump has more, then you need to choose the appropriate adapter. Do not forget about the Fum-tape for isolation of connections.
4. After coming home, we shut off the tap at the entrance of the water pipe to the apartment, and then unscrew the flexible piping that leads from the pipe to the device. This should be the input hose.
5. Find the place where the pump will be installed. Most often it is fixed to the wall with two screws, either vertically or horizontally. The mounting method is usually written in the instructions to the pump. So, it is necessary that all the hoses reach him without kinks. If this is not possible, then get a longer line.
6. Mark on the wall points to fix the pump, drill holes and insert plastic dowels.
7. At the pump, turn on the flow sensor. This is usually done at the exit. For information: both on the pump and on the flow sensor there is a marking in the form of arrows indicating the direction of the water flow. So it's impossible to mix up the entrance and the exit. The plug on the wiring leading from the sensor is inserted into the connector on the control unit. This is such a box, located on the power cable, which controls the entire operation of the pump. It also has a switch that can be used to turn the pump into manual or automatic mode. When installing threaded joints, do not forget to create insulation from the sealing tape. This will avoid leaks and re-dismantle all connections. In addition, all joints are fitted with rubber gaskets, which are included in the pump package.
8. The device is fixed to the wall with screws so that there are no significant vibrations. Caution: the pump must only be attached as specified in the instructions to it. Otherwise, the bearing may fail. If this is a bathroom and water can get on the pump casing, then provide protection from this possibility, just do not overdo it. Cooling should be carried out in a regular mode, therefore it is impossible to cover with a film or something else apertures of a casing over an impeller.
9. Connect the pump inlet to the water pipe through the shut-off valve, and the output to the device, the pressure in which to increase. Everything, the device is assembled. Plug it into the electrical network with a normal plug with a ground terminal.
10. We put the pump switch in the position "0" and open the tap at the inlet of the water pipe to the apartment. We look at all the connections. If we see leaks, we eliminate the leak by adding or replacing the sealing film, having previously shut off the tap. If there is no leakage, we turn on the pump in manual mode, having previously opened the hot water tap or shower. Hearing the noise of the pump, you should not be frightened. This is normal for devices with a dry rotor. We notice, whether the stream of water has amplified. If the pressure has increased and your problem is solved, then we check how the pump will work in automatic mode.
11. Toggle the toggle switch to the position for automatic operation and open the tap. The device should earn itself as soon as it is filled with water. When the valve is closed, the pump will turn off. It should be noted that sometimes with a very low head, the flow sensor may not work. In this case, the pump is put into manual mode, but you only have to remember to turn it off when closing the tap to avoid overheating and failure.
This is a pressure-boosting pump with a dry rotor installed in front of a storage type water heater.
As you can see, it is quite easy to install a pump to increase water pressure in the water pipe. The cost of such pumps is not high and starts at $ 40, and they solve the problem very seriously. According to the users who decided to install such pumps, they do not regret the measures taken. The water pressure in the faucet became much higher, you can freely use the shower and even a jacuzzi. The problem arises when the water disappears completely, not reaching the floor. Such pumps can not be helped here, because they are simply not designed for this. In this case, only the installation of the pumping station will help, but this step requires agreement with the management company and the tenants of the house.
