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Water Pumps

edited October 2019 in General

I've got one of these:

Clarke SPE1200SS water pump

image

It does an excellent job of running 4x condenser lines from a water tank.

However, it is very noisy.

Can anyone recommend a pump that is relatively quiet?

Preferably with 1 inch inlet and outlets.

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Comments

  • edited October 2019

    If anyone is interested, I bought this model. Much quieter.

    Clarke BPT600.

    image

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    800 x 365 - 41K
  • The pump is huge.

    I use a pump half the size for my 1000l still.

  • But is it quiet? I need a "booster" style pump with a pressurised air chamber, otherwise it is too noisy.

    I'm working within a few metres of the pump.

    These are pretty cheap to buy anyway.

  • Silent.

    Helps to run 3/4 or 1” hose. The 3/8” push fit tubing I see everyone use is far too restrictive. Great for municipal water under pressure, murder on pumps.

  • Ta.

    What make and model is the pump?

    The one above is pretty good, but completely silent is always better.

  • Cast iron volute in your new pump vs stainless steel volute in the old model.
    The pressure tank allows the pump to cycle on and off at pressures set in the pressure switch. Typical pressure switch preset pressures here in the US are pump on at 40psi, pump off at 60psi. On/off pressure settings adjustable by turning a couple of adjustment nuts inside the pressure switch.

    You can smooth out the cooling water flow rates by installing a pressure reducing valve on the pump discharge pipe going to your condensers. Use a pressure reducing valve that is set at or below the pump-on pressure setting, e.g. A 35psi pressure reducing valve for a 40 psi pump-on setting. That will insure your condensers will receive constant flow at 35psi. Single value pressure reducing valves are pretty inexpensive, and can be found in the irrigation section of big-box hardware stores.

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • We use Grundfos Alpha circulator pumps.

  • edited October 2019

    @grim

    What are the connectors you used on the pump?

    They are 1.5" threaded.

    Struggling to find anything other than 1.5" to 15mm compression, which is not suitable for my use.

  • Do you need suction or will gravity feed work? If gravity feed, there are many options. I use a gravity feed spa pump that is quiet as a mouse.

  • edited October 2019

    You question is confusing. Gravity-fed for pump priming?
    If your water source is high enough above your point of use, a pump may not be necessary. 1psi = 2.31 feet of water head, e.g. water coming from 115 feet higher than your point of use will have 50psi of pressure.

    Pump suction lift should be as little as possible - trying to suck water up from too far below the pump will cause cavitation (low pressure boiling).
    Discharge-side, your lift is only limited by the size of your pump. You could push water into orbit if your pump is big enough.

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • He means self priming.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • My water tank is at floor level.

    I tried a central heating pump - absolutely not powerful enough.

    The pump I have has to run 4x condenser lines, including one that goes quite high to the top of the column.

    And return the water back to the tank.

    I'm pretty happy with it. Would like it quieter, but not a big deal.

  • My 0.5HP Aqua-Flo pump works like a charm. Only caveat is you need the tank slightly above the pump inlet for gravity feed. You can get more HP that is more than adequate for any application.

  • BTW....by gravity feed, i did mean self-priming

  • edited October 2019

    We run 1.25” on the cooling lines, that may not work for you. On the commercial side, I wouldn’t waste time with anything under 1”, the flow restriction requires major pump to overcome. 3/8 or 1/2 push-fit is like hyperventilating through a cocktail straw. Any pump at all, I wouldn't go under 3/4".

  • I use 1/2" copper line and 5/8" rubber hose, but I have over-sized my PC (8"x1.2m) so that I can run very slow and get the outlet temp of a PC to within a few degrees of the vapor temp running around 0.1gpm/kw, 9kw is less than 1gpm and 36kw is about 3.5gpm

    I do have my water storage on the mezzanine/2nd floor, but all you really need is to have the pump at the base outlet of the water supply and if using a centrifugal pump, try to reduce any intake restriction... I use a very short 3/4" connection to my tote, and will be downsizing the tote to a keggle when I get the 2nd 24x24 fan cooled HX installed in series for the PC and plumb in a glycol liquid to liquid hx to take it down the last few degrees before going into the PC when it is 90F+ here in FL..

  • Hi all, I'm running just a cheap hot water circulation pump, 120l olive barrel as water supply sitting on top of a 205l drum, still is 3m high, had one problem early, as I'm using washing machine hoses (crimped fittings, no leaks) my second run using this setup I ran out of water flow,. Found that these hoses have tiny screen filters to protect the washing machine solonoids, ripped them out, zero issues now, dead quiet. Thanks

  • I use a March TE-5C-MD unit that pumps great... and quiet... and I even have one that is XP, all on eBay for $100 or less...

  • March is good, so is Iwaki.

    You can always find a good Iwaki MD pump on eBay. They are bombproof external Mag pumps. Just match the model to your flow rates. They make some really nice small pressure pumps that can handle small tubing and high head. They also have some efficient low head high flow pumps.

  • The Goulds NPE series pumps are very good for this type of duty. Reliable and easy to maintain when set up correctly.

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