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PUMPING RAINWATER

Although gravity flow can be used for flood irrigation, most other rainwater uses require pumping. Submersible pumps are installed within a rainwater storage tank, but most require a pump controller that cannot be submerged or flooded. Surface pumps are typically installed within a nearby building or pump enclosure.

SUBMERSIBLE TRANSFER PUMPS: Submersible transfer pumps are low-pressure pumps designed to be used with open-ended piping systems. They are used for non-pressurized rainwater applications such as transferring rainwater between slave and master storage tanks, transferring rainwater from sump pits to remote storage tanks, pumping excess rainwater from storage tanks where gravity flow is not possible, operating first-flush tanks, and emptying rainwater storage tanks. Transfer pumps do not have sufficient pressure to directly operate irrigation or water supply systems.

We offer two submersible transfer pumps that are ideal for rainwater systems: a 1/3 HP version with a maximum flow of 37 GPM (RainDiver-C33) and a 1/2 HP version with a maximum flow of 57 GPM (RainDiver-C50). These affordable pumps have sturdy rust-proof plastic housings, reliable oil-free motors, and stainless-steel shafts with ceramic seals. Both contain an internal low-water shutoff float that can be activated or deactivated in seconds by lifting a knob on the top of the pump. In the automatic shut-off mode, they can pump tanks to 1-1/2” water depth and can operate for extended periods of time even while partially submerged. In the manual mode they can pump down to 1/4” of water. Since these pumps can pass solids up to 1/4”, they will rarely clog when rainwater is pre-filtered.

RainDiver-C33 transfer

RainDi ver-C50 transfer

SUBMERSIBLE PRESSURE PUMPS: In comparison with submersible transfer pumps, submersible pressure pumps deliver water at the considerably higher pressures required to operate irrigation or water supply systems. Our RainDiver consumer submersible pressure pumps feature sturdy rust-proof plastic housings, reliable 1/2 HP or 1 HP oil-free motors, and stainless-steel shafts with ceramic seals. RainDiver-S and RainDiver-T require an external control system, such as one of our electronic pump controllers, to operate the pump in response to water demand and to protect the pump from running dry. RainDiver-ES and RainDiver-ET contain electronic pump controllers so no other controls are necessary. Both the manual and electronic pumps are available with two intake systems: either a stainless-steel intake screen or stainless-steel ring with a 1” threaded pipe fitting for use with a floating extractor. Both are sufficient to operate typical single-family residential irrigation or water supply systems.

P10S Standard

P10ES Standard

P10ES Electronic

P10ET Electronic

Our professional line of submersible pressure pumps feature heavy-duty stainless-steel housings, water-cooled motors isolated with double ceramic seals, stainless-steel shafts with oversized bearings, and 48 foot power cords. We offer two versions: the RainDiverPro-S with a slotted bottom intake, and the RainDiverPro-T with a sealed stainless-steel base that includes a 1-1/4” threaded pipe fitting for use with a floating extractor. Both are available with 1/2 HP, 1 HP, or 1.5 HP motors with flow rates and pressures sufficient for single-family residential, multi-family residential, and commercial rainwater systems. All require an external control system, such as one of our electronic pump controllers, to operate the pump in response to water demand and to protect the pump from running dry.

P50S, P100S, P150S stainless-steel

P50T, P100T, P150T stainless-steel

SURFACE PRESSURE PUMPS: Like submersible pressure pumps, surface pressure pumps are used when rainwater is to directly operate irrigation or water supply systems where water pressures of 30 psi to 60 psi are commonly required. Our surface pressure pumps also include built-in pump controllers and small pressure tanks so they serve as a complete rainwater delivery systems. The pump controller starts and stops the pump automatically whenever a faucet or valve is opened and shuts off the pump when the rainwater tank is dry to prevent dry-running; the pressure tank minimizes pump cycling when water flow rates are low. We offer two water-cooled pumps with 1/2 HP and 1HP motors (P500E, MQ1000) that deliver flow rates and pressures sufficient for most medium pressure single-family residential systems, plus a 2HP variable frequency pump (P2000VFD) for multi-family residential, or commercial rainwater systems. All are self-priming and should be used in conjunction with a floating extractor.

