Adding bladder tanks

[Stonecutter]

First post for me, but I've been reading here for a while.

I have a low yield well, about 2gpm, that is close to 600 ft deep.
I have a Wellxtrol WX205 Bladder tank.

I live on a heavily wooded country road, and power outages are a pretty common thing. I also garden a lot, so I water pretty much.

I've read a lot about how bad short cycling is on a pump. I actually had the well company replace my pump this year, and the house & water system was only a little over 3 years old at the time. They installed a new Gould Pump, which I believe is 3/4 HP and 4 GPM.

I am adding 2 larger bladder tanks to the system to hopefully increase the cycle time when watering, and allow for multiple toilet flushings during power outages.

My existing tank has a check valve in the line before the tank & switch. Prior to reading some posts here, I thought check valves were a good thing, and I had planned on installing one downstream from each new tank.

Am I correct in understanding the consensus here is don't use any check valves?

Thanks,
David

[speedbump]

The check valve in the pump is the only one you need. More check valves just mask problems and cause more problems.

More tanks won't give you that much more water in reserve.

If your pump is cycling like you inferred, that may be the reason it only lasted three years. Get a Cycle Stop Valve installed in front of those tanks, then the pump won't cycle and the pump will last much longer.

bob...

[nhmaster]

Dump the check valves.

[Gary Slusser]

And remember that unless your pump runs and fills the tanks just before the power goes off, you don't get the total draw down gallons you paid for.

It's much less expense to buy a number of 5 gallon buckets with lids and use them to flush with. And remember to refill them after the power comes on again.

I don't now of any 4 gpm submersible pump; there are 5 gpm and higher pumps.

[valveman]

With a 40/60 pressure switch, the pressure could be anywhere from 40 to 60 when you start using water. (Or when the power goes off) If it happen to be at 60, you will get some volume from the tank. If it happened to be at 41, you will not have any water stored in the tank(s). You have no control over this.

A generator would be better than a room full of pressure tanks during a power outage.

[Stonecutter]

With a 40/60 pressure switch, the pressure could be anywhere from 40 to 60 when you start using water. (Or when the power goes off) If it happen to be at 60, you will get some volume from the tank. If it happened to be at 41, you will not have any water stored in the tank(s). You have no control over this.

A generator would be better than a room full of pressure tanks during a power outage.

I never considered the chance of electricity happening to fail when I'm at 41. Excellent point.

I picked up 2 new "80 gallon equivalant" tanks for a very below value cost, and space in the basement utility room is no issue. I'll have about $400 and a couple hours of my time invested in my little project. It's certainly not going to do what a generator would, but I'm not able to spend $10K on a properly installed backup power system.

Thanks for the confirmations on not using the check valves.

[valveman]

It may cost 10K to install a whole house backup generator but, you could have bought one to run the 3/4 HP pump, for less than you spent on the tanks. Murphy's law says you will always be at 41 PSI, when the power goes off.

[Stonecutter]

It may cost 10K to install a whole house backup generator but, you could have bought one to run the 3/4 HP pump, for less than you spent on the tanks. Murphy's law says you will always be at 41 PSI, when the power goes off.

I cuss that dam Murphy guy all the time

[Porky]

Be a Hero and add a Cycle Stop Valve www.cyclestopvalves.com into the system while you're installing your new tank. It will give you constant pressure (like city pressure) and you're wife will love it!