Expert Guide: Optimizing Irrigation with a Booster Pump

About Irrigation Booster Pump

If the water pressure is too low in an irrigation system, it will not perform optimally. One solution is to add a booster pump dedicated to the irrigation system to increase the water pressure, thereby optimizing the efficiency of the irrigation.

Irrigation booster pumps are specialized water pump that is designed to provide a high flow of water thought a high amount of pressure. This is the solution that allows you to take advantage of the nearby water source to provide the moisture needed for your lawns and gardens so that they will always be at the best shape.

In this article, the utilization and the relevant information with regard to an irrigation booster pump will be specifically addressed.

 

Some Heads-ups Before Using an Irrigation Booster Pump

Although irrigation booster pumps can increase the water pressure to yield higher water flow, increasing the water pressure is not always the solution for any irrigation coverage problems. Dry areas around the sprinklers is typically a good indication of in sufficient water pressure, but if your sprinkler heads are too far apart, no amount of water pressure will affect the drop spots.

Your irrigation system must also be capable of handling the increased water pressure and flow as well. Creating excessive water pressure can lead to severe damage to your irrigation system. Also, if the irrigation system happens to be connected to your home water supply, it can potentially damage they plumbing inside your home by creating high pressure surges that travel through the pipes.

This is a phenomenon typically referred to as the “water hammer”. The damage created by water hammer can be so expensive that you may have to end up replacing all the pipes in your house. Therefore, the general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t boost the pressure over 70 PSI unless you are instructed by an expert to do so.

 

Determining the Water Pressure and Flow

Centrifugal type pumps with end-suction are the most common type of booster pumps because they simply work best. To determine how much water pressure you need for your irrigation booster pump, follow the steps below:

• You need to figure out how much water pressure your irrigation system needs optimally given the scale of your lawn or garden.
• Measure how much water pressure your irrigation system currently has now.
• Subtract the actual current pressure from the optimal pressure from step one, and you will get the amount of pressure your irrigation booster pump needs to create.
  
  This is a very simple addition where the existing pressure plus the booster pump pressure will give you the final irrigation system pressure. The simple equation is:Current PSI + Booster Pump PSI = Irrigation system PSI
• You will need to find out how much flow will take place in the irrigation system once the water pressure is brought to the optimal level.
  
  As mentioned previously, when the water pressure is increased so will the flow. If you happen to be planning a brand new irrigation system, this has to be immediately taken into account during the designing process.
• Now with the information you have acquired above, you can choose the optimal booster pump using these information.

 

The pressure of water is generally measured in one of the two ways: PSO or feet head. Sprinklers used to be typically rated for pressure using PSI while pumps were rated for pressure using feet head. Recently, pumps have started to use PSI instead just like sprinklers. Fortunately, both PSI and feet head are convertible between each other as they are exactly the same thing.

 

Where to Place Your Pump

Where you place your pump is entirely depended on what your irrigation and terrain look like. You need to consider the distance as to where the optimal place is to place your irrigation booster pump when shopping for one. Take into account the heigh and distances to move water to make sure you end up with a product that accommodates those needs. Below shows how you can determine the height and distance:

• Determining the pumping height:
  Suction head, also known as a rise in elevation, is the amount of lift required to move water from the source to the pump. Not all pumps can accommodate such needs perfectly, so it is wise to keep the height below 5 feet. However, some booster pumps can handle up to 25 feet in lift without any problems.
• Distance to the system:
  Water pressure can be affected by the distance of your pump from the water source, so you will need to accommodate for the distances through the size of your discharge pipe. To do this, you need to first measure your farthest sprinkler head. For instance, if your sprinkler head is 100 feet away, you will need a one and a half inch pipe to provide the optimal pressure.

 

Power Supply of Irrigation Booster Pump

Your irrigation booster pump cannot run on air alone, so you will need to have it run on electricity as well. Most booster pumps are dual-voltage rated and can operate using 115 or 230 volt options.

If you have a larger booster pump, then you may have to consider a 230 or 3 phase sources. You can also use a gas generator to run your booster pump while solar options are also widely available these days for more rural areas.