# plumber needed in Zapopan, Jalisco



## Salto_jorge (Mar 28, 2010)

I am currently looking for a plumber that speaks and understands English.


Has anyone put together a directory of english speaking service providers for the guadalajara area ?

Please let me know.

Take Care



salto underscore jorge underscore mx at yahoo dot com


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Possibly, but you might ask at the American Society (AMSOC). I think they usually have an ad in the Guadalajara Reporter. Otherwise, just ask around the neighborhood.
Maybe some forum member who lives in Guadalajara will see your post and have some information for you.
Meanwhile, Welcome to the forum.


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## Salto_jorge (Mar 28, 2010)

Thank You

We did a google search for: fontaneria guadalajara mexico and found a few but since my spanish is not the best and my understanding of the local plumbing is worse I do not not know what is going on.


I have a tank in the ground, then a bypass for the water to go to the roof if the pressure is high.
If the pressure is low I have a pump to pump water to the tank on the roof.
Then the roof tank has a pump to pressurize the house.
The hot water heater is on the first floor and is very small for the house.

Right now the roof top tank is empty and the pump on the first floor is extra warm.

That is where I am at.

Salto


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

It sounds like the aljibe (the underground tank/cistern) was empty. Your tinaco (the roof tank) demanded water as it lowered in volume. The pump responded, but soon got hot without water available. As such, it may have burned out but may still be 'trying'. I would turn it off. 
This was probably caused by a prolonged lack of water being supplied from the city, at least at a pressure sufficient to your needs. You have no recourse, of course. 
So, look in the aljibe and see if it is now full. If so, you need to get the pump repaired or replaced. I suggest a submersible pump, or at least one that is arranged with a cut-off so that it cannot try to pump if there is no water in the aljibe; the same arrangement should be on your pressure pump. Of course, you may not want to change the setup.
Any competent plumber/electrician (they are the same in Mexico) can solve this problem for you if you just show him the system; he'll figure out the details.
Frankly, I might be tempted to re-design the system with the pressure system at the aljibe and the tinaco arranged with a check valve so that it only dropped water by gravity in the even the aljibe was empty, the pump failed, or the power was off. One pump, less electrical consumption, simple and very effective.
Hope that helps.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I heard in the news that large sections of Guadalajara are without water due to system repairs. If that's your case then there's not much you can do but call a water truck - 'pipa de agua' to fill your cistern


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## Salto_jorge (Mar 28, 2010)

We were able to find a plumber and they arrived in the evening.

They told us that the pressure by-pass for they city supply had been functioning for so long that the lift pump failed. 

The aljibe was full but pressure and flow were so low that the water did make tinaco on its own.

We learned that our lift pump was in the plumbers mind a disposable emergency one. A pump that is mounted in the laundry room in the corner. The lift pump was jammed ??? they messed with and got it to work again, claimed that this was a common problem for those with a bypass design that do not rely on the lift pump all the time.

The plumber perfers a submersible 120 volt deep well pump laying on its side in the aljibe that would be cooled by the water in the tank.

The aljibe has a float and pressure value for the by-pass and lift pump.

The tinaco has two floats for the house pressure pump and water from the aljibe so that it does not overflow.

The plumer told us to turn off the water supply from the street every month or so and make sure that the lift pump still functions. He said that it should function or replace it. I am starting to believe that lift pump could have lost prime within the mess pipes and that is why it failed to function. The lift pump was very noisy and was getting hot.



To me this is far more complicated then anything I have heard of before.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

The submersible is a bit more expensive, but with a pressure tank it will serve you well. It should have a controller to prevent overheating in the absence of water. Ours does and has been trouble free for many years with several instances of an empty aljibe; causing the check valve from the tinaco to open and allow water to flow by gravity until the city water is on again.
Your plumber sounds competent.


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