Cacher_Chick
Test, Don't Guess!
If you turn the pump power off and drain the water from tank, there will be no pressure left in the system.
Advice on Bladder tank
- Thread starter Billfig
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Billfig
New Member
OK Thanks, I didn't know if that check valve might be pressurized back to pump? After looking at the price of a new tank tee, I might just try to clean and reuse mine to keep costs down. Of course I do plan to renew switch & gauge along with the check valve near the plastic tubing line. I'm not sure I even have a pressure relief valve though? I'm really looking forward to this upgrade
I know my water flow must be all screwed and worn out. I also enjoy keepin my place up to par,lol!
I know my water flow must be all screwed and worn out. I also enjoy keepin my place up to par,lol!
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Cacher_Chick
Test, Don't Guess!
The price of a decent tank tee is less than the price of making one with new copper fittings. You might need to shop around more.
One thing you want to avoid is the junk from the big-box stores, especially the pressure tanks.
One thing you want to avoid is the junk from the big-box stores, especially the pressure tanks.
Billfig
New Member
Ya I hear ya's..seems the box stores carry junk from China mostly. I've been dealing with some descent hardware/plumbing stores to get a good quality up front. I do see many price swings between those Tee setups too. I wonder what the life is on my Goulds Aqua-Air tank even is? I want to remove the 2nd whole house cartridge, renew the gauge, prolly should do the check valve, remove pressure switch since the nipple is prolly gunked up and the switch needs at least a new adjustment if not replaced. Then the tank? I think it had 25psi emptied and is 24 yrs. old.
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
24 years old or not, if it can hold the precharge and is not waterlogged, it' doesn't need replacing just yet. Mind you, its days must be numbered. If you don't trust the switch and gauge, those are inexpensive and easy enough to replace.
I just put in a new pressure switch and gauge yesterday. My switch was 12 years old as was the gauge. I installed the new gauge on the top of my bladderless air volume tank where it won't get gunked up with iron and other mineral. I also put in a shraeder valve so I can compare the gauge reading with a tire gauge. These however don't apply to you since you have a bladder tank.
I just put in a new pressure switch and gauge yesterday. My switch was 12 years old as was the gauge. I installed the new gauge on the top of my bladderless air volume tank where it won't get gunked up with iron and other mineral. I also put in a shraeder valve so I can compare the gauge reading with a tire gauge. These however don't apply to you since you have a bladder tank.
Cacher_Chick
Test, Don't Guess!
It's been said that the average life of a bladder tank is 12 years.
I recommend long brass nipples on both the pressure switch and gauge connections. It helps keep debris out of the components. Avoid galvanized pipe like the plague.
I would get rid of the charcoal filter, as they cause major flow restrictions. There should be no valves or filters ahead of the pressure tank tee.
I recommend long brass nipples on both the pressure switch and gauge connections. It helps keep debris out of the components. Avoid galvanized pipe like the plague.
I would get rid of the charcoal filter, as they cause major flow restrictions. There should be no valves or filters ahead of the pressure tank tee.
CC is giving you good advice. Probably all you need to fix it.
You already have a brass tank cross. It is just a little green. Should clean up just fine. And there is no way that tank is 24 years old. I am pretty sure they didn’t have plastic bottoms on them that long ago. The serial number is usually a date code, so you can see how old the tank is. I agree with LL, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Replacing the tank and fittings is not an upgrade, it will barely keep you up to par. Adding a CSV would be an upgrade to a constant pressure system. Constant pressure means you have 50 PSI steady in the shower, instead of it going up and down from 40 to 60 every time you use 8 gallons from that size tank. A CSV will work with that tank, and add many years to the life of the bladder. And if you replace the tank, you would only need a 4.4 gallon size.
