Any Plumbers here? Check valve question

[Gold Maven]

I run my house on spring water, there is an old sandstone basin where I have a sump pump that sends it to a cistern beside the house.

The basin is 24 vertical feet below my house, and about 200 horizontal.

I used a pump with 30 ft head when I set it up 20 yrs ago.

The check valve wore out, so I replaced it with the exact same "hi - low" pressure valve but the volume of water slowed considerably, less than half.

I took the valve off, started the pump, and it shot water 10 ft. in the air. With check valve about 18 inches high.

I took the check valve apart to try to adjust the spring pressure and increase water flow, I removed about half the spring, and it helped a little.

Is there a super low pressure valve available ?

Or can I totally remove the spring in the valve? It is situated vertically, so I think gravity and the water would be enough to close it, but I'm not sure.

Thanks for your reply,

Maven

 

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[placertogo]

I would use a "flapper" style check valve which operates only by gravity, without a spring. One type of these is called a "swing check valve" which is made of brass with a swinging (no spring) door which closes by itself when the flow stops and is held against its frame by the back pressure of the water upstream of the valve. Since the only moving part is the door inside the valve, supported by a little stainless steel hinge, these last almost forever. A swing check valve is made to be mounted horizontally but I have used them vertically in several applications and never had a problem.

 

[Gold Maven]

thanks, placertogo.

 

[placertogo]

By the way, these are also made in plastic today.

 

[placertogo]

You're entirely welcome. You can find these in the plumbing section of any hardware store, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. There are also tons of them on eBay.

 

[Doug Watson]

Another idea would be to step up in size on the check valve. That would give you more flow also. Doug.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Go with brass and stainless rather than plastic for this use. The plastic will only last for years, the brass for decades.