Flow and Steady

In a typical cottage water system with a small pressure tank, turning on the tap means the pump starts and stops frequently — causing annoying noise and water pressure fluctuations. As well, the wear and tear will shorten your pump's lifespan

A Cycle Stop valve automatically throttles the flow from jet pumps and submersible pumps — the output remains a constant 50 psi whenever a fixture draws more than four litres per minute. You'll notice that the pressure in the shower stays steady and the pump runs as long as the water does. It may be counter-intuitive, but throttling the flow means the pump uses less electricity; with less heat buildup too, there's less wear on the pump.

The valve works mechanically, making it more reliable than variable speed pumps with electronic controls; large versions of this valve have served industrial and municipal water systems for 25 years. The CSV1A model, a cottage-sized valve, is just over $200 U.S. from cyclestopvalves.com. Or get it as part of the Pside-Kick Kit, which includes a 15-litre pressure tank, a pressure gauge, a pressure switch, and a mounting bracket for $395 U.S.