Setting well tank pressure guage

My old presure switch reading were on at 44psi and off at 65psi. The new prerssure switch cuts in at 40 and off at 50 psi.

We had a new 3/4hp pump installed 2 weeks ago, replacing a 1/2 hp model. The well depth is 115 feet with the pump set down at 60 feet. The fellow that replaced the pump said that a bladder type tank would be much better on the pump than an air over water type.

I disagree with your well man. I would look for another one!

There"s not a thing wrong with a standard air tank. They last a long time with only one cheap air snifer to go bad, about $10 wholesale.

On the otherhand when a bladder tank pops a hole in the bladder the tank needs replaced, about $140 wholesale.

The same equalivent bladder tank size is smaller, about 1/2 the size, to accomplish the same draw down gallons.

Real World Example: A 42gal standard air pressure tank has a draw down of 6.5gal at 20-40psi setting.
The equivalent size bladder tank is a 14gal tank and has a 5.1gal draw down at 20-40psi setting.

So in this example the bladde tank has LESS draw down capacity than it"s equivalent standard tank. If you need a new pressure tank or have a limited install space then it might be more cost effective to go with a bladder tank.

To change a good working standard air pressure to a bladder tank is just wrong.

Use the lowest pressure setting as you can live with as the seals in your plumbing with last longer without leaking.

T_Bone

The direct air tanks (like the one I have) gradually lose air into the water. This means you've got to pump them up occassionally. Bit of a hit and miss guess on how much air when doing it. If you have an external glass tube, it's easy, but most (all?) don't come with that, so it's a rather blind guess as to how much air to pump in.

If something happens to go wrong with your pump, the air in the tank can blow down into the well, losing the prime. With a jet pump like what I've got, that happens about once or twice a year. More often if I've overfilled the tank compensating for lost air.

A rubber bladder eliminates all that.

And if a rubber bladder springs a leak, I can continue to use it just like a regular direct air tank. The ones I've seen have an air nipple on the air side of the bladder.

The best way I found to charge a standard tank is too shut the pump off and drain the pressure tank of water, then open the tank to atmosphere or open the air sniffer. When no more air will enter the tank, then refill the tank with water.

If you tried to add access air or if the system set for a very long time then you would loose air into the closed system.

A suction check valve will stop prime from being lost into the suction piping. I usually use more than one check valve just incase one leaks.

I do agree overall a bladder tank is a much better design and space saving. But to change out a working standard pressure tank for no other reason is just wasteful use of money.

I"ve installed many of both types of systems and haven"t had any problem out of either type.

And yes I agree with putting on a air sniffer on a bad bladder tank as I have one now like that. The tank is just now starting to leak so it"s time to change out the tank after 20yrs.

T_Bone

Yes, I do need to install a check valve. Especially since my jet pump well has a leaking footer valve and bleeds itself down nicely after about 10 minutes or so.

I'd rather not dig up the well and pull the lines to replace that valve as it'd be my luck to accidently contaminate the well. It's nice and clean tasty water. I've no experience with playing with wells. I know it's not complex, but I'm just a bit shy of it.

Ya pulling a deep well pump can create a few problems like having to replace some piping and the pump screen and foot valve.

I use pipe dope not teflon tape as the joint comes apart much easier the next time.

One correction in my last post is as long as the pressure tank is the higher point in the piping system then you should get no air into the house system.

If the pressure tank is the highest point then air has to be coming from a leak some where, either suction or the pressure side.

T_Bone

the only thing I can think of I did a little funky in the installation is that in stead of the one inch pipe I stepped it down to a 3/4 flex line because of a height difference between the old and new tank, could this be the problem. HELP my wife is staying in the city until I have this fixed and it is getting a bit lonely around here.

Thank you

Martin

Bladder tanks are far better tanks in any situation and they ALWAYS have more drawdown than the same size standard tank.

And because water never touches metal in a bladder tank, they last at least 2-3 times longer.

You can"t !!!

T_Bone

See the link, then feel free to apologize.

• drawdown

Look at part No: 4P834 bladder tank
The draw down is listed at 5.6gal, Standard tank equivalent is listed as 40gal

As stated get your facts straight.

T_Bone

• WW Granger

Aren't you the same guy who claimed you could run 12VDC through 100' of water? Wow, that explains a lot!

Another problem that we have (with both the old and the new pump) is that when we flush the toilet, the water at the sink shows a drastic decrease in volume while the tank is refilling. Any ideas on what I need to do to correct this?

Volume... I can think of 5 or 6 reasons off the top of my head and until you learn what the problem is you won't be able to correct it. Get a plumber to look at it. He will verify pressure and volume from the pump tank. After that, he will check the household plumbing. It should be easy for him to figure out but it might not be so easy to fix, for example, mineral fouled pipes.

Thanks to all that responded. It is apptrciated.

The guy is right, air bladder tanks have a much greater drawdown so the pump runs less. Less starts means the pump lasts longer.

Joe