Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

http://www.yourwaterneeds.com/WT_PressureTank.asp

I'm concerned about water pressure from a Tinaco right above your head (not extra elevation), Tinaco taking up space, need to move Tinaco if second floor water is needed. Anyone familiar with pressurizing a system, relative costs and sizing it to family size and use.

All my building projects use a pressure pump. Two have the tinaco in the ground, and four have them on the roof. All work very well.

The pressurized system where the tinaco is on the second floor roof provides better pressure for showers and makes the washing machines work more efficiently.

Look here: http://rollybrook.com/R03-11-22.htm

And here: http://rollybrook.com/03-08-03.htm

The pressure system consists of two parts: the pump which is mounted on the top of a pressure tank. The tank will supply the pressurized water on demand. When the water in the tank is depleted, the pump will come on to continue the on demand need and to refill the pressure tank.

A small tank will cause the pump to come on more often to supply the need but for a shorter time to refill the tank. A large tank will cause the pump to operate less often but for a longer time to refill the tank. This is how it was explained to us. It seemed to be a tossup in electrical cost, so we bought the smaller, less expensive system.

The system at my house has furnished water for 7 people for the past 8 years without a failure.

I guess that link I included was only for tanks and I assume you buy these in combination. I'll have to start looking around .... maybe even HomeDepot but that may not be nesessary.

Sounds like we wouldn't need a big one with three bathrooms and washing area but I'll check prices. It would be for line pressure tho ... not to fill a Tinaco

"It would be for line pressure tho ... not to fill a Tinaco"

That is correct. The pump must have a source to draw from. Warning: If the pump draws air (no water in the tinaco), the pump will be ruined!!!

We bought our systems from a bomba store. They had only two sizes to chose from.

We added a cut off to our submersible pump in the aljibe (the in ground water tank) to avoid the possibility of running out of water without knowing it and ruining the pump.

Some kind of float level switch might be a good idea tho maybe not easy to find

When we first started construction the area was out of water for over a week because someone cut the power lines for the copper. We really needed that Tinaco then that sits in the yard .... and a 'pipa de agua'

We also use a submersible pump in the aljibe. It pumps via a pressure accumulator tank to the house and also to a tinaco on the roof. The tinaco has a float valve to shut off the supply, as well as a check valve to prevent flow when there is pressure in the system. Should power fail or the aljibe be empty, the check valve will release and water from the tinaco will flow by gravity to supply the house until normal conditions return, or the tinaco is also empty. This system works well and when the pressure suddenly drops, we know we are on the tinaco supply and should check for power or a stuck float in the aljibe, etc.

Our pump is also in the ground tank, usually called a cisterna here, and what I think is the pressure tank is the blue one on the roof next to the softener. I have a couple pics below. I can't tell you about how it works but this is the way our architect installs it in most houses here in Mérida and I have friends who live in one and have no complaints. He puts the pump in the cisterna for 2 reasons, it's less likely to go empty without your knowing (its filled by city water pressure) and it is usually in a place where the pump sound is not as bothersome. He said if the pump is on the roof it can sometimes sound even louder in the room beneath it.






Also, there are 2 float level switches on the fish pond pumps I have, they seem to be available. They turn the pump off if the water drops, that's what you want right?

I have been wondering if plastic underground tanks are not vastly
preferable to concrete tanks, which one suspects require much
more maintenance.

An issue which varies in significance, is if one does not have a
roof mounted Tinanco, and does not have back up electricity,
there will be no water for the duration of a power outage.
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We live in Ajijic and power outages are both infrequent and of
short duration . . . so we removed our Tenanco

I always install bypass valves to send street water directly to the house in case of electrical or other failures.