Saturday, April 27, 2013

The vanishing water

The last mystery was the lack of bore water for the loo - which proved to be a stuffed pressure pump. Enquiring minds should perhaps have asked WHY it was stuffed, because on being replaced, we found ourselves waterless again within 24 hours. This time I found the holding tank was dry, and although the floatswitch was telling the submersible pump to pump, dammit, that wasn't... As the bore was near dry. (it's quite a slow flow, there is a much better one two paddocks over at the diesel-operated fire pump. It's only about 4 metres deep - water is close here.) The submersible pump has another switch that was saying, 'bad idea' don't pump'.

I thought we were out of water - But the fire-pump is on the same line and can fill our 40 000 litre holding tank, which would probably cover a few bad curry's worth of 'loo flushing. And hopefully we'll get more rain...

It turns out...

A pipe had broken at the fire pump, and the pressure pump had pumped all of the holding tank there, filling that bore-well to the brim. And our bore has now filled nicely, now that it's not pouring water down the other.

And the second pressure pump has survived the experience.

But for those planning on self-sufficiency - if possible, use gravity. It doesn't break down much.

Having packed the dryer away for winter, we've just got a huge box of granny smith type apples. Oh well, it can be unpacked.

No comments:

Post a Comment