Plumbing – What’s the optimal distance from a pressure tank to the supply line connection

Two factors matter: flow rate and pressure. Pressure is determined by friction loss and elevation adjustment. Since the tank and house are at the same elevation, we don't need to account for that. We do need to account for your friction loss, though. To do that, we need to know what your pipe diameter, length, and flow rate.

We start with flow rate because the amount of water flowing through a pipe determines its friction loss. That's what we size the pipe from. Your flow rate should be based on maximum flow: everything that could possibly ever run at one time. Your shower, dishwasher, washing machine, somebody washing their hands, etc. There's no uniform minimum standard for that, so check the fixtures around your building to find out how muh they would draw.

According to a plumbing design guide from Michigan, this can vary from 7 gpm for one bathroom to 17 gpm for a 3-4 bathroom residence. After you've determined the flow rate, you must select a desired pressure for the house inlet pressure.

If your pump is able to fully supply your house without the aid of a tank (sufficient flow at operating pressure), then your only consideration for tank size is the cycle time of the pump. For smaller pumps, you want your tank to provide at least 2 minutes of water. For larger pumps, you may desire a higher cycle time. There is no harm in a larger tank size.

If your pump isn't able to provide that level service, then you'll need to size your tank to provide supply for a period of time. Remember that pump supply in gpm is also related to pressure. The more pressure the pump needs to provide, the less flow it will have. Calculate your pump flow based on the pressure needed to charge the tanks.

The ultimate calculation is (maximum flow * maximum minutes) > (tank capacity / minutes + pump capacity * minutes). You can use any combination of tank and pump capacity as long as the tank + pump capacity meets your demand needs. A 1 gpm pump and a pressure tank that can supply 300 gallons could probably hold you over just as well as a 14 gpm pump and 28 gallons of supply tank. Remember again that supply is not equal to full capacity: you only have supply if it is higher than your necessary pressure. Your goal is to find a combination that is most cost effective.

For another good resource related to tanks, see Flotec's pre-charged pressure tank FAQs.

By the way, since you gain 1 psi for every 2.31 feet of elevation gain (referred to for some reason as "feet of head"), you can get a lot of "free" tank supply pressure by putting your tank at a higher elevation, though that will increase your pump charging pressure.

For absolute luxury, keep your entire supply system able to supply above your desired household pressure and slap a pressure reducing valve on the supply line just before it reaches the first appliances. 60 psi is the ideal dream coming out of your pressure valve (fantastic showers!), but pressure does cost in terms of electric usage for lower pump capacity because, again, higher pressure means lower flow. Most systems are designed to start charging at 40, 30, or 20 psi, though. Note how the pressure corresponds to the amount of water that can be supplied in this example tank.

You may need an aerator. If it needs replacing, then the water may spatter a lot. The aerator is the piece that screws into the end of the spigot. It limits the flow of water to between 1.5 and 2.5 gallons per minute and entrains air into the water stream to prevent splashing. From what you describe, it may even be missing. You can pick one up at any hardware store.