By-Pass Tank

[rick77 14]

I've got a 4GPM 3,000 PSI cold water machine that I do strictly residential with. I'm changing the internal by-pass to an external by-pass so I'll need some kind of tank to accept the by-pass water.

I don't think I'll be relying on this tank for a buffer tank but I may want to recycle the water to the machine, so I guess it will be like a float tank, is that correct? What is the smallest tank that I should use for this application. My pick-up truck is loaded with lots of equipment already so I want to go with as small a tank as I can.

Thanks for any advice/info!

[814jeffw 71]

Depends, on your needs mostly. If you are depending on the customers' water then it will be determined by how much you're on and off the trigger. When your off the trigger the the water is going to by-pass back into the tank,..so it has to be big enough so as you don't have it overflowing all the time. I would get at least a 50 gallon tank and plumb it into your pump, so you can shut the customers' water off and run off the supply tank once in a while. Get as big a tank as you can though.

Someone may be able to give insight on rigging a float shut-off into this, just can't seem to picture how it would work though. I've never used the float valves,...so anyone??

Jeff

Edited April 16, 2009 by 814jeffw

[David O'Connell Jr. 14]

Get a 35-50 gallon tank plumb it to the pw, use a float valve to auto fill and shut off the customers water. Easy to do.

[814jeffw 71]

Get a 35-50 gallon tank plumb it to the pw' date=' use a float valve to auto fill and shut off the customers water. Easy to do.[/quote']

I knew I was gonna have a DUH!! moment,Ha,Ha!!!

Ok, so the garden hose will now be plumbed to the tank through the float valve, and the tank will be feeding the machine and the by-pass will just go into the same tank?

Just never used float valves or plumbed them in, that is my EXCUSE for being ignorant on the subject!!

Jeff

Edited April 16, 2009 by 814jeffw

[rick77 14]

Get a 35-50 gallon tank plumb it to the pw' date=' use a float valve to auto fill and shut off the customers water. Easy to do.[/quote']

When the tank fills up the float valve shuts off the customer's water. Then the full tank of water will be recycled to the power washer. Is there any danger of the water in a smaller size tank getting too hot to go back through the pump? Especially with say a 35 gallon tank?

I guess more fresh water comes in sporadically as the float valve allows when the water level dips a little huh?

[814jeffw 71]

It would never get 35 gallons of water even warm.

Jeff

[rick77 14]

So with a 35 gallon tank and a 4 GPM machine it's like this:

35 gallons divided by 4 GPM = 8.75 minutes that the tank could supply water to the machine.

So I could have over 8 minutes to not have to worry about the trigger not being pulled.

Of course this is not the actual case because the tank will get a feed from the main water supply as the float valve allows so the tank never really becomes empty.

Where can I learn how to plumb the float tank properly? Any links to good info?

[814jeffw 71]

No I believe what he's saying is the water supply will be plumbed to the tank through the float valve, when the water gets high enough the water supply is cut off by the float valve and the washer will continue to be fed by the tank and by-pass the water back into the tank when the trigger isn't being used. You could let it run all day like this.

Jeff

[rick77 14]

No I believe what he's saying is the water supply will be plumbed to the tank through the float valve, when the water gets high enough the water supply is cut off by the float valve and the washer will continue to be fed by the tank and by-pass the water back into the tank when the trigger isn't being used. You could let it run all day like this.

Jeff

That is my understanding of it too. In my last post I stated that the 8 minutes plus was not the actual case. I knew that the water would be recycling from the float tank and pump on the machine continuously when the float valve does not allow fresh water to come in.

But I am still learning about this by-pass/float tank stuff. I appreciate your valuable input. Now I need to find a tank. Does Tractor Supply sell them?

[rick77 14]

I found a 35 gallon tank at Tractor supply. It's a horizontal barrel shaped tank with molded in legs. Perfect size for the space available in the bed of my pick-up.

I'll order a float valve from Bob at Pressure Tek and whatever other fittings I need.

I'll do a search for plumbing the tank but if anyone has info they'd like to share I'm all ears.

Thanks!

[David O'Connell Jr. 14]

talk to Bob if your getting the valve from him.

[GymRat 14]

A 35 or 55 gallon drum would be all you need for a tank. Bob will sell you a hudson float valve and a line long enough for your discharge back to your tank. The discharge line back to your tank does not have to be a high pressure line because it just hangs in the top of the tank. Remember to aim this recyle line away from the discharge of your tank, to diminish the chance of the bubbles it creates from getting to the suction of your pump causing your pump to cavitate.

