Fountain Engineering and Conversion Data
At Long Island Fountain, we want to make sure you have the resources necessary to effectively design and install your fountain or waterfall and make educated decisions along the way. The fountain design engineering and conversion data below can help you quickly determine the correct flow, pressure, volume, weight, etc., for your project. We’ve also included a pipe flow guide, a gpm requirements chart for waterfalls and more.
As always, if you need help designing or planning out your fountain, turn to our helpful team. The professionals at Long Island Fountain have helped clients throughout the U.S. and abroad construct the fountains of their dreams. Give us a call at (631)-467-5115 or fill out our contact form to start the process of designing or building your fountain or waterfall.
Quick Conversion Factors
| Covert From | Multiply By | Convert Into |
|---|---|---|
| Flow | ||
| USGPM | .0631 | Litres/second |
| USGPM | 3.785 | Litres/minute |
| USGPM | 227.3 | Litres/hour |
| Litres/sec. | 15.85 | USGPM |
| Litres/min. | .264 | USGPM |
| Litres/hour | .0044 | USGPM |
| Cu Ft/sec. | 448.83 | USGPM |
| Cu M/min | 264.2 | USGPM |
| Pressure | ||
| PSI | 6.895 | KPA |
| PSI | 2.310 | Ft. Head |
| KPA | .145 | PSI |
| KPA | .334 | Ft. Head |
| Ft. Head | 2.990 | KPA |
| Ft. Head | 0.433 | PSI |
| Ft. Head | 0.305 | Metric Head |
| Ft. Head | 3.280 | Ft. Head |
| Volume | ||
| U.S. Gals. | 231.0 | Cu. In. |
| U.S. Gals. | .1337 | Cu. Ft. |
| U.S. Gals. | 3.785 | Litres |
| U.S. Gals. | .0038 | Cu. Metres |
| Litres | .2642 | U.S. Gals |
| Litres | .0353 | Cu. Ft. |
| Cu. Metres | 35.311 | Cu. Ft. |
| Cu. Metres | 264.2 | U.S. Gals |
| Cu. Ft | 7.48 | U.S. Gals |
| Cu. Ft | 28.329 | Litres |
| Cu. Ft | 0.028 | Cu. Metres |
| Weight | ||
| US Gals | 8.35 | Lbs. |
| Litres | 2.2 | Lbs. |
| Cu Ft of water | 62.46 | Lbs. |
| Cu. M. water | 22.06 | Lbs. |
| Length | ||
| Inches | 2.54 | Centimeters |
| Feet | .3048 | Metres |
| Metres | 39.37 | Inches |
| Metres | 3.28 | Feet |
| Horsepower | ||
| HP | .746 | Kilowatts |
| HP | 745.7 | Watts |
| Kilowatts | 745.7 | Watts |
| US Pump Charts | ||
| GPM (60 cy) | .80 | GPM (50 cy) |
| Head (60 cy) | .60 | GPM (50 cy) |
Pipe Flow Guide
| Pipe Size | Flow usgpm | Pipe Size | Flow usgpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 1/2″ | 10 – 25 | 5″ | 200 – 500 |
| 2″ | 20 – 50 | 6″ | 330 – 800 |
| 3″ | 55 – 135 | 8″ | 700 – 1300 |
| 4″ | 115 – 275 | 10″ | 1250 – 1750 |
Waterfall Requirement
(per lineal foot)
| Spill | gpm | Maximum fall height |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1″ | 5 | 1″ |
| 0.2″ | 10 | 3″ |
| 0.3″ | 15 | 4″ |
| 0.4″ | 20 | 5″ |
| 0.5″ | 25 | 6″ |
| 0.6″ | 30 | 7″ |
| 0.7″ | 35 | 8″ |
| 0.8″ | 40 | 8.5″ |
| 0.9″ | 45 | 9″ |
| 1.9″ | 50 | 10″ |
Example: To determine the gpm requirements to a 10 ft. long waterfall with a 3 ft. fall height; specified with 0.3″ spill thickness, multiply 10 x 15 = 150 gpm
Note: Turbulent water may require greater flow. Lower pool should be approximately two times larger than upper pool to handle start-up and shut-down variables.