Need to replace cottage storage tank.

[Teepster Price]

I have a summer only cottage using a 21 gallon vertical galvanized water tank that was installed in the mid 50's by my father. The 21 gallon tank is sufficient for our needs of toilet and dish washing. The pump probably only runs a few times a day. I remove the tank every fall and bring it home to thoroughly rinse and store for the winter along with the shallow well Myers pump. This fall I noticed a small orange spot (rust) about half way up the tank and a orange drip trail to the bottom. I'm looking for an exact tank on line and everything now that's water over air is much larger. I understand most modern tanks are smaller and bladder or diaphragm design. Is removing the tank every year and draining and flushing hard on these internal pieces. I can't find a similar tank of this size on the market. If I go with a bladder type tank with single input/