20 Gal Bladder Tank - Is it toast or not ???

20 Gal Bladder Tank - Is it toast or not ???

Hello - I’m new to this forum.
I have a drilled well in a underground bunker that has a 20 gal bladder pressure tank.
I have been told that the bladder has been compromised inside and that the tank should be replaced. I have put a air pressure gauge on the top of the tank shrader valve and it reads 40 pis. How can I confirm that the tank indeed needs to be replaced before I embark on an expensive system repair. Just want to make sure this needs to be done.

Press in the center pin of the valve... does water come out?
If it does its toast!

40 psi when tested ....

That was my thought - air comes out - 40 psi - I gave it just a quick shot though, perhaps a longer press is needed ?

This question is based on a visit by my plumber who told me that my tank needs replacing. Tank is in a bunker 8 ft underground. I had a leak that needed mending so tank was drained to do that. In past we would drain off the pressure tank letting water spill to floor of bunker.
This time I put a hose on tank bottom spill off valve and ran the house straight up 8 ft and out. Plumber suggested that since the spill off was faster than usual, the tank bladder is ripped. I wonder though if the hose may have contributed to that in the fact that we left it on while doing the repair, and perhaps the tanks own pressure with power off could simply quickly reach a point where it could not overcome the 8ft climb to get up and out of bunker? Perhaps that may have been interperated as lack of presure in general?

If the bladder is ripped and the tank is all water, would it make sense that some air could still be there - the air that was in the bladder now trapped at the top of the tank ? - or would it quickly reach a point where the tank is water logged and the pump runs every time water is called for by house. ... ?

Thanks for your thoughts - just need to make sure an expensive job is needed or not.

If the tank was just recharged that would happen but if its down to turning on the pump every time water is used the water would be very close.

With the pump off and all the water let out of the tank is when you can check the air pressure with a Tire Gauge. If there is no pressure, the Tank is probably shot. If it holds air pressure, chances are it's good.

The fact that the water pressure went quickly with the hose hooked up would indicate to me that the tank is good. They should stop letting out water at the tanks air pressure setting.

bob...

Thanks.

I was pondering that very thought and came to post that very question.
If the tank blader was shot - if I turn off the power to the pump, then teretically the shraider valve would show no presure... but your explanation is better said. I should simply do that.