Pressure tanks in well house filled with water?

[Willl]

Only 2 types of well tank systems that I know of.

Here's a drawing I found on the net. Right side is what I was thinking you had and it's also what I had before going to a bladder like on the left.

water-pressure-tanks.jpg (image)

 

[dcyrilc]

All non bladder type tanks will lose their air buffer over time the simple fix is to just to drain them every six on months or so and this will automatically refill the buffer.

Yeah. I just learned this today.:thumbsup: The fix was easy once I realized what the problem was. After connecting a hose and closing all the valves to isolate the tanks, I just turned on the hose and after the pressure was out of the tanks (took about 45 seconds) and pulled the plug from the top and let the tanks drain. After the tanks were empty I put the plugs back in and reactivated the system. After everything was up to pressure and tested, I opened the valves to the house and farm again. Done deal.

I'm currently considering replacing the plugs on top with nice brass ball valves to make it easier to drain the water and refill the buffer every six months to a year. Now that I'm aware of the issue, it's easy to deal with.

 

[Carl_NH]

Cyril

You figured it out - the tanks need air from time to time to displace losses/absorption. There are air makeup valves that attach a small tube on the pump suction side up to the side of the tank. When the pump is runing the air makeup valve sucks in a small amount of air that is then pumped into the tank(s) in your case.

These devices can be fickle and if you have not had to add air in 10 years, then just a port to each tank to add air from time to time. Another thing we used to do, is empty the tank once per year to flush out any "stuff" then start over with fresh air and water.. Its simple but it works if you dont have a compressor handy.

 

[whistlepig]

These aren't bladder tanks. Double walled steel tanks which can be used as pressure tanks or for saturation time as thru tanks. 100 gallon verticle tanks with a port on top and bottom. For saturation tanks you plumb in the bottom and out the top or for pressure tanks you plug the top and feed in and out at the bottom.

With all due respect I'm not the one needing the advice.

 

[dcyrilc]

Only 2 types of well tank systems that I know of.

Here's a drawing I found on the net. Right side is what I was thinking you had and it's also what I had before going to a bladder like on the left.

water-pressure-tanks.jpg (image)

I have epoxy coated tanks but they are a little different. I've never seen the one with the air valve 1/2 way up.

As for being a little different, my whole system is a little different.:laughing:
My main well is down at the farm with an in-well 3HP pump and five 100 gallon pressure tanks. Cut on/off pressures are 50/80 PSI with a pressure regulator to the farm. From there we have a 1-1/4" line with check valves up to mom's house 50-55 feet above the main well house. Mom's well house has the three 100 gallon tanks with a booster pump set for 40/60 PSI cut on/off. It's an interesting two stage design to overcome the altitude differences. The only thing I would add to the system is a low pressure cutoff for the booster pump in the event of a loss of supply from the main well house. In other words, if the main supply was to fail (drop below say 5-10 PSI) power to the booster pump would be removed so that the pump couldn't run if water was not available to it. Now that I'm installing a fully automatic backup generator at mom's house, this is something I may have to look into since the main well doesn't have backup power at this time.

 

[dcyrilc]

With all due respect I'm not the one needing the advice.

Sorry, I didn't mean any offense. I was just trying to explain that they weren't bladder tanks and give a better description of what my tanks were like.

BTW, Thank You for your input.:thumbsup: It was your input which made me think to google 'well pressure tanks' and find the explaination. I always forget to google things.:ashamed:

 

[whistlepig]

Sorry, I didn't mean any offense. I was just trying to explain that they weren't bladder tanks and give a better description of what my tanks were like.

BTW, Thank You for your input.:thumbsup: It was your input which made me think to google 'well pressure tanks' and find the explaination. I always forget to google things.:ashamed:

None taken. Sounds like a lot of good information coming your way. I've learned a few things myself tonight. I also have a well.

 

[turnkey4099]

There are two types of 'air make-up' valves. The 'snifter' which injects a small amount of air with each pump start up and the 'float' type that goes in the side of the tank. Both are prone to failure. Best solution though is to go to bladder tanks - don't think I would if you need all those tanks.

I am intrigued with your multiple tank system. Why so many tanks? They give you fewer pump starts but much longer run times. Is there some reason other than that?

Also I don't get the need for a booster pump at your mother's house. with main pump set for 40-80 psi she will be getting...umm...about 20-60 at the house anyhow. Ooops...yep, 20 psi too low and high end would be some less than 60.

Harry K

 

[Skyco]

My system has the air volume valve on the side of the tank and the "snifter".
The snifter is simply a schrader valve so that when the pump shuts off it acts as an air check valve, as the water column falls back down the pipe it draws air in through the snifter/schrader to push a new slug of air into the tank with each cycle. Excess air is released by the float valve on the side of the tank.
When I bought my house 27 years ago I was puzzled about the schrader valve on the elbow where the pipe came out of the well casing. Not knowing any better I screwed a valve cap on it figuring it was a pressure test port...a few weeks later started having problems and an old timer told me how it worked and to uncap it. We didn't have the 'net back then to look this stuff up....

 

[dcyrilc]

See interspersed.

There are two types of 'air make-up' valves. The 'snifter' which injects a small amount of air with each pump start up and the 'float' type that goes in the side of the tank. Both are prone to failure. Best solution though is to go to bladder tanks - don't think I would if you need all those tanks.

I am intrigued with your multiple tank system. Why so many tanks? They give you fewer pump starts but much longer run times. Is there some reason other than that?

Nope. Years back, when we first designed the well system, I was told that cycling was what kills well pumps. The intent was to give long on/off times both to extend the life of the pumps and to give more saturation time for our chlorine system.

Also I don't get the need for a booster pump at your mother's house. with main pump set for 40-80 psi she will be getting...umm...about 20-60 at the house anyhow. Ooops...yep, 20 psi too low and high end would be some less than 60.

Yeah, it runs some where around 20-50 psi without the booster pump. Usable, but not desireable. Using the 30 psi spread and additional tanks on the main pump saves it from having to startup every time the booster starts. IIRC, it calculated out to about 2to1. Again, the purpose was to try to extend the life of the pumps while providing a "normal" pressure at the house. The other origional purpose was that it was designed to be a two house system, though county requirements ended up making this unfeasable since the last requirement they told us about before issuing a construction permit for the second house was that we needed to tear out the farm and put 16-1/2 of our 17 acres into native growth protection and we would only be allowed to use 1/4 acre for each house. In Washington, native growth protection areas are limited access areas and even mowing is illegal. I wasn't willing to tear out the farm and be told I couldn't walk on or use my own land.

Harry K