You already have a brass tank cross. It is just a little green. Should clean up just fine. And there is no way that tank is 24 years old. I am pretty sure they didn’t have plastic bottoms on them that long ago. The serial number is usually a date code, so you can see how old the tank is. I agree with LL, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Replacing the tank and fittings is not an upgrade, it will barely keep you up to par. Adding a CSV would be an upgrade to a constant pressure system. Constant pressure means you have 50 PSI steady in the shower, instead of it going up and down from 40 to 60 every time you use 8 gallons from that size tank. A CSV will work with that tank, and add many years to the life of the bladder. And if you replace the tank, you would only need a 4.4 gallon size.
Billfig
New Member
tank new 10/87, must be I've been lucky! and to think I spent a couple summers growing-watering 3 acres of grass!I am on my 2nd pump though.
Cacher_Chick
Test, Don't Guess!
Those stickers are not the ones that came on the tank and do nothing to prove the tank's age.
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
I doulbt old stickers were transferred to a newer tank, so while it doesn't date the tank, it suggests the tank pre-existed the stickers.
Billfig
New Member
those were put on when 1st installed, I'm the original owner, but anyways I removed the 2nd filter cartridge and adj.lg spring CC to lower cut out but gauge is crap so tomorrow I'm thinking of getting a new gauge and switch for starters. My switch is a square d 20-40 with the auto/on/off lever but online they look to not have the lever feature anymore? I plan to get a 30-50 which I hope does the trick...? I just tried it taking a shower and flow was adequate but not great, after a couple minutes my son flushed the toilet downstairs and I went to a dribble(maybe at 20psi?) for 5-10 seconds then good pressure-better than beginning(pump working its way to 50-55psi?). I do wonder if by installing a 30-50 and having to raise precharge to 28, that it might be detrimental on diaphragm?
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
I bought one yesterday from a store who's name gets censored here. I could not find one preset to 30-50 so I jacked the new one up to 30-50.
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
One work around for that is to crank the stop cock on the toilet in a few turns so that it is slower to refill.
Billfig
New Member
Well I bit the bullet and ordered a Goulds v100s today. I hope I did the right thing since I'm increasing size and went with a shorty model.
Other thing is having to modify existing piping above too. Any words of wisdom/inspiration?
Other thing is having to modify existing piping above too. Any words of wisdom/inspiration?
"You can lead a horse to water but, you can't make him drink."
My how time gets by! I can't believe 1983 was 28 years ago.
Last edited:
DSWalter
New Member
Hi! I have a very old Meyers pump with a Goulds V60 pressure tank. Tank was installed in 2001. The problem I am having is that the pump will not shut off. It did the same thing last year so I bought a new gauge and 30/50 switch. These did not fix the problem. I also drained the tank and checked the air pressure, set it for 28 psi and restarted the pump. Worked well for months. Now it is doing the same thing. Am I in for a new tank or is there possibly another problem?
It doesn't sound as if you described symptoms that would indicate the need a new tank. What does the pressure gauge say?
Does the water pressure at the tap seem normal?
If you turn off the pump and try to fill a bucket from a tap, how much water do you get?
DSWalter
New Member
The pressure will not go above 40. However, the pressure at the tap and shower seems fairly normal. If I turn the pump off there is no water at all.
If the problem was the pressure tank, that would not keep the pressure from going above 40. However if the pressure was 40 when water is not being used, and if you turn off the pump, I would think the gauge would still read 40 PSI for a while. At that point you should still be able to get maybe 2.5 gallons of water from a tap before it runs out. So maybe you have a bad tank along with another problem. Or maybe you did not consider 2 gallons significant.
A pump going bad could keep the pressure from going above 40 as could a hole in the down pipe. Is your pump a submersible down the well or is it a jet pump above ground?
Being out of water could keep the pressure from going up, but that would bring about symptoms that you are not describing.
A pump going bad could keep the pressure from going above 40 as could a hole in the down pipe. Is your pump a submersible down the well or is it a jet pump above ground?
Being out of water could keep the pressure from going up, but that would bring about symptoms that you are not describing.
Could be just the little nipple going to the pressure switch/gauge is clogged. When it is hovering at 40 and won't go any higher, check the tank pressure with your air gauge and see if the air gauge reads the same as the gauge on the tank line, as it should.
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