# Self contained systems (pump & tank assembled together)



## sprinklertech (Oct 24, 2010)

Self contained systems (pump & tank assembled together)*

Just so you know I am not spamming. I am not trying to push one product over another nor do I have any form of financial or otherwise interest to any product I might point out.*

My sole purpose is to let professional plumbers know what is available out there on the market.

The home builders associations have come out against residential sprinklers quick to point out inflated cost figures.

So what happens if 1)you don't have public water or 2)the additional cost of a 1" or 1 1/4" tap is prohibitive?

Water companies can be real dirty beasts. I once lived in a town where the city owned water department had minimum month fees based on size of service they called "capacity fees".

A 3/4" domestic water tap was minimal $12/month. A 1" domestic water tap was $70/month while a 1 1/2" domestic would run $200/month. Yeah, imagine selling the idea to a homeowner sprinklers are good but will only tack on $188 more to his water bill every month than what his neighbors pay. Yep, that will end that sales call.

What if you have new house built on a lot already equipped with 3/4" service (fine for domestic water use) but you need 1" or 1 1/4" to make the system work? New tap fees? What happens if the city water line is 300' away on the other side of a four lane highway? Who pays for all that?

Or what if you are in the desert on a sucky well?

One option is a self contained water supply. Fire pump and tank together of which there are several available on the market.

The Guardian 13D Residential Pump System might be an acceptable work around.

*See The Guardian here*.

From experience I know I am safe in saying 90% of the homes could be serviced by the smallest unit they have. On page 4 they have a 30 gpm @ 35 psi unit that I like. Power comes from a 1 HP motor which can easily come off the house circuit. All you need is a dedicated power circuit from the breaker panel on and you are all ready to go. 1 HP certainly isn't much... 

For tank size the 300 gallon tank would work on just about everything. 34" diameter and 82" tall but there is nothing to stop you from manifolding tanks together to make your supply. Rather than this one huge tank taking nearly 3 feet out of my garage I would probably opt for two 130 gallon tanks giving me a total stored water of 260 gallons. Only 29" in diameter and 5'-6" high these turkey's could be shoved into an unused corner of the garage.

You could even put it inside the house but remember.... 260 gallons weighs a lot so make sure the floor can handle it. 260*8=2,080 lbs or over one ton in a very small footprint.

You can also pick up your own tank. Nothing special required, does not have to be listed and can be plastic, metal or Fiberglas.

Not that bad really. Very little maintenance other than running the thing once a year at the same time tossing in a cup of bleach into the tank to keep the stink down. Being self contained there wouldn't be any plumbing issues (plumbing departments would not have jurisdiction because it isn't plumbing in the classic sense), no meters or back flow devices.

Cost wise I have no idea but I got to think between $1,500 to $2,500 for everything but I could be wrong too.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

sprinklertech said:


> Self contained systems (pump & tank assembled together)
> 
> 
> The home builders associations have come out against residential sprinklers quick to point out inflated cost figures.


I agree with the home builders association..... its an added cost to what is already expensive enough to build a home....

There is a fine line that has to keep housing affordable.... and mandating sprinklers in homes is excessive...

I could see it on all multi residential units or row type housing including semi ds.... but a single family dwelling should not be forced to require sprinklers.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

While I am not terribly interested in the subject. 

I do thank you for your efforts to share your knowledge here.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Matt said:


> I do thank you for your efforts to share your knowledge here.


I agree with Matt keep up the good job of the info you are providing.


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## sprinklertech (Oct 24, 2010)

Matt said:


> While I am not terribly interested in the subject.
> 
> I do thank you for your efforts to share your knowledge here.


Thank you.

If it isn't coming to your area I couldn't imagine a more boring subject but a few are going to see a lot of it so hopefully it helps the understanding.

When you understand why things are the way they are it often makes the work easier.

I also agree with many it shouldn't be mandated for single family homes, I wasn't one of the industry fighting for passage, but in some areas the law is what it is and plumbers will be doing the work.


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## Pipe Rat (Apr 5, 2009)

They have declined mandatory sprinklers for residential recently in my area but if they hadn't it was still sprinks work as our license's are still strictly defined. Hell I cant even run a 6" water main to the building unless the domestic splits off inside. That pipe dont know where domestic splits so how can I be qualified if it splits inside but not qualified if it splits at the meter? Union crap I say, should have no bearing on qualifications.


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## Paddy (Sep 2, 2011)

> So what happens if 1)you don't have public water or 2)the additional cost of a 1" or 1 1/4" tap is prohibitive? ... Or what if you are in the desert on a sucky well? One option is a self contained water supply. Fire pump and tank together of which there are several available on the market.


Yes, several self-contained units are on the market. But savvy homeowners can install a tank and pump assembly for a lot less than the units advertised at $2,500-3,000.00. My sources tell me that a poly tank and 1 HP motor with connections can be had for less than 1K.


> Power comes from a 1 HP motor which can easily come off the house circuit. All you need is a dedicated power circuit from the breaker panel on and you are all ready to go.


The latest edition of NFPA 13D calls for a dedicated 240 V circuit. Experience has shown that the power requirement for the pump startup will cause normal circuit breakers to trip.


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