Pressure tank probs.

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Tb20

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Hi guys I’m new to the forum and new to owning a well. I bought some property with a well on it and has been fine for the year I’ve owned it now all the sudden I don’t have as much flow as I used to and very little pressure. Before if I turned on the cold water in the shop slop sink it would shoot out and make a huge mess now it just flows out like a garden hose with no nozzle on it. I think my pressure tank may be bad. It feels like it is really full with water. The tank is a wellmate wm-6 which is a bladder style tank from what I’ve read. One question I have is if the tank was bad and water has mad its way into the bladder when I push the Schaefer valve at the top wouldnt I get water instead of air? It still shows 30lb on my when I pressure test it. I did shut the power off to pump and I opened the faucet at the lowest point and drained the system out. Once it drained to zero on the guage by the pressure switch I rechecked the pressure in the tank and it then read zero and I put some air into the tank and it shot more water out of the faucet. When I bought this place there was also another pressure tank just sitting in one of the corners this one is huge it’s a wellmate wm25-wb. This one obvious is not hooked up to anything and I checked the pressure on this tank and it reads 40 psi. So I would assume this tank is good except when lay it on its side I can hear liquid sloshing around inside of it, not a lot but definitely some liquid. I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this because of the bladder in the large unused tank was damaged it wouldn’t hold air correct? Atleast not 40 psi. But if the bladder wasn’t damaged where is the liquid being held and why would it not just drain out when stood upright?? Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I’m sorry for such a long post but I have read a lot on pressure tanks and I haven’t quite come across a post that is related enough to my situation that has sufficiently been able to answer my questions. Thanks again
 

LLigetfa

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One question I have is if the tank was bad and water has mad its way into the bladder when I push the Schaefer valve at the top wouldnt I get water instead of air?
I don't know how that bad advice just keeps going and going. The bladder can be 95% waterlogged but the 5% air is at the top and that is what comes out, not water. IT would have to be 100% waterlogged for water to come out.

Replaceable bladders are inferior to diaphragms. I would not waste time replacing a bladder. Replace the bladder tank with a good diaphragm tank. That said, your pressure problems come from somewhere else than the tank. When the pump is running, the pressure comes from the pump, not the tank.
 

John Gayewski

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I'm assuming it's all of the fixtures that are having problems and not just this one sink?
 

Tb20

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I'm assuming it's all of the fixtures that are having problems and not just this o
I don't know how that bad advice just keeps going and going. The bladder can be 95% waterlogged but the 5% air is at the top and that is what comes out, not water. IT would have to be 100% waterlogged for water to come out.

Replaceable bladders are inferior to diaphragms. I would not waste time replacing a bladder. Replace the bladder tank with a good diaphragm tank. That said, your pressure problems come from somewhere else than the tank. When the pump is running, the pressure comes from the pump, not the tank.
That makes sense. Any idea why the other tank would hold air pressure but still have water in it that won’t drain out?
 

Tb20

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I'm assuming it's all of the fixtures that are having problems and not just this one sink?
That a tough question because I only have 1 sink and a toilet. No shower and currently no hot water hooked up. It’s just a building with a small bathroom in it. I do have a spigot outside for water but it’s winterized currently.
 

Valveman

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Air in the pressure tank only matters in how much water the tank holds. If the pump is cycling on and off between 40 and 60, the you have plenty of pressure. I would think you have a clogged filter or something. If the pump is not cycling between 40 and 60 while using water, then we can look for a different problem.
 
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Tb20

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My pressure switch says it’s a 20 40. I watched the guage and it doesn’t appear to kick on until about 12 psi on the guage. I shut the pump off, opened the faucet and let it drain until it stopped and the guage read zero. At that time I measured the psi in the pressure tank and it said zero. I put 18 psi in the tank and it seems to be holding I shut the faucet off and turned the pump back ok and it pumped up to 40 psi and shut off. I opened the faucet up and let the air purge out. I also got some pretty nasty rusty looking water along with that. Would it be wise to let it sit for a week and drain it back off and recheck the pressure in the tank? I would think if it’s the same psi in a week then the tank is ok? If it’s down any then the bladder must have a pin hole in it and needs to be replaced?
 

Reach4

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A. Zero is mighty low. Do you have a valve cap on the Schrader valve? You should.

B.
Precharged Pressure tank flush:
1. Connect a hose to the sediment drain valve, and run that to where you plan to drain the water. I suggest filtering the output through a cloth if you suspect the sediment may include sand.
2. Turn off the pump.
3. Open the drain valve, and let it drain until the water stops. It would be possibly interesting to watch the first water that comes out.
4. Close the valve, and turn the pump back on, and let pressure build.
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 as needed.

C. I your pressure was climbing steadily to 40, you might want to adjust your pressure switch, and air precharge, up by maybe 10 psi.
 

Tb20

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yes there is a cap on the scraper valve. I don’t have a drain valve. The only way I have to drain anything is to open the faucet. To drain the pressure tank completely empty I will have to drain as much as I can and then unscrew the union and that is going to make a mess. I did not have any rust or sediment in the water before I drained the system down the first time and the rust color water cleared up very quickly. There does not appear to have any sediment in it. The original issue I had was there was quite a bit of air in the lines and since I have drained it down refilled the pressure tank and turned the pump back on it seems like the air in the system is gone also. Is it possible to have a pin hole in the bladder? Also when I first suspected a pressure tank problem when I shook the tank it seemed to be very full, I could hear the water slosh at very top. Now after having done all that the tank seems like it has a lot less water in it than before.
 

Reach4

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If the rise was slow but steady, then a pressure setting increase might be good. If the needle was decelerating significantly, then don't raise the pressure setting.
 

Tb20

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Are you saying if I open the faucet and the guage falls quickly don’t raise pressure?
 

Reach4

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I was not saying that. However if you have that symptom, that sounds like a waterlogged pressure tank. Turn off the pump, and let the pressure go to zero. An empty pressure tank is much lighter. Flex in your plumbing is limited, so don't use a lot of force. With diaphragm-type tanks, knocking on the tank should give some clues. Your system puts the water on the outside and the bladder contains air. So weight may be your best judge..

For me, I would order Well-X-Trol. Premium, but I think the features are real. Opinions differ. I have studied pressure tanks in case, but my Flexcon Challenger keeps working great. They normally only sell to pros. Locally I would consider AO Smith from Lowes. They have an all-butyl diaphragm.

Short and wide tends to last longer, but it takes more floor space.
 
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Tb20

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No I don’t have that symptom I was trying to understand what you were saying.
 

Reach4

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No I don’t have that symptom I was trying to understand what you were saying.
Strange.

Was it "decelerating significantly" that was confusing? I was thinking of a pressure gauge needle taking 15 seconds, to rise to the mid point of its normal range but 30 seconds to reach the top of cutoff.
 

Tb20

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Sometimes a leak in the bladder can work like a (one way) check valve, only letting water in but not back out.
But would it still hold air also?
Strange.

Was it "decelerating significantly" that was confusing? I was thinking of a pressure gauge needle taking 15 seconds, to rise to the mid point of its normal range but 30 seconds to reach the top of cutoff.
I miss read your reply.
 
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