OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
Tom Norton
It seems like this time if the year I start looking at the maintenance of various items!!
So those if you on well water what maintenance do you perform on your pressure tank?
OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
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Re: OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
#2Re: OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
Ralph Lipeles
There are different types of water storage tanks. Those that are large and just fill with water until the shut off pressure is reached and those that are much smaller and have a diafram so that you have a preset pressure in the tank. For either, when possible, I have always had a T on the top so that I can have a pressure gauge as well as a bicycle type tube valve that allows me to add or release pressure. My test is simple. I run the water until the pump turns on. I check the turn on pressure and also the turn off pressure. These pressures should be very close to what I have set on the regulator. I have a shallow well system so the pump is in my basement. The pump has oil fill things at each end. I lubricate them annually. Not too much oil. I don't want the oil to run internally and cause burns at the internal electricity turn on contacts. When I had a large tank that did not have a pressure gauge I would turn the pump off, hook up a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and drain the tank every year or 2. Just drain it, disconnect the hose, clost the valve and turn the pump back on.
If the pump turns on every time water is used then the diafram has failed and the tank must be replaced
Re: OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
#3Re: OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
Bill Howatt
Deep well (420') with submersible pump so it doesn't get any maintenance. I don't pay any attention to the pressure tank other than would notice if pump is coming on too frequently with light water use; then it would get replaced if adding air didn't correct it.
I do frequently look at the pressure gauge when in the basement and if there is an intermediate reading between the pump on and pump off pressures it likely will be because the bladder tank is providing it. It has been years since the tank air was "replaced" which was done by the well people when the pump wiring broke way down the well.
Pressure tank diaphragms do fail and some makes are better than others for longevity. Well guy was surprised ours had lasted as long as it did and it is still going strong 10 years later.
Bill
Re: OT- Well Pressure Tank Maintenance?
#4Pressure check
Tim Greif - West of Chicago
Almost all well pressure tanks these days are bladder tanks. The old captive air hydro-pneumatic tanks are pretty much obsolete for home use, although they still exist in commercial/industrial settings. The bladder tank really only needs to have its air precharge pressure checked. Bladder tanks should be precharged to 2 psi less than the turn-on pressure of the well when the tank is empty. And this is measured and set with the tank completely empty. If set too low, the well pump will cycle more often than needed since only a portion of the tanks available volume is used. Most tanks have a schrader air valve on top where you check the pressure and/or add air. Do this with an accurate tire gauge with the tank empty.