Replacing Bladder

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Rutherfordman

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I have two 200 gallon Well X trol bladder tanks on my well. They are 12 years old so I am probably on borrowed time. How hard is it to replace a bladder? The tanks are in good shape (outside) and I am fairly good with mechanical things. I can probably get the bladder through friends in the business and would rather not haul a new tank in from a distance. The well was setup for more than one house so with only me on it I figure I only need one tank. I don't even think one of the tanks has worked since I have been here (7 years). I figure I would cut this one loss, see if it has a bad bladder and if that is the case replace it while I am still using the other. I know I need to test things first (air pressure)and this will require draining the tanks but I figured that would be a good time to cut one loss and rebuild. What is the cost difference between the bladder and a new tank?
 

Valveman

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You can't replace a bladder in a WellX tank. "Non-replaceable." If the bladders are busted, those tanks are going to weigh a ton. You have to drill or pick a hole through the side and let it drain where it is. Then you can move it out. You can replace it like this, with a 4.4 gallon tank and it will cycle less than it did when both of those two big tanks were working properly.
 

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Rutherfordman

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Thanks. I guess that definitely narrows it down. The smaller tank will be a whole lot cheaper I imagine. My well is rated at 3 gpm, 800 feet deep with the pump at 772. I think the pump is rated at about 10 -15 gpm at the required head. Water level can flunctuate quite a bit during drought but right now it is looking good. There are 3 properties on the well but none of the others are going to be built on anytime soon and I have to shoulder the well expense until they hook on. Figure then we can add more tank if we need it. Just replaced the pump and with a kid starting college this ole hillbilly be poor.
 

Speedbump

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Depending on how and where the bladder let go and where it ended up, you can sometimes push the water out of the tank with an air compressor.

I am wondering how this 3 gpm system is going to perform once you get two more families hooked up to it? You may end up with a large cistern and a jockey pump to feet the homes while the well pump tries to keep the cistern full. This would require some more engineering, a timer and some motor protection equipment.
 

Rutherfordman

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I already let the owners know we will have issues once they tie on. May frac the well to try and get moe yield. I have some good producers very close by. At least when I have to deal with this there will be someone to share costs with:D. Pump is 3HP berkley w franklin motor. The well can serve my house but I have to watch for any leaks that will put on continous draw. This has happened in drought and pulled the well all the way down (twice).
 

Upper

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I dought any lender will loan on your system.You will be by yourself for a while...Upper
 

Rutherfordman

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Yea I bought my house seven years ago. It was a foreclosure and my lender made me get a note from the well driller saying the well could provide enough water for the properties intended. He was alot more sure than me. I have had a few issues over the years but 99% of the time I am good and the water is really great. I came from Jacksonville, Florida and the well water there I would not even drink (lots of iron and nasty tastin). I did not even filter my water I have now until recently. In some ways I like being the only one on the well as we have grown use to water conservation and if someone else ties on they may create lots of problems if they think they can water their yard everyday. I have a 20gpm well so close to me I can hit it with a rock from my well house and a few other 25gpm wells with a 1/4 mile.
 

Speedbump

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I would be looking into places to buy a large cistern and finding a place to house it. It sounds like your going to need it. Along with another submersible pump to supply all three places when the time comes. Just one more house hooking up might be the decider. Look into a constant pressure valve too. They are worth the money and will make life more bearable.
 

Valveman

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I agree you may need a cistern and booster pump to be able to supply more houses. Then a Cycle Stop Valve would deliver constant pressure to all the houses while using a very small pressure tank. Don't accept anything that claims it is just like a Cycle Stop Valve, because it is not. Simple differences in how these valves are made means that Cycle Stop Valves work dependably, and the other so called "constant pressure valves" do not.
 
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