Mixing well water storage tanks

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Darcy Roberts

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My well had 4 galvanized tanks in parallel in a double tee formation, with a 1 1/2 inch water main out the bottom back of one of the tanks which services 4 houses. The tank with the main to the houses started leaking and I replaced it with a bladder tank. I now am getting air out of my faucets every time I open a faucet. None of the other houses are having this issue. My house is only 40 feet from the well the other 3 houses are several hundred feet and higher in elevation than my house. I am getting conflicting advice from local plumbers. One thinks the well pump is pumping air into the tanks and the bladder tank should not be having air going into the bladder. Another says I need to plumb the bladder tank "in back" of one of the galvanized tanks so the "air" is going into the galvanized tank and not into the bladder tank. And one says to replumb my houses water line so that is in front of the bladder tank. I have uploaded a picture of the plumbing for the 4 tanks. Thanks for helping me figure out why I am getting air in my lines but not my neighbors. PS... my picture would not upload, sorry
 

Reach4

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I don't know that the first two are in conflict, but the second one offers a solution. The second plumber's plan seems best based on your description.
 

Valveman

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The tank you removed probably had and Air Volume Control (AVC) screwed in about 1/2 way up, which let out the excess air. There is most likely a bleeder orifice system about 5 feet down the well, which forces air into the tanks each time the pump starts. You need an AVC in the last galvanized tank to let out the excess air before it gets to the bladder tank.

That is lots of tanks for 4 houses. You could do the entire job with the one bladder tank if you had a Cycle Stop Valve controlling the pump. But you might need to plug the bleeder orifice 5 feet down the well to keep the bladder tank from getting air. Usually just removing the check valve/Schrader valve above ground will keep the bleeder down the well from opening and it won't add air to the system. But if removing the check valve doesn't stop the air, the bleeder is bad and will need to be plugged.

The only reason to keep the air charge/galvanized tank type setup is to remove sulfur or rotten egg smell from the water. If you do not have anything smelly in the water, which you probably do not, then you don't need the air injector system and can switch to using a CSV and single bladder tank setup.
 
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