Water logged pressure tank


  #1  
Old 04-20-04, 06:52 AM
ilikemyindy
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Question Water logged pressure tank

I have a drilled well with a submersible pump and pressure tank. The tank has become water-logged causing the pump to kick on and off constantly. I added air to it and it fixed the problem for about two months. Recently it has started acting up again. I put more air in the tank and this seemed to help, but after running the shower for 10 minutes it starts to act up again.

Does anyone know why the tank is losing pressure? Another question I have is what is the correct amount of air pressure to put in the tank. I can not find that on the paperwork that came with the tank or the pump. It was installed 10 years ago and the person who did it is no longer around.

Thank you.
 
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Old 04-20-04, 07:01 AM
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You probably have a rubber membrane type tank, and the membrane is probably broken. If water is comming out of the air fitting then it's time for a new tank.
 
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Old 04-20-04, 07:14 AM
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If the water stops while you're using it, that means you aren't geting water into the tank. That won't have anything to do with the air pressure in the tank. it says there's a pump or well water level problem. The pump could be overheating and the thermal overload is shutting it off, or if you have air in the water, the water level in the well has fallen to the pump inlet and the pump is sucking air. That's called a 'dry' well condition. The pump coming on and shutting off is called 'short cycling' and kills pump motors and spins electric meters. The tank is bad and needs to be replaced. There will be a leak in the bladder if it's a bladder type air precharged tank.

So what does "acting up again" mean? What actually happens?

Gary Slusser
 
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Old 04-20-04, 07:27 AM
ilikemyindy
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Acting up means the pressure is irregular when the water is running. It gets cold and then hot again and the pressure fluctuates. When I am down the basement I can hear the pressure switch kicking on and off - cycling the pump.

The first time I checked the tank (two months ago) water came out of the fitting when I tried to test it with a tire gauge. This time I did not let it get that bad before I added the air.

Thanks for the quick responses guys!
 
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Old 04-20-04, 08:12 AM
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Like Gary asked .Just what do you have here. If its a bladder tank you have to get a new one and put it in . If its an air tank Id check out and see if you have a sniffer check in the line that dont work right and let air in.


ED
 
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Old 04-20-04, 06:53 PM
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The pressure fluctuation when a pump is short cycling is more pronounced than when things are setup and operating correctly. You could have a lag in the pressure switch coming on; that can make the water stop. That is usually caused by a blockage of the pressure switch, the nipple it is on, or any tubing running to it and the fittings on each end of the tube and especially where the one screws into the wet end of the jet pump.

Gary Slusser
 
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Old 04-21-04, 02:25 PM
ilikemyindy
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Thanks Guys.

Does anyone know how much air pressure the tank should have in it when it is properly charged?
 
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Old 04-21-04, 04:08 PM
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Should say on the tank there If you have a old bladder tank forget it if the bladder is shot.
 

Last edited by Ed Imeduc; 04-21-04 at 04:30 PM.
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Old 04-21-04, 07:16 PM
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Should be 2 lbs. less than the cut-in pressure on pump switch.

You can only do this with the tank completely empty, and if the tank has lost air or water emits from the schraeder valve, the tank is junk.


I believe most tanks come precharged at 20 pounds, sometimes higher.
 
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Old 04-22-04, 06:48 AM
ilikemyindy
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Thank you very much. I will replace it.
 
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Old 11-14-13, 10:43 PM
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Pressure Tank

Hi,
Really simple, based on your observations. If you have a bladder tank, it's torn. If you have a non-bladder tank, the valve stem is probably bad and causing you to lose that air pressure. Set your tank pressure to 2 psi below kick in. Most cycle 30-60, some are set higher.
 
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Old 11-15-13, 01:53 AM
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Ummm, 9 year old thread you're posting to here.
 

Last edited by the_tow_guy; 11-15-13 at 03:24 AM.
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Old 11-15-13, 02:20 AM
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Yes old thread..... closing it. Please post new....
 
 

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