[Scotty370]

I really didn't know where to post this, but here goes: I have an elderly associate that has an Island Cottage on a lake in Apsley Ontario, Northeast of Peterborough. For years, we have used lake water for bath, kitchen use etc. Our pump is at the house, and is only a suction type, no jet siphon. It's recently become a PITA to prime the pump during the Spring opener. Typically once this is done, we're good for the season, but it requires repeated trips to the water edge with 5gal pails, to haul the water, and try to fill the supply line. Going up for the close, the owner and his son found that it had lost 'prime'. Apparently it took the 2 hours to get the water up and running. OK, that's the back story!

Owners son said: How about we put a submersable pump, at the end? Well that's what I have at my cottage, but it's in a well! Yea, we'd have to run power. But it would totally eliminate the priming fiasco. Guess we'd have to fashion a float on top and anchor on the bottom, to keep it out of the sand and gravel. The bottom of the lake is basically granite bedrock. So a post is out of the question. Anyone got any ideas???? Oh, the run from the house to the lake edge is about 50 feet, but we've got the foot valve probably out another 25'. And the drop from the current pump to the water surface is about 12'-15'. Thank for any input! ~Scotty

 

[Falconmech1]

We have the same pump set-up at our lake house also. Have had the same problem in the past. Check your foot valve, it is either stuck open,corroded or has some junk trapped in it. If that checks out, look for a hole in the line some place. Mine likes to rub on the rocks near shore and get small pin holes in it or the animals like to chew through it. Doesn't take but a pin hole to make it lose prime over time. Most likely the hole is under the water unless you see an obvious pressure leak once it is above ground.

Good luck.

 

[Scotty370]

We have the same pump set-up at our lake house also. Have had the same problem in the past. Check your foot valve, it is either stuck open,corroded or has some junk trapped in it. If that checks out, look for a hole in the line some place. Mine likes to rub on the rocks near shore and get small pin holes in it or the animals like to chew through it. Doesn't take but a pin hole to make it lose prime over time. Most likely the hole is under the water unless you see an obvious pressure leak once it is above ground.

Good luck.

Yeah, I think that it picked up sand, or a pebble and it 'unseated' the foot valve and allowed the water to drain out! Guess what I'm looking for is someone thats used a submersable in this type of application, and what their success has been. Thanks for your reply........~Scotty

I hear you about the 'rock scraping' on the shore line! I've put the 1-1/4 line through a 1-1/2" line as a sleeve to prevent that, but it's a challange............ Thanks again! ~S

 

[RRMCCABE]

Scotty, guess I don't understand the float part.

Why cant you just make a metal stand to sit on the bottom and elevate the pump? Something like a big heavy "tripod"

Rich

 

[Scotty370]

Scotty, guess I don't understand the float part.

Why cant you just make a metal stand to sit on the bottom and elevate the pump? Something like a big heavy "tripod"

Rich

Rich, thats a great idea! But taking it a step further, How about an old Truck tire rim, that I'd fab a welded basket to, Fill the rim with concrete, and leave it in the water 365! Then in the Spring, go out in the boat, and drop the pump into the 'fabbed' basket/bracket! In the Fall, pull it out! You got my brain workin'! Thanks! ~Scotty

 

[RRMCCABE]

Rich, thats a great idea! But taking it a step further, How about an old Truck tire rim, that I'd fab a welded basket to, Fill the rim with concrete, and leave it in the water 365! Then in the Spring, go out in the boat, and drop the pump into the 'fabbed' basket/bracket! In the Fall, pull it out! You got my brain workin'! Thanks! ~Scotty

That sounds like it would work but getting a truck rim with concrete down to the bottom upright might be a challenge. But you know the layout and I don't so you could be on to something.

 

[rgd]

Scotty,what is a "foot" valve? Is it a check valve? Could you install a gate valve in the suction line,close to the waters edge, to keep from losing the prime and be a secondary fail safe? I like the idea of a submersible pump in a cage/standoff from the bottom. How deep is the water and how accessible/steep is the bank?

 

[dieselshadow]

A foot valve is a check valve and a inlet screen all in one.

Foot valve on the left, regular check on the right.

 

[Scotty370]

Rich- The float in our current configuration is so that the foot valve stays off the bottom. Then it doesn't pick up sand. A nylon line goes from a float on the surface to an anchor on the bottom. Then we have the foot valve/screen (Thanks, Diesel for the picture) suspended between the two! The rock shelf along the shore is of the nature that I could fab the rim with steel basket at home, take it to the shoreline, fill it with concrete, cure, and then slide it into the lake, out some twenty five to thirty feet in about 6-8' of water. Does anyone know if a submersable pump has to be vertical in order for it's check valve to work? TIA ~Scotty

PS: We closed up for the Winter this weekend, returning yesterday! So, I've got time to brainstorm....... ~S