best lakewater pump

[sleeper]

We will be installing a pump to supply lakewater to an island house. Any suggestions on what type of pump will work best?

[Coolbreeze]

Pumps are rated by horsepower. A qualified pump dealer (not lowes or Hd) will ask you what the distance from the water source to the tank is, size hose and how many bathrooms etc you need to supply water to. We use the company in Alton just below the circle on the right leaving the area, if that helps. They always have given us good honest answers and solutions.

[upthesaukee]

Besides distance, a very real concern is the "lift", or height from the water to your house. You can have a long run with a minimal difference in height (say 5') and be able to use a smaller HP (and therefore cheaper) pump. But, if you have a shorter distance but are much higher above the water (say 50' vertical lift), then you will need a much more powerful pump. (Not bad info from a former Lowes Plumbing sales guy ).

Water Industries (as stated in previous post on Rte 28 just South of the Alton Circle) would be a great source for info, sales and service.

Ph 603-875-7000

[Island Girl]

My pump is a jacuzzi from the aforementioned, Water Industries... very reliable... the previous flotec pump was a piece of junk... always breaking. I spent many an evening under the steps where the pump was installed... getting it to work again.

IG

[Orion]

Many people use a regular submersed well pump. No priming needed, just flip the switch at the start of each season and instant water.

[Webbsatwinni]

When we bought our house it had a pump that worked (and still is), we are just not sure how long it will work for so we started researching options. I will look for the one we found (I changed email servers and can't find it), it was a submersible that could be auto drained in colder weather. We found it at Cottage Life, but it is no longer listed, below is the Cottage Life link to the products page, it may be of help on this or other projects.

http://www.cottagelife.com/index.cfm...1/level/3.html


Also,

For the fittings we used these, they are great!

http://www.cottagelife.com/index.cfm/ci_id/1383/la_id/1

[EllyPoinster]

We used these guys - very pleased.

Anything Water-Hupp'S
136 Colbath Road,
Center Barnstead, NH 03225

(603) 269-6999

[fatlazyless]

For a cottage with one or two bathrooms and one kitchen, then a 1/2 hp-110 volt, shallow well pump with a 30 gallon storage tank should be enough. The pump and tank typically gets installed in the crawl space under the cottage, and is capable of drawing water up to about 30' in elevation between the foot valve, at the bottom of the line, and the pump. The water line is usually 1 1/4" diameter black poly tube.

Lowe's in Gilford has good selection, 90-day easy-returns, & free hot cocoa. Lowe's also has instructional hand-outs to help figure the correct hp which is usually 1/2 or 3/4 hp.

Finding an air leak, replacing a leaky foot valve, chipmonks living winter in the 1 1/4" black poly line and stashing acorns....having a cottage with a pump eventually makes you a pump expert.

My pump is a Simer, made in Italy, and purchased from Rand's Hardware in Plymouth. It's pretty quiet for a pump. Previous pump was a freebie old Gould from a Squam Lake tear-down cottage

Simer water pumps, and Riello oil burners, both made in Italy, are very well built.

[Steveo]

My suggestion is to install the pump at the lowest elevation you can. It is easier to pump the water up versus trying to draw it uphill.

[Grady223]

Originally Posted by Orion

Many people use a regular submersed well pump. No priming needed, just flip the switch at the start of each season and instant water.

We have a regular submersible well pump feeding our water on Barndoor Island. The biggest advantage is that you never hear it running.

You do need to install an in water rack to hold the unit above the bottom.

We used Mal Hazeltine (Mal's Pumbing & Heating) in Wolfeboro to install it, he supplied the rack, too. His # is 569-1643.

[Irrigation Guy]

We use Terry Morerod of Lakes Region Pump and Irrigation always an excellent job and at a reasonable price. I have referred him to many clients and they have always commented on his excellent work and great price. You can't go wrong.

His number is 603-455-2419.

[PennyPenny]

Always ask you installer if he is a licenced pump installer in the state of NH for domestic potable water. You as a homeowner can install your own. However if you contract it, it is a good question to ask.

[Bear Island South]

Originally Posted by Grady223

We have a regular submersible well pump feeding our water on Barndoor Island. The biggest advantage is that you never hear it running.

