Is my pressure tank garbage?

[Marbleye'd]

I think this is it for the pressure tank. The switch is on and off about every 3 sec for the toilet to refill. We still have water pressure.... but never was very good. Can I add more air and if so how much? If the bladder is leaking will you lose all pressure when it fills up with water? Thanks for any help in advance.

[Archerysniper]

Replace the pressure tank the diaphram has leaked and is water logged.

The pressure tank helps stabalize the pressure so with it water logged you pump will run longer and more often.

[Marbleye'd]

I just shut the well off and ran a faucet, then used a hand tire pump (about 15-20 pumps) it took the air but ...I think your right...It will probably leak again.

[delcecchi]

Back in the day, pressure tanks didn't have diaphrams or balloons or whatever in them. Without the diaphram you have to check the air pressure and adjust more frequently and you might have to experiment some with the amount of air. But you can keep going until you have time to swap tanks.

Swapping tanks can be inconvenient if the new tank isn't the same as the old tank. And 20 year old pipe fittings can be sort of fun too.

[Tom7227]

How old is it? You may even have an old fashioned one that doesn't have a bladder in it at all. If it's just galvanized metal that's what you have and you need to put air in those every 6-12 months.

Most well companies keep records of what they've done at a place. If you can find a tag you may be able to call them and get the info from them about how much air charge the thing needs. The amount of air in the tank has a direct relationship to how often the pump cycles and you want to get that right in order to have the pump turn on early enough to keep the water flowing and to stay on long enough to keep the water flowing.

I think you may need more than 20 lbs of pressure in it. If you can buy either a small compressor or one of those portable air tanks . Try to find out what the proper pressure if for it and then pump it up. Check it a few days later and see what sort of pressure reading you get.

There's a couple of switches that control the on/off of the pump. They can get cruded up and need a cleaning and then maybe a reset.

Replacing the tank is as easy as the access you have. If you're lucky it isn't stuck in some small pump room and you'll be able to get at it. If I was doing it I would put some unions near it so that it would be easy to change out if you're unlucky enough to have to do it again.

[BobT]

You don't precharge bladderless tanks with an air compressor. The pressure in the bladderless tank is relevant to the pump pressure.

If your tank is without a bladder then all you have to do is open a valve to allow air in, drain the tank, close the air supply valve, and turn the pump back on. As the water fills the tank, the air is trapped inside and provides the compression you need.

When I installed my tank I put a valve on the top of it so I can open it to allow air in or out. The water enters the tank about midway down the side and exits at the bottom. The air is trapped in there until I either open the valve on top or the valve springs a leak.

I do have a problem with hydrogen-sulfide gas, which is why I put the tank in. About once or twice a year I have to replenish the air with fresh air because it gets to the point where it can't absorb the hydrogen-sulfide anymore. But, that's a different problem entirely.

[delcecchi]

My bladderless tank had a thing looked like a tire valve on it. Probably from about 1959 when house was built. Finally went to a captive air one after the old galvanized sprung unfixable leak.

If you put too much air in a bladderless pump you will get air in your pipes. If you put too much air in a bladder tank you will get periods of no water since the water pressure will drop to zero abruptly as the tank empties.

Too little air will cause frequent cycling in either type.

[Marbleye'd]

Thanks for the help guys. No it's not that old galvinized tank. (Blue) I went to work today and got home and the air I did pump in there seems to be still holding...The switch isn't clicking on and off so much anyway...about 10 sec apart to refill toilet. I will need to get a plumber out here to get it tuned to the pump and so on.

[delcecchi]

If it is a bladder tank, just adding air might not be a good long term solution. Pump shouldn't cycle multiple times to fill a 1.6 gallon toilet or even a 5 gallon.

Pressure tanks are a lot cheaper than pumps, especially submersible pumps. I think you ought to replace the tank.

[Tom7227]

There's still the issue of the on/off switch or whatever it's called that causes the pump to cycle. If that's kaflooey then the air thing isn't enough to get things squared away. I agree that it shouldn't be cycling with a mere toilet flush, and that the frequent on/off will cause the pump to fail earlier.

Bob T - is that gas caused by brats or Lutefisk? Sorry but I couldn't pass it up. - Tom

[backlash 1]

Marbleye

Might be able to save you a service call.

Run some faucets and monitor the gauge on your presure tank. Notice at what PSI the pump kicks on and off.

Now, kill the power to the pump and let the system pressure go to to "0"

Now check the pressure in the pressure tank, using a tire gauge on the snifter valve on top of tank.

Your pressure in the tank should be 3 lbs "lower" than the cut in pressure when the pump kicks on.

Add or release tank pressure to get that number.

Check tank pressure again in a week or whatever to see if you have a bladder leak . If you do, replace tank.

[Surface Tension]

Marbleye

Might be able to save you a service call.

Run some faucets and monitor the gauge on your presure tank. Notice at what PSI the pump kicks on and off.

Now, kill the power to the pump and let the system pressure go to to "0"

Now check the pressure in the pressure tank, using a tire gauge on the snifter valve on top of tank.

Your pressure in the tank should be 3 lbs "lower" than the cut in pressure when the pump kicks on.

Add or release tank pressure to get that number.

Check tank pressure again in a week or whatever to see if you have a bladder leak . If you do, replace tank.

Good info there.