Booster Pumps
A booster pump raises the water pressure at your taps and showers – from a storage tank, a borehole tank or weak municipal supply – and switches itself on and off as you use water. Choosing one comes down to three questions: where the water comes from, how many outlets run at once, and how much pressure you want at the furthest tap. This guide takes you through each, with the pump types, control options, worked examples and current South African price ranges.
Power Range
0.37 – 2.2 kW
230V single phase for homes
Typical Pressure
2 – 3 bar at the tap
20 – 30 m of head
With Controller
From about R1 650
Pump and controller, incl. VAT
Dry-Run Protection
Built into controllers
Stops the pump if water runs out
Pressure Tanks
2 L – 200 L
Membrane and bladder types
Pump Types
6 families
Peripheral to variable speed
How a booster system works
Every booster installation has two jobs to do: create pressure, and control when the pump runs. The pump does the first. The second is handled in one of three ways, and it is the choice of control more than the choice of pump that decides how the system feels to live with.
| Control method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure switch and pressure tank | The tank stores water under pressure. The pump starts when pressure falls to the cut-in setting and stops at cut-out. | Traditional installations; fewer pump starts for small draws such as a glass of water |
| Automatic flow controller | Fitted to the pump outlet. Starts the pump the moment a tap opens and stops it when flow ceases. Most include dry-run protection. | Compact household boosters with no tank to maintain |
| Variable-speed (intelligent) pump | Electronics vary the motor speed to hold a set pressure constant, however many taps are open. | Multi-bathroom homes where steady shower pressure and quiet running matter |
Protect the pump from running dry. A booster that runs without water destroys its mechanical seal within minutes. Automatic controllers and intelligent pumps cut out when the water runs out; a pressure-switch system needs a separate low-level switch or float in the supply tank.
Which type of booster pump?
| Pump type | Character | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Peripheral | Compact, high pressure at low flow, lowest cost | A small home or flat with one or two outlets in use at a time |
| Self-priming jet | Draws water up from below the pump, re-primes through air | The supply tank, well or sump sits below the pump |
| Single-stage centrifugal | More flow at moderate pressure | Garden irrigation and larger homes with a flooded supply |
| Twin-impeller | More head than a single impeller of the same power | Higher pressure with good flow, supply at or above pump level |
| Multistage | Several impellers in series; quiet and efficient | Multi-storey homes, guest houses and small buildings |
| Intelligent variable speed | Constant pressure, soft start, low noise and energy use | Where steady pressure at every shower matters most |
The one rule that decides most choices: if the water has to be sucked up to the pump, you need a self-priming pump. Standard centrifugal, twin-impeller and multistage pumps need a flooded suction – water at or above pump level. For both sides of that decision in detail, see the DAB Jetcom self-priming guide and the DAB K twin-impeller guide.
Step 1 – Where does the water come from?
- A tank at or above pump level – any booster type works. This is the easiest installation.
- A tank, well or sump below the pump – you need a self-priming jet or peripheral pump, and the suction lift must stay within about 8 m (less at altitude).
- Weak municipal supply – check your local by-laws before connecting a pump directly to the mains; most installations boost from a storage tank filled by the mains instead.
- A deeper borehole – you need a submersible borehole pump, not a surface booster. See the borehole pump guide.
Step 2 – How much flow do you need?
Flow is set by how many outlets run at the same time, not by how many exist in the house. As a working guide, allow roughly 0.6 m³/h (10 litres a minute) for each shower or tap likely to run together.
| Household | Outlets running together | Approximate flow |
|---|---|---|
| Flat or cottage, one bathroom | 1 – 2 | 0.6 – 1.2 m³/h |
| Family home, two bathrooms | 2 – 3 | 1.2 – 1.8 m³/h |
| Larger home or guest house | 3 – 5 | 1.8 – 3.0 m³/h |
| Home plus garden irrigation | Add the irrigation zone flow | Size for the combined peak |
Step 3 – How much pressure do you need?
Pressure is measured in bar or in metres of head: 1 bar is 10 m. Most homes are comfortable with 2 to 3 bar at the tap. Work out the head the pump must produce like this:
- Pressure wanted at the outlet – for example 2.5 bar = 25 m.
- Add the height from the pump to the highest outlet – an upstairs shower adds 3 to 6 m.
- Add friction loss in the pipework – typically a few metres in a home, more on long runs or small pipe.
- If the supply is below the pump, add the suction lift too.
A worked example: a two-bathroom home fed from a ground-level tank, wanting 2.5 bar at an upstairs shower 5 m above the pump, with about 4 m of pipe friction. Total head = 25 + 5 + 4 = 34 m. Two showers together need about 1.2 m³/h. You are looking for a booster whose performance table delivers at least 1.2 m³/h at 34 m, with margin.
Read the performance table, not the maximum head. A pump's maximum head is where flow stops. Always select at your required flow and head. A pump quoted at 40 m maximum may give only 25 m at the flow two showers need.
Step 4 – Set up the pressure tank correctly
If you use a pressure switch and tank, the tank's air pre-charge must be set to match the pump. The standard rule is to set the pre-charge 0.2 bar below the pump's cut-in pressure, checked with the pump switched off and the water drained from the tank. Tanks usually leave the factory at around 1.5 bar, so check and adjust at installation.
