Community well pump

[nizak]

Went to a lakefront community today to look at a cottage renovation.

The owner told me that 5 cottages share a common well.
I asked which cottage supplies power to the pump.

He said each cottage supplies their own power . Each cottage has a switch that controls the pump.

He said there’s a control box underground where all the wires come into.

There’s 2’ of snow, I couldn’t access the vault to look at the wiring.

Any ideas how this would be wired?

He claims each cottage can use the well simultaneously.

???

 

[hbiss]

Naaaa. Each cottage can turn on the pump, but it can't be powered from them all.

-Hal

 

[jim dungar]

We share a well with our neighbor. Each of us has our own pump. It was that way when we bought it 26 years ago.
Our house has the pump in the basement, don't know about the neighbor. I have heard they sometimes drop multiple pumps down the same pipe.

 

[OldSparks]

Went to a lakefront community today to look at a cottage renovation.

The owner told me that 5 cottages share a common well.
I asked which cottage supplies power to the pump.

He said each cottage supplies their own power . Each cottage has a switch that controls the pump.

He said there’s a control box underground where all the wires come into.

There’s 2’ of snow, I couldn’t access the vault to look at the wiring.

Any ideas how this would be wired?

He claims each cottage can use the well simultaneously.

???

If the cottages are metered separately, easy enough to switch the well on and see which meter responds. My guess is that there are five switches wired in parallel controlling one contactor.

 

[nizak]

If the cottages are metered separately, easy enough to switch the well on and see which meter responds. My guess is that there are five switches wired in parallel controlling one contactor.

The owner insists that each cottage supplies their own power.

 

[LarryFine]

What happens if two cottages call for water at the same time?

 

[OldSparks]

The owner insists that each cottage supplies their own power.

Nonetheless, we all know that five power supplies are not involved. If one person starts the pump, and another cottage flips their switch to "on", how is each house supplying their own power? The only possible way is if there are five pumps, which makes no sense. Have you never been given bum dope from an owner or operator?

 

[LarryFine]

Have you never been given bum dope from an owner or operator?

Nope; mine have always had top-grade stuff.

 

[jim dungar]

What happens if two cottages call for water at the same time?

Our common well has not had any problems and neither did my son's.
I know we have separate pumps and power sources, because we turn our power off when we leave. But feeding two homes is not the same as 5.

 

[nizak]

Nonetheless, we all know that five power supplies are not involved. If one person starts the pump, and another cottage flips their switch to "on", how is each house supplying their own power? The only possible way is if there are five pumps, which makes no sense. Have you never been given bum dope from an owner or operator?

Yes I have. I am curious to see the wiring configuration and the equipment that’s in the vault once I get back there this Spring.

 

[hillbilly1]

We share a well with our neighbor. Each of us has our own pump. It was that way when we bought it 26 years ago.
Our house has the pump in the basement, don't know about the neighbor. I have heard they sometimes drop multiple pumps down the same pipe.

Probably a bored well, that’s pretty easy to do with multiple pumps, you probably have a jet pump since it’s in the basement. Could be done with submersibles too. Drilled wells are a little tougher, the pumps would have to be staggered, and if the bottom one fails, you would probably have to pull all of them to fix it.

 

[jim dungar]

Drilled wells are a little tougher,

I don't remember the OP stating the type of well or pump(s).

 

[hillbilly1]

I don't remember the OP stating the type of well or pump(s).

And I didn’t say he did. I was just stating what it would take given the well type IF they had individual pumps.

 

[tom baker]

What if there were 5 contactors for one pump? Either interlocks do only one source could be used at a time?

 

[tom baker]

Much easier with a house meter for power, then water meters at each house, each house pays percentage of power bill based on consumption

 

[Master Nater]

when i see round hoof-prints in the dirt, i think 'horses.' why? because it's the most simple, easy, and common solution.

this post reminds me of when some folks just want to see zebras and not the same old horses.

the simplest idea (and most common) is that 1 person is being lied to, and the other 4 have gone along with it for so long, some of them actually believe it. i choose to stick with that, until shown any evidence to the contrary. horses.

 

[Sberry]

I wouldnt mind seeing how they put 2 pumps downhole. I suspect this is shallow well jet pump system. There may be a common holding tank and separate pumps.

 

[hillbilly1]

I wouldnt mind seeing how they put 2 pumps downhole. I suspect this is shallow well jet pump system. There may be a common holding tank and separate pumps.

Most likely IF they are using multiple pumps. I’ve done three submersibles in a hand dug well, the third one required a booster pump to two poultry houses on a hill. I have two 350 gallon spring fed tanks with one submersible laying on its side, and a jet pump in my basement boosting it from 15 lbs gravity to 45 lbs.

 

[electrofelon]

the simplest idea (and most common) is that 1 person is being lied to

That is probably what is going on. I can think of how to do it with one pump and 5 separate pressure tanks, but its quite complicated.

 

[Sberry]

It hadnt really occured to me to put a sub in hand dug well. Could toss a common sump pump in, remove the float and wire to pressure switch and plumb to tank.