Thanks for all the ideas as to how to stop a pressure pump from pumping out all the water from a tank or dam if an outlet has broken or had been damaged (and you are away for a few days)
I cant turn the power off as we have other people using the system.
When the outlet has a big leak ,eg pipe has been cut right thru, the pump will run continuously without stopping to gain pressure.This is when you can loose a LOT of water. However sometimes you get pinhole leaks in black polythene pipes, frozen pipes, old age. This problem is not worth worrying about and you dont loose a lot water. This now makes it hard to sense a leak as compared to normal usage.
The solution I have gained from all the great feedback I've had is fairly simple, electrically as Ron Simpson suggests a sump switch on a "holding" tank.
If I estimate my daily water use of say 44gallons(200litres) per person per day, I can keep this amount ready each day with a timer valve and a gravity fed feeder supply (to supply constant pressure and volume)
I would have to press a reset switch on my water timer inlet, each day (just like I have to feed the chickens and dogs everyday, or if I'm away someone else can do it.
So all you stand to loose is whats in the holding tank each day.
Sorry this has turned from an electronics question into more a plumbing issue, but I've realised there is nothing electronic on the market because it may be an unsolvable problem.
It may be like when I go camping. I keep all my water in 2 litre coke bottles rather than one big water tank. If your water tank gets ruptured you loose all your water, but if a coke bottle ruptures you only loose a small amount of the total
I cant turn the power off as we have other people using the system.
When the outlet has a big leak ,eg pipe has been cut right thru, the pump will run continuously without stopping to gain pressure.This is when you can loose a LOT of water. However sometimes you get pinhole leaks in black polythene pipes, frozen pipes, old age. This problem is not worth worrying about and you dont loose a lot water. This now makes it hard to sense a leak as compared to normal usage.
The solution I have gained from all the great feedback I've had is fairly simple, electrically as Ron Simpson suggests a sump switch on a "holding" tank.
If I estimate my daily water use of say 44gallons(200litres) per person per day, I can keep this amount ready each day with a timer valve and a gravity fed feeder supply (to supply constant pressure and volume)
I would have to press a reset switch on my water timer inlet, each day (just like I have to feed the chickens and dogs everyday, or if I'm away someone else can do it.
So all you stand to loose is whats in the holding tank each day.
Sorry this has turned from an electronics question into more a plumbing issue, but I've realised there is nothing electronic on the market because it may be an unsolvable problem.
It may be like when I go camping. I keep all my water in 2 litre coke bottles rather than one big water tank. If your water tank gets ruptured you loose all your water, but if a coke bottle ruptures you only loose a small amount of the total
