# Borehole water system



## Phildave (Jul 27, 2011)

Hi,

Our place in Chiclana has not been urbanised yet so we rely on a borehole (well) for our water which I am desperately trying to find out how it works as it is always going wrong and I end up calling people in.

Basically it has a pump/motor beneath the water table that pumps water to the surface and then into a big red ball (like a BIG football) that clicks on and off when the taps are running.

Any information about this type of system or how it works would be gratefully appreciated.

Philip


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Do you have a well or water deposit where you can store water? If not you should try and have one installed. The borehole will only work when the water level is sufficiently high and depending on many circumstances that won't always be the case. My outlaws have such a system and every two days they fill their well to ensure they have constant water. Three years ago they had real problems when there were drought conditions and they were never able to fill their well completely. There will be others on here who have such systems and no doubt will post some good advice.


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## Phildave (Jul 27, 2011)

thrax said:


> Do you have a well or water deposit where you can store water? If not you should try and have one installed. The borehole will only work when the water level is sufficiently high and depending on many circumstances that won't always be the case. My outlaws have such a system and every two days they fill their well to ensure they have constant water. Three years ago they had real problems when there were drought conditions and they were never able to fill their well completely. There will be others on here who have such systems and no doubt will post some good advice.


Thrax, many thanks for the speedy reply. The water "supply" has never been a problem ( we are quite lucky that we live in a "low" area & have ample water - so far !). 
No, the problems that I experiance is - pump burning out, motor burning out, "red ball" needs replacing/refilling with air, regulator that "clicks" needs adjusting/renewing, pressure low - they all seem to be relatively easy jobs that I could do - if I knew a bit more about how this type of system works.
Thanks, Philip


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

If the pump/motor keeps burning out then it needs to be replaced with a more efficient/powerful one. I have tried to find out about the red ball but no luck so far. Is it something like a ball cock?


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## Phildave (Jul 27, 2011)

thrax said:


> If the pump/motor keeps burning out then it needs to be replaced with a more efficient/powerful one. I have tried to find out about the red ball but no luck so far. Is it something like a ball cock?


Thrax,
No, its like a big football. My (basic) understanding is that the pump fills the ball up (at the well head) which is pressurised and its this pressure (not from the pump) that provides pressure to the taps etc.
Hope this helps,

Philip


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

The 'big football' sounds liek a pressure vessel, and it could be that your pump is burning out because it is sucking air, or running dry.
What head is is pumping ?


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## tonyinspain (Jul 18, 2011)

The big red ball is for pressure on top is a valve that you pump upto 3lbs below the ball will be a pressure switch witch as the water pressure is released for example turn on a tap the pressure decreases t
And the pressure switch turns on power to the water pump (usually submersible) which refills the amount of water you have used to 3lbs pressure 
If you turn the tap on the all thing starts again
Also they have a pressure dial with numbers on it i have mine set to come on at 2lbs and off at 4lbs 
Too much pressure over 4 can cause leaks in your system too little and water will dribble from taps
My system also has a second external pump working in line with the submersible to give more pressure over distance as its around 150 metres from my house uphill but usually only one pump is needed
To adjust pressure undo the pressure switch cover and behind this is two nuts one large one smaller
Turn power to switch off check what pressure your on by see where the needle on your dial stops if less than 3 turn large nut clockwise to increase pressure and anti to decrease
3 to 4 lbs is sufficient
Hope this helps used this system in my well for 8yrs


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## thelastspud (Oct 24, 2011)

Yep other's have said this as well but I grew up with one of these systems.

* Inside the big red ball is a balloon.

*the pump pushes water against the balloon compressing it raising the pressure level inside the balloon.

*when you turn on a tap the water stops pushing against the balloon so the pressure drops and a switch turns on the pump. 

*when you turn it off again the pump keeps running until the water pushes up against the balloon again then the pressure builds and it switches off. 

* if the pump runs for a long time after you turn off the tap you need to pump up the balloon a bit, a bike pump works.(running to long after turning off the tap will burn out your pump eventually.)


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## tonyinspain (Jul 18, 2011)

If the pressure switch is damaged open circuit your pump will remain on there will be no clicking and this could burn the pump motor out
Listen to the system when the taps are off if its running then faults in thr pressure switch renew 12 euros if it clicks on then off then on again and the taps are off its a small leak in the system also in the main pipe from well ie
1st pump 
2nd a non return valve is require to keep the pump always primed as if the pump is not self priming it has to run dry till the water gets to it and this could cause overheating


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