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Low water pressure in water lines

 
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Location: Southern Louisiana
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Because of very poor water quality from the local water utility we switched to rainwater. We capture a lot of water in stainless steel tanks. Plastic tanks are not used because they leach chemicals into the water. Water flows from the tanks through a coarse particle filter and then to the Grundfos pump. After the pump the water goes through two fine filters and then a UV light (Viqua) before going to the faucets. Anyway, after switching to rainwater the water pressure is a bit low initially when a faucet is opened. When the pump engages the pressure increases. That is not really a problem except for in our refrigerator ice maker. After installing the rainwater tanks, the pump and the filter system the ice maker leaks water into the ice bin resulting in lumps of ice rather than cubes. The makers of the pump suggested that it is the resistance to water flow through the filters that causes low pressure. Due to several things we cannot put all of the filters before the pump.
What do you think about putting an RV water pump immediately before the refrigerator. Would the RV pump provide enough initial pressure to prevent water from 'dribbling' out into the ice bin? Perhaps this is an odd question, but could it work???
BobK
 
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The brilliance of the groundfos is no pressure shutoff and no pressure tank. I would add a pressure tank in your case. The main pressure push would come from it. Its cheap and requires no electricity.
 
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I second the ballast pressure tank also. Instant water pressure always there for when the ice maker, or any faucet/valve is opened.
 
wayne fajkus
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I see problems with a punp to fridge.  How do you turn it on/off? If its a pressure switch its gonna go clack/clack/clack so much from the short line it will burn out pretty quick. If you do go that rout, get a mini pump with mini pressure tank combo. Harbor freight has them. Thats the only way i can see to do it. Just make sure theres a check valve entering the tank. I think that combo pump might work.
 
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If it's easy (relatively) to once again run city water to the ice maker, at least temporarily (maybe using a garden hose and adapters or something), you might  want to do it and see if the thing is willing to work right that way. If not, then enhancing your rain water system probably isn't going to fix it.

Although I agree about the pressure tank - simple and effective and so you probably want to do that anyway.

But meantime, it would be nice to know if that ice maker is going to work right under _any_ circumstances. Changing supply plumbing often dislodges stuff in the pipes and something may have made it into the ice maker that's preventing it from  working right.


Regards,
Rufus
 
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Plastic tanks are not used because they leach chemicals into the water.  


I am curious about the evidence of this comment, in Australia there are thousands of plastic tanks installed , all with certification about their water quality standards.

Rumours always travel faster than the truth.

Multiple filters will reduce the water flow.
In Australia we do not use them, rainwater is ok without them, if the storage tank is at least 20,000L in volume.
But if you increased the size [ surafe area] of the filters, by using a larger one, or using multiple ones in paraell, the resistance will be reduced.
The use of a tank in the lines will not change the flow issue substantially if its place prior to the filters.
 
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