Residential Variable Speed Booster Pump

[bealeguter]

I am researching adding a booster pump to my 2 family house. The municipal water pressure comes into the basement at about 40psi, however the house is 4 stories and by the time it goes 45 feet up to the 4th floor the pressure is down to 20psi. The showers on the 3rd floor are also on the weak side. We have a 1" main and use 3/4 copper to each floor.

After reading a number of comments and posts, I am most interested in the newer variable speed or VFD type pumps that claim to keep a constant pressure. I would raise the pressure in the basement from 40psi to 60psi.

The 3 pumps I am considering are:

Towie Whitney TW1000-20W-40 (most expensive

Berkeley MIB0715B Intellobost VFD (mid priced)

DAB E.SYBOX Mini 3

Does anyone have any experience on these booster pumps or barands. I was only able to fine info on the Towie Whitney and they are very positive.

Thank you for your help.

Steven

 

[Twowaxhack]

I suggest the Towie Whitney. They work great.

 

[bealeguter]

The Towie was one I considered. I ended up going with the Polaris. I have one of their variable pool pumps that works well. Not yet installed, but will update when it is.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The polaris pumps usually fail just after the warranty expires.

 

[Arctic trouble]

Was your pressure check done before or after prv? Have you adjusted the prv? Could be as simple as bumping that up or replacing it.

 

[bealeguter]

Was your pressure check done before or after prv? Have you adjusted the prv? Could be as simple as bumping that up or replacing it.

I have 40psi coming from the city water main directly into the basement before anything except the meter. The house is 4 stories above the basement with tall ceilings. The shower heads on the 4th floor are 45feet over the basement. That additional height is what is dropping the water pressure.

 

[Arctic trouble]

No valves before the meter other than shut offs?A Prv is normally installed before the meter. Might be possible that you don't have a prv but very doubtful.

 

[bealeguter]

No prv, the house has fire sprinklers, main goes directly to the meter then branches to the sprinkler line and a 1" copper for the house plumbing.

 

[Arctic trouble]

Thanks for clarifying and looking forward to an update after installation.

 

[Valveman]

Yeah, please let us know how it works. Most VFD type pump systems are made to fail soon after the warranty expires. That is the main design criteria for variable speed pumps. I have replaced thousands of VFD pump systems in the last 30 years. A mechanical Cycle Stop Valve will do a better job of delivering constant pressure to the house, and will make the pump systems last longer than normal instead of shorter than normal like a VFD. A simple shallow well jet pump like a Goulds J15S with 30 PSI coming in, can supply enough to run two houses. A PK1A kit with a 10 gallon tank and a 80/100 pressure switch can deliver 90 PSI constant if needed. It is also adjustable and can be turned down if that pressure is peeling skin in the shower. Lol!

 

[bealeguter]

I finally got around to getting the VFD pump plumbed and wired. TBH all I did was build the table and the final wiring.

Anyway, so far so good, it is boosting the pressure by 10 lbs and is very quiet with water pressure only varying on the limited test by 2-3 lbs.

Only glitch was the Pentair VFD Pump came wired incorrectly from the factory. I had to take 4 screws off to lift the cover and unplug a connector, turn it 180 degrees and re-attach.