You do need to install an in water rack to hold the unit above the bottom.

We used Mal Hazeltine (Mal's Pumbing & Heating) in Wolfeboro to install it, he supplied the rack, too. His # is 569-1643.

I like this idea, does the pump stay in the water year round? do you still have a pressure tank? I need to look into this!

Our pump is located at the rear of our camp (60 feet from the lake) in an insulated pump house, it took me about about 45 minutes to get it primed last weekend, very frustrating.

[Orion]

Yes, we keep our pump in the water year round and have had no problems. We also have a thermostatically controlled heater wire inside our waterline going to the lake (which is ony about 6"-12" underground) so we have water well into November and first thing in April. When we get there we just flip the switch for the pump. There is an expansion/pressure tank just like a well would have.

[Steveo]

Originally Posted by Bear Island South

Our pump is located at the rear of our camp (60 feet from the lake) in an insulated pump house, it took me about about 45 minutes to get it primed last weekend, very frustrating.

You probably already know this but worth mentioning for those that have problem getting pump properly primed and running.

I had the same problem with my pump this year. I prime it both from the pump and from the foot valve side (about a 60 foot run). When I first turn it on the pump just turns and I get no pressure. So I open the pump and prime again. What I always forget to do is to "bleed" out the air. Just open the nut where you prime the pump just enough to let air escape and then shut it as soon as water comes out. Worked first time after doing this.

[northeastelectric]

My Name is Dan with Northeast Electric(Licensed Electricians)-603-828-3479,once you have your pump,if you need someone for the hookup as far as the electrical end of it please feel free to give us a call.,a friend of mine had a problem getting water to his pump because he was sucking up sand from the bottom of the lake so he poured a small mooring block with an eyebolt on top wich he dropped i n the lake about 50 feet from shore wich allows him to tie the foot valve to it to keep it up off the bottom just enough while still getting it way out there,this has kept him from sucking up so much sand and seems to have solved his problem but that was another lake so im not sure what the rules are here but is worth checking out anyway.Good luck.Sincerly Dan G.-Northeast Electric-603-828-3479.

Originally Posted by Steveo

You probably already know this but worth mentioning for those that have problem getting pump properly primed and running.

I had the same problem with my pump this year. I prime it both from the pump and from the foot valve side (about a 60 foot run). When I first turn it on the pump just turns and I get no pressure. So I open the pump and prime again. What I always forget to do is to "bleed" out the air. Just open the nut where you prime the pump just enough to let air escape and then shut it as soon as water comes out. Worked first time after doing this.

[BroadHopper]

Take your pick. A submergible pump similar to an artesian well pump that will drain when shut off or the standard well pump with a pressure tank.

The submergible may be more expensive but there is less maintenance when you open the cottage in the spring.

If you need more advice as to plumbing and or electrics, feel free to pm me.

[lakershaker]

Does anybody have any concerns with running a live electric line into the lake? In a well, a submerged pump with a short doesn't really hurt anyone. But in the lake with people swimming, is this a risk I should worry about? We have a standard puller pump out of the water, but I'd like to consider a submerged but have been worried with electrocution.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by lakershaker

Does anybody have any concerns with running a live electric line into the lake? In a well, a submerged pump with a short doesn't really hurt anyone. But in the lake with people swimming, is this a risk I should worry about? We have a standard puller pump out of the water, but I'd like to consider a submerged but have been worried with electrocution.

According to building codes any electrical within six feet of water has to have a GFCI. If there is a GFCI breaker, that shouldn't be a problem.

[Bear Island South]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

According to building codes any electrical within six feet of water has to have a GFCI. If there is a GFCI breaker, that shouldn't be a problem.

I am looking to line up an Electrician to come out to the island and set up the electrical work for a new submersible pump, any electricians out there interested? We also are in need of having our pump for the septic system re-wired, it seems there may be a short somewhere. I exposed the wires and found a buried junction box that looks like it was mickey-moused together.
I am hoping to get this done within the next 3-4 weeks, we are there on the weekends and could accomodate a boat ride over unless you have your own boat.

Call or email me 508-942-8894 bear.island248@gmail.com

Thanks.
Glenn Odone