Water pressure tanks

[OnlyStihl]

I had to reset my tanks pressure yesterday, and started to wonder do I need a new tank or is some leakage normal. It has been a couple of years since I last drained the tank and set the pressure to 28psi. And slowly, very slowly the water pump comes on sooner and sooner. With a fresh drain and reset the pump will cycle once or twice a day. Looks to me like the tank is 40 gallons or so. When I finally had enough, the pump was cycling every gallon or so.

For those of you on a well, how often do you have to maintenance your pressure tank?

 

[jblnut]

I’ll reset it once or twice at most before replacing it. I have rather cruddy water here so when my well pumps die I replace the tanks. They’re not the expensive for the importance they bring to the whole system and I figure it’s already depressurized anyway so I may as well. All three of my wells are less than 100’ deep so I do the work myself and figure the $$$$$$ I save by not hiring it out will pay for a few more components each time. When the pumps die I replace the pressure tank and pressure switch as well as jetting out the pump piping and lines to the first building. I call my well guy and he sets stuff out for me to pickup and away I go.

 

[Bill G]

I had to reset my tanks pressure yesterday, and started to wonder do I need a new tank or is some leakage normal. It has been a couple of years since I last drained the tank and set the pressure to 28psi. And slowly, very slowly the water pump comes on sooner and sooner. With a fresh drain and reset the pump will cycle once or twice a day. Looks to me like the tank is 40 gallons or so. When I finally had enough, the pump was cycling every gallon or so.

For those of you on a well, how often do you have to maintenance your pressure tank?

What type of well system do you have that is at 28psi?

 

[stretch5881]

I only have a 2 gallon pressure tank because sometimes I want cold well water in a short amount of time. I check it before every winter and I usually have to add 2 pounds.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I’ll reset it once or twice at most before replacing it. I have rather cruddy water here so when my well pumps die I replace the tanks. They’re not the expensive for the importance they bring to the whole system and I figure it’s already depressurized anyway so I may as well. All three of my wells are less than 100’ deep so I do the work myself and figure the $$$$$$ I save by not hiring it out will pay for a few more components each time. When the pumps die I replace the pressure tank and pressure switch as well as jetting out the pump piping and lines to the first building. I call my well guy and he sets stuff out for me to pickup and away I go.

I do most of my own work also. I have the best and cleanest water I have ever seen or tasted. I'm considering having the tank replaced and hiring someone to do the work. The equipment is down in the ground with a culvert encircling all. It floods yearly about 3 feet high and the pipes are rusty looking. If things start to break or strip my travel time and cost to get replacement parts become a PITA. Last time I got in there to fix stuff it took me 4 trips to the hardware store.

 

[OnlyStihl]

What type of well system do you have that is at 28psi?

It is a 30 50 pressure switch. Very common, 40 60 being the alternative.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I only have a 2 gallon pressure tank because sometimes I want cold well water in a short amount of time. I check it before every winter and I usually have to add 2 pounds.

I might adopt the same approach. I squirted soapy water over much of the tank and the leak is hidden from me. The bladder seems fine. With the tank empty it was light enough to rock back and forth easily.

 

[stretch5881]

If the tank loses air that slow, I don't think you will see it using soapy water.

 

[Mammyrat]

The air bladder usually leaks in to the water side of the tank not to the outside unless it is a leaky schrader valve. (You can check the schrader valve with soapy water.) Empty the tank until no more water comes out. then inflate the tank air bladder with an air compressor or bicycle pump until it reaches the spec pressure. (a lot of times it is 28 psi). This has nothing to do with the operating cut-on, cut-off pressures of the pressure control switch. If it loses pressure again after a period of use the tank needs replacing.

 

[Bill G]

I do most of my own work also. I have the best and cleanest water I have ever seen or tasted. I'm considering having the tank replaced and hiring someone to do the work. The equipment is down in the ground with a culvert encircling all. It floods yearly about 3 feet high and the pipes are rusty looking. If things start to break or strip my travel time and cost to get replacement parts become a PITA. Last time I got in there to fix stuff it took me 4 trips to the hardware store.

In this area a commercial well outfit will not put a pressure tank in a pit anymore. Now of course you can do it yourself and if you already have an existing one some will work on it. If you have a pit here you had better have a good heating system. Let me tell you thawing frozen pipes in a pit is not fun. It is worse when they freeze and break. As for pulling your own pumps I have heard of some doing it. I am not a gambler at all. My well is at about 400 feet. I have heard of some of the guys with big hog units being close to 1000 feet but I will not stand by that with certainty. I would not be willing to risk pulling it and dropping it half way through. I am not sure what a person does at that point. I know I had a cousin that ran a machine shop her from the 1920's to early 1960's. He was quite a fabricator and did all his own work. He bought an old welling drilling unit probably built in the 1950's. Dad said he tried drilling his on well but it was so worn he could not keep it straight.

 

[Bill G]

It is a 30 50 pressure switch. Very common, 40 60 being the alternative.

View attachment 431628

Yes a 30/50 is available. I thought you meant it was set to kick off at 28psi. We use a 40/60. A few weeks back on a Sunday evening I came in the house and used the bathroom. I flushed and heard that nasty sound of air charging. I took a look at the pressure switch and she was cooked. Well being Sunday night I had no choices. A new switch Monday and back to business.

 

[Bill G]

I do not have a bladder tank. I have a regular 200 gallon tank. The old one went to heck about 23 years ago. I figured I would replace it with a bladder tank so Friday night I stopped by and picked up a bladder tank. On Saturday I removed the old one and prepared to install the new bladder tank. Well thankfully this time I actually read the directions It said if you had a regular tank you cannot replace it with a bladder tank unless you pull the pump to plug an air valve. Well by now it is nearing noon. I have the old tank out and a new tank I cannot install. To put it nicely I am screwed and it is as usual 100% my fault. I call a local well guy and explain my situation. He says well Bill this is your lucky day. I have a 200 gallon regular tank here. I am leaving for the day but I will set it outside for you. I go get it and we are back in business that evening.

 

[OnlyStihl]

Working good. Cycles twice a day and takes about a minute to fill the tank. I'll monitor it and reset it again in late October before the snow arrives. If it is still working within specs, I'll delay any action til spring or never.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I lost 3psi in 2 months. Water pump cycles only 2 or 3 times a day, with on time enough to fill the tank from near empty. 3psi, I can live with that.