P500, P1000 electronic

MQ-1000 electronic

AUTOMATIC PUMP CONTROLLERS: Automatic Pump Controllers make it possible to operate a rainwater system without a large pressure tank, pressure switch, and float switch. In the simplest design, the bottom inlet connects to the pump, the top outlet connects to the plumbing system, and the pump is plugged into the controller which is in turn plugged into to an electrical receptacle. When a faucet is opened, the controller senses the drop in line pressure and instantly turns on the pump to re-pressurize the line. If no water is available, the controller shuts down the pump to prevent dry-run damage.

We offer three pump controllers, one with 1” ports and two with 1-1/4” ports. The 1” controller is supplied with electrical cables for 115v pumps and requires hard wiring for 230v pumps. It features a pressure gauge on the side indicates the line pressure and is helpful in identifying water leaks. The 1-1/4” controllers both require hard wiring and both work with either 115v or 230v pumps. Our most advanced 1-1/4” controller features a built-in pressure regulator for optimal system control. Although automatic pump controllers will work without a pressure tank, a small pressure tank is recommended to extend pump life by reducing on-off cycling.

1" pump controller with cables

1.25" basic pump controller

1.25" pump controller with pressure valve

FLOATING EXTRACTOR: Since sediment accumulates at the bottom of a rainwater tank, fine solids are concentrated just above the bottom, and organic debris floats at the water surface, the cleanest water in the tank is generally a few inches below the surface. A floating extractor is a screened intake attached to the end of a suction hose and suspended from a float. The extractor rises and falls with the tank water level so the screened intake always draws the cleanest water just under the surface. Our floating extractor uses a stainless-steel intake screen with larger openings than our pre-filters, so it is unlikely to clog. We also incorporate a very dense self-sinking intake hose that prevents air bubbles from blocking flow to the pump.

 

Submersible Pump Specifications
pressure (psi)	C33	C50	P10	P50	P100	P150
0	37	57	25	NR	NR	NR
5	28	47	24	NR	NR	NR
10	0	24	23	NR	32	NR
15		0	20	NR	30	32
20			19	21	28	30
25			17	20	26	28
30			15	19	24	27
35			14	17	22	26
40			12	15	20	24
45			10	12	18	23
50			8	9	15	21
55			6	4	12	20
60			3	0	9	19
65			0		6	18
70					0	16
75						14
80						12
85						11
90						9
95						7
100						4
Max Flow	37 gpm	57 gpm	25 gpm	21 gpm	32 gpm	32 gpm
Max Pressure	9 psi	13 psi	62 psi	58 psi	69 psi	104 psi
Power	1/3 hp	1/2 hp	1 hp	1/2 hp	1 hp	1-1/2 hp
Current	2.6 a	5.2 a	9.8 a	10.0 a	12.0 a	9.8 a
Voltage	115 v	115 v	115 v	115 v	115 v	230 v
Outlet	1-1/4"	1-1/4"	1"	1-1/4"	1-1/4”	1-1/4"
Cord	16 ft	16 ft	48 ft	48 ft	48 ft	48 ft
Diameter	9"	9"	6"	6	6"	6"
Height	11"	13"	16"	24"	24"	26"
Weight	11 lbs	15 lbs	19 lbs	35 lbs	38 lbs	43 lbs
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years

 

Surface Pump Specifications
pressure (psi)	P500	P1000	MQ1000
0	22	22	22
5	21	21	21
10	20	21	20
15	18	20	19
20	16	19	18
25	14	18	16
30	12	17	14
35	10	16	12
40	7	15	10
45	4	14	8
50	1	12	6
55	0	10	4
60		8	0
65		7
70		5
75		3
80		0
Max Flow	22 gpm	22 gpm	22 gpm
Max Pressure	51 psi	80 psi	60 psi
Power	1/2 hp	1 hp	1 hp
Current	7.0 a	10.5 a	9.2 a
Voltage	115 v	115 v	115 v
Outlet	1"	1"	1"
Cord	16 ft	16 ft	20 ft
Size	18x11x13	18x11x13	9x22x13
Weight	24 lbs	24 lbs	22 lbs
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years

 

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