Need a plumber's advice before proceeding....

[xp8103]

My house is on a well. As part of the system, I have a Weltrol pressure tank in my basement. what is the service life of these things? Do they have one? Are they glass lined like HWHs?

[RJM2096]

My house is on a well. As part of the system, I have a Weltrol pressure tank in my basement. what is the service life of these things? Do they have one? Are they glass lined like HWHs?

Our home is both on a well and a cistern. They both have submersible pumps and have bladder tanks for storage. The house is about 25 years old and while we have had to replace the pumps multiple times, we have never had to do anything with the tanks. I do not know if they are glass lined, but I would assume there is some kind of lining. The real weak point is the bladder. If that rubber bladder cannot hold air pressure, the pumps will run all the time under the slightest demand.

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/RJM2096/HomeArial.jpg

[DarrylRi]

We're on a well, too. Our bladder tank gave out last year, it seems to have been original with the house (build in 1986), so in our experience, they have a 20 year lifespan. Ask me again in 20 years about the new one...

The bladder itself filled with water and so didn't provide much air pressure. It would fall from 70 to 50 psi very quickly with just a hose running.

[DennisDarrow]

Pressure/Bladder tanks are just like anything else, they fail sooner or later. Some because of quality may last only a year or two, rare, while others may last up to 10 to 20 years.

These tanks are really simple but neat. The metal that you see gets pressurized with air to let's say 70 or 80 pounds. Yes, there is that air pressure nozzle right there on top for you to check air pressure and maintain that pressure. There is a rubber bladder, kinda like a big ballon that the water itself from the pump gets filled up and is pressurized by the pump. The air pressure in the tank works against the pressure in the bladder, thereby "pushing" and maintaining a higher pressure of water flow out of the bladder.

As an aside, when you replace the tank, get the largest tank that you can afford or fit into the space. It holds a given pressure longer thereby working your pump a lot less..................Dennis

[xp8103]

Thanks guys. My tank is likely original 1983 I think. We bought the house in 1998 and I don't think that it had been replaced before that. Time to look for a new one I think..... How much are they typically?

[Bussp]

Here is a linky to Well Trol. They have a price book on the site.

Well X Trol (http://www.amtrol.com/wellxtrol.htm)

Don't forget to periodically, once a year, drain the tank. This will flush out any of the sediment that the pump has pumped into the pressure tank.

[KGT1200]

A related post here to wells and their weaknesses.

The midwest gods were mad yesterday evening, and rolled across our neck of the woods with vengeful lighting. We woke up this morning to a small stream of water provided by the diaphram in our pressure tank...no more well.

Well after getting to work for a couple early morning meetings all-the-while full of worry about the cost and hassle of installing a new pump 75 ft down under (last one I did was 280 ft deep, a Colorado "average depth") the problem came apparent in a circuit test to be in the controller box, aka junction box, which quite literally was a ten minute fix. Don't tell my office, cause I am going to ditch this afternoon, stay home to an empty house, take that missing shower from this morning, and basically screw off the rest of the day, which I NEVER allow myself to do.

What a working stiff I have become anymore!

"Help me Mr. Wizard, I don't want to be a (Fill in your profession here)anymore!" (think The Rocky and Bullwinkle show, 1970s)

Sometimes I want off this capitalistic boat so I can once again enjoy living for living's sake! But in the meantime, We gotta have a well...gotta go to work

[john1691]

Sometimes I want off this capitalistic boat so I can once again enjoy living for living's sake! But in the meantime, We gotta have a well...gotta go to work

The trick is to be content as lower-middle class. Someone with a decent work ethic, and marketable skills can easily earn a lower-middle class living by working 36-40 hours a week. That way you have time to ride, go to the kids/grandkids events, volunteer, fish, play golf or whatever floats your boat. The problem is wanting to bo upper-middle class and keeping up with the Jones', with the new car, bigger house, GS Adventure with a Meyer saddle, Wilber shocks, PIAA lights, GPS, MP3, etc., etc. Don't blame Capitolism, blame the aftermarket guys for making such cool bling! :laugh

[KGT1200]

The trick is to be content as lower-middle class. Someone with a decent work ethic, and marketable skills can easily earn a lower-middle class living by working 36-40 hours a week. That way you have time to ride, go to the kids/grandkids events, volunteer, fish, play golf or whatever floats your boat. The problem is wanting to bo upper-middle class and keeping up with the Jones', with the new car, bigger house, GS Adventure with a Meyer saddle, Wilber shocks, PIAA lights, GPS, MP3, etc., etc. Don't blame Capitolism, blame the aftermarket guys for making such cool bling! :laugh

I think youre wrong! I'm just a classless kind of guy!:laugh :laugh :laugh :blah :blah :whistle

[RICHO2006]

[QUOTE=DennisDarrow;372011]Pressure/Bladder tanks are just like anything else, they fail sooner or later. Some because of quality may last only a year or two, rare, while others may last up to 10 to 20 years.

These tanks are really simple but neat. The metal that you see gets pressurized with air to let's say 70 or 80 pounds.

It has been explained to me that the pressure in the tank should be set equal to the turn-on pressure of your pump. If your pump is set to turn on @ 30 psi then the pressure in the tank should be set @ 30 psi.



Regards


Richo

[DennisDarrow]

Richo...........You are exactly correct. Most folks will add a very few more pounds of air for their tank than for the pump cut off switch. For me, 30 pounds of pressure is totally inadequate. Thats why the cut off on my pump is at 60 and back on again at 45. The extra pressure in the tank kind of evens the difference out. The pressure setting is a personal thing, actually a gamble as to how much pressure your plumbing can take. For me, having the ability to take a shower with more than just a dribble in the upstairs bath, 3 stories up in my loft, is worth making sure I have sound plumbing..........................Dennis

[GeoffMiller]

Check out Grundfos pumps, Grundfos U.S.A. Variable speed pumps with a pressure tank about the size of a coffee can. A bit more money but they work very, very well. When I was in the irrigation business, I sold a number of customers on these pumps because they worked so well with high volume irrigation systems. If I still was in a house with a well, it is the only thing that I would consider.

[osbornk]

Here is a linky to Well Trol. They have a price book on the site.

Well X Trol (http://www.amtrol.com/wellxtrol.htm)

Don't forget to periodically, once a year, drain the tank. This will flush out any of the sediment that the pump has pumped into the pressure tank.

I've never heard of anyone draining their pressure tank and we have alot of wells around here. My 1980 era tank is still in the house and I replaced my well pump this spring. It was 25 years old and did not fail electrically. The coupling between the pump and the motor stripped. It could have been repaired but only a fool would have put it back in since the major expense of well pump replacement is the labor (when the pump was put in with galvanized pipe and a boom truck is necessary to lift it out.)

I learned a lot about pumps, tanks, etc. at http://www.flintandwalling.com/default.htm (for example, the lower GPM the pump delivers, the better and more expensive it is with the same HP pump).

I had a 30/50 pressure switch and my wife always complained about the pressure upstairs. I replaced it with a 40/60 and it made a hugh difference.

[ltljohn]

My house is on a well. As part of the system, I have a Weltrol pressure tank in my basement. what is the service life of these things? Do they have one? Are they glass lined like HWHs?

My parents well tank and pump lasted 28 years. Had to replace pump but not the tank.