Automatic water shut off: needed

[RyanH 14]

Well, I got my new piece of equipment hooked up...man, that 30" Steel Eagle really hauls now...no longer for sale :)

However, with bigger equipment comes more complication. I don't want the water to be circulated through the pump in bypass mode, so I understand that it has to go somewhere else. It has a K7 unloader on it and in my testing I have a hose going from the unloader into a 20 gallon tank. I have my feed line coming from the same tank and the water source going into the tank. This arrangement works fine but obviously is flawed because I'm putting more water into the tank than I'm removing. I don't have the space (nor the desire) to pull around my big 300 gal. tank, so I'm wondering if there's a piece of equipment to help out here. What I'd like to have is a float valve that will stop the water flow once it reaches a certain level in the tank and resume it when the level drops. I can think of some complicated arrangement where a bouyant device raises and, with the help of a lever, closes over the hose inlet, but aything easier? Place to look at/ buy?

Help appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Don Phelps 85]

http://www.kencove.com/ShopDetail.php?recordID=VHV

[RyanH 14]

Cool. Called them up...very nice folks. It's on it's way.

Thanks alot Don.

[squirtgun 122]

Ryan,

Are you going to use the 20 gallon tank with the Hudson float valve?I thik you will need something a little larger at least a 35 if not a 55.I know Don uses a smaller float tank for his skid maybe he can recommend a tank size.

[Don Phelps 85]

I use a 65. Test it with the smaller tank first. Delco puts very small float tanks on their skids and they seem to work for them.

[jsavoy 14]

This is the type I use http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=usplastic&category%5Fname=6109&product%5Fid=5869

[RyanH 14]

Just because I don't want a large footprint I'm going to try and do it with my 20 gallon. If that doesn't work, I have access to 55 gallon drums I can use..I mainly want to keep the weight in my trailer down as low as possible. I think I stressed my axle carrying around my 250 gallon full and I don't want to do anymore damage. I'll post on how it works when I get it setup. Hopefully I'll have it by next week.

[Degraffreed 21]

Does anyone have a pic of a shutoff valve in thier supply tank the would not mind sharing.. I am looking at installing on in my 325 tank. Had a overflow last week in the trailer and looking to eliminate this ever happiening again.

DeGraffreed

[GymRat 14]

I think you will be pleased with the Hudson valve Ryan. I do not like the ball type float due to the movement of water in the tank while traveling.

[Washaway 64]

We use one just like the Hudson valve aswell....hasn't failed yet in years.

(not counting the lizards stuck in it's filter)

[CCPC 26]

LOL. Lizards and tree frogs here as well.

[Washaway 64]

At first you think you're fighting low water pressure from the house.........come to realize later that a lizard is resting in peace in the overflow shut off valve's filter on the inlet side.

I actually saw one, once, crawl up into the spigot as I was about to connect my H2O supply hose.

(All this after double feeding my tanks on a 4.5 day long, 32,000 sqft HOA contract)

I wanted to shoot myself. (well, the lizard first)

[Chappy 138]

I use a float valve that I got from local PW supplier. Heres a picture

[CCPC 26]

In the process of upgrading and plan to use a hudson on a 25g tank as a water back up. My question is, how do you plum the line from the tank to the pump? Will a belt drive machine have the ability to pull the water from the tank with out any water pressure? Basicly, I'm wondering weather I need to plum the feed from the tank to the pump with a bulk head fitting from the bottom of the the tank or can I just run a feed line to the pump from a hose going through the top of the tank?

Can the pump pull water from the tank or must there be some amount of flow i.e. flow created from plumbing the hose from a fitting at the bottom of the water tank.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Lance,

A belt drive will pull water from a tank without any pressure. It is best to have the line come from the bottom of the tank so that gravity can assist the pump though. It can be side mounted, so the tank can sit flat, but the lower the better.

Make sure the tank lid has a vent so that you can get air into the tank and not starve the pump.

[CCPC 26]

Thanks Alan, thats what I was thinking, but I thought I would ask to be sure.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

You may already know this, but I figure I better add, the closer the tank to the pump, the better. Use at least 3/4" lines, but no more than 1". You want good flow, but to large of a line will limit suction.

My rear tank is 10 feet of hose from the pump and it does fine with 3/4". Use good quality hose so that it does not get sucked closed. I use heater hose from HD.

[racechaser 64]

You may already know this, but I figure I better add, the closer the tank to the pump, the better. Use at least 3/4" lines, but no more than 1". You want good flow, but to large of a line will limit suction.

How is this so? I never heard that before.

Scott

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Go ahead and try using larger lines, and when the tank nears getting empty, you will get plenty of air in the system. 3/4" will provide more than enough to 8 gpm and under machines.

[Christopher 102]

I was wondering if there is such a thing or how I could set it up: A solenoid valve on my 325 gallon tank near the top where I have my extra shutoff valve. I like to run my tank almost empty when finishing a job so there is a lot less weight to haul. I have to go open and close the valve on the tank or at the spigot occasionally but was wondering if I could have a little remote (like for car alarms) to open and close the valve and save a lot of walking. Just another Idea. Thanks for any help.

[CCPC 26]

Have you thought about setting up a smaller water tank istead of the 325g tank? I don't know what the gpm of your machine is, but if it in the 5 to 6 gpm range, you could get away with a 35g back up water tank and not have to worry about hauling all of that water or trying to time the shut off so your tank is empty when you finish.