[rick77 14]

Thanks guys!!! The 35 gallon tank I got at Tractor supply wasn't exactly cheap ($89.99) but it's perfect for my situation and it's already plumbed for a 3/4 male garden hose connection on the bottom that will be handy for running the garden hose to the pump on the machine.

So all I need now is the float valve and a proper hose/fitting to run from the unloader back to the top of the tank.

I've already ordered the unloader, a Cox Reel, whip line, Stainless Steel Hansen couplers, and a water filter from Pressure Tek. I've got two 100' hoses and a 50' hose so hopefully soon I can leave the rig on the truck while I work. That'll be so much easier and faster!

[rick77 14]

So the outlet hose just connects to the outlet on the bottom of the tank.

The main water supply hose with the float valve goes into the 5" cap on top of the tank.

Where do most guys put the return hose from the unloader back to the tank? Is it OK to put it in the tank cap on top of the tank along with the main supply or should I find a different place away from the main supply as well as away from the outlet on bottom of the tank?

I'm thinking that it should go into the top cap of the tank along with the main supply hose, but not sure.

[schrec 64]

Bypass Tank? The bypass on my K7 unloader goesto a T at the water inlet into the pump. It is not needed for a long hose going back to your tank.

[rick77 14]

Bypass Tank? The bypass on my K7 unloader goesto a T at the water inlet into the pump. It is not needed for a long hose going back to your tank.

I'm feeding by-pass water back to the tank so it will cool down.

If it just goes in a short looping tube and right back into the pump then it (the water) doesn't get much of a chance to cool down.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Here is an example of one, sorry, couldn't find the other pics showing different views. Waking up is hard to do sometimes.

http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/attachments/scrap-book/10635d1219494966-fords-rule-aug2008-097.jpg

Rod!~

[rick77 14]

That looks just like the 35 gallon tank I got at Tractor Supply yesterday. I wonder what kind of rack or mount that is that elevates it. Is it made of wood or metal?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

It's metal, and it is custom built. Rod bought parts and made it himself.

Beth

[Douglas Hicks 128]

It would never get 35 gallons of water even warm.

Jeff

Or even the 1 gallon by-pass tank warm.

[rick77 14]

Or even the 1 gallon by-pass tank warm.

But don't you need a larger tank in order to avoid turbulance from the by-pass hose causing air bubbles going in the tank outlet to the pump? I guess you're talking theoretically though.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

But don't you need a larger tank in order to avoid turbulance from the by-pass hose causing air bubbles going in the tank outlet to the pump? I guess you're talking theoretically though.

Good point, that was one that I had with a 3 gallon factory installed tank. Incoming water would cause so much turbulence and induce air bubbles to the point that it would not allow me to wash unless the tank was always full.

The problem there was that not all of my customers supply was able to keep up.

The 30 gal. tank solved that and more. The one in the pic is mounted on 2" square tubing that is mounted to the top rail of the bed. That is an old pic, now I have also a Decker topper pump and a 200' chem hose reel mounted on it in addition to the 300' supply hose reel.

Rod!~

[schrec 64]

I'm feeding by-pass water back to the tank so it will cool down.

If it just goes in a short looping tube and right back into the pump then it (the water) doesn't get much of a chance to cool down.

Cool down from what? the pump? how does the pump heat the water?

[814jeffw 71]

Cool down from what? the pump? how does the pump heat the water?

A small amount of water cycling through a hot pump will heat up. Every owners manual always states "Do not let machine run without the trigger being pulled for however long"

Some pumps have thermal relief,( which I'm sure you're aware of) and when they reach a certain temperature they will dump water and then cycle in some cooler water. But I think these trapped systems is what they're for.

Jeff

Edited April 18, 2009 by 814jeffw

[Paul Kassander 26]

Thermal relief valves are designed for use in a pressure fed application in order to force the water out the opening when the internal thermostat opens (kind of like your car).

In a closed loop system the water will heat up each time it passes through the pump due to friction. If you circulate a 1/2 gallon of water enough times it will get over 180 degrees easily damaging your pump. To eliminate this problem a longer bypass loop that holds more water helps or running your line back to the tank will do the trick.