- Too high a pre-charge and the tank delivers almost no water between pump starts.
- Too low and the membrane or bladder over-stretches and fails early.
- A larger tank means fewer pump starts, which extends pump life.
- Check the pre-charge once a year – a pump that starts every time a tap is touched usually has a flat tank.
Installation essentials
- Keep the suction pipe short, straight and full size – never smaller than the pump inlet.
- Fit a non-return valve on the suction side, and a foot valve with strainer where the pump draws from below.
- Fit isolating valves either side of the pump so it can be serviced without draining the system.
- Mount on a firm, level base with room for cooling air, and protect it from rain, frost and direct sun.
- Fill the pump casing before the first start and never let it run dry.
- Use a dedicated, correctly rated circuit installed by a qualified electrician to SANS 10142-1.
Booster pump price guide
Typical price ranges from our current range, including VAT. Every product listing shows its live price.
| What you are buying | Typical price range |
|---|---|
| Booster pump with controller – peripheral or centrifugal, 0.37 kW | from about R1 650 |
| Peripheral pump (0.37 – 1.5 kW) | R1 200 – R4 700 |
| Self-priming jet pump (0.37 – 1.5 kW) | R1 900 – R5 600 |
| Single-stage centrifugal with flow control | R2 800 – R7 900 |
| Twin-impeller pump | R4 350 – R9 800 |
| Multistage pump, 230V | R4 400 – R7 200 |
| Intelligent variable-speed booster | R4 300 – R10 000 |
| Automatic pump controller | R700 – R2 100 |
| Pressure tank (2 L – 200 L) | R580 – R10 200 |
| Pressure switch | about R210 |
Price ranges are drawn from our listings at the time of writing and include VAT. Pipework, fittings and installation are extra.
Shop the booster range
| Category | Ranges |
|---|---|
| Booster pumps with controller | Leo with controller · Vega peripheral · Vega centrifugal · Vega twin-impeller · Vega jet (cast iron) · Vega jet (plastic) |
| DAB | Jetcom self-priming · K twin-impeller |
| Peripheral | Leo APM · Leo XKM · Leo self-priming peripheral |
| Jet | Leo AJM · Leo AJMS |
| Multistage & variable speed | Leo EVPM vertical · Leo EDHM horizontal · Leo intelligent variable speed |
| Controllers | Leo · AquaDuty · Coelbo Switchmatic · Wilo HiControl |
| Tanks & switches | Pressure & membrane tanks · Bladders · Pressure switch · Pressure gauges · Wilo vessels |
| Solar | Vega solar booster |
Frequently asked questions
What does a booster pump do?
A booster pump increases water pressure at your taps and showers. It draws from a storage tank, a borehole tank or a weak supply and delivers water at a steady, higher pressure, switching itself on when a tap opens and off when it closes.
What size booster pump do I need for my house?
Size it on the number of outlets that run at the same time – roughly 0.6 m³/h for each – and the head needed: the pressure you want (1 bar = 10 m) plus the height to the highest outlet and pipe friction. A two-bathroom home typically needs about 1.2 m³/h at 30 to 35 m.
What pressure should a household booster pump deliver?
Most homes are comfortable with 2 to 3 bar at the tap. Much more than that wastes water and strains fittings, geysers and appliances; much less gives weak showers upstairs.
Do I need a pressure tank with a booster pump?
Not always. A pump fitted with an automatic flow controller, or an intelligent variable-speed pump, runs without a tank. A pressure-switch system needs a tank, and a tank also reduces how often any pump starts for small draws.
What should the pressure tank pre-charge be?
Set it 0.2 bar below the pump's cut-in pressure, checked with the pump off and the tank drained. Tanks usually leave the factory at about 1.5 bar, so check it when the system is installed and once a year after that.
Why does my booster pump keep switching on and off?
Short-cycling is almost always a flat or failed pressure tank, a leaking tap, cistern or pipe somewhere in the house, or a faulty non-return valve letting pressure bleed back. Check the tank pre-charge first, then look for leaks.
Can a booster pump draw water from a tank below it?
Only if it is self-priming – a jet or self-priming peripheral pump – and the lift is within about 8 m. Standard centrifugal, twin-impeller and multistage pumps need the water at or above pump level.
What is a variable-speed booster pump?
A pump with built-in electronics that vary the motor speed to hold pressure constant. Pressure stays steady whether one tap or four are open, the pump starts softly, runs quietly and uses less electricity at low demand.
Can I connect a booster pump directly to the municipal supply?
Check your local municipal by-laws first. Many do not allow a pump to draw directly from the mains, and the usual approach is to let the mains fill a storage tank and boost from the tank.
How much does a booster pump cost in South Africa?
A small booster pump with controller starts from about R1 650. Jet and peripheral pumps run roughly R1 200 to R5 600, twin-impeller and multistage pumps R4 350 to R9 800, and intelligent variable-speed boosters R4 300 to R10 000, including VAT.
Not sure which booster pump you need?
Tell us where the water comes from, how many bathrooms and outlets run together, and how high the top floor is. We will size the pump, controller and tank for you.
Related ranges
- Pressure & Booster Pumps — the full booster category
- DAB Jetcom guide — self-priming jet pumps in detail
- DAB K Twin-Impeller guide — flooded-suction boosting in detail
- Solar Pump Guide — off-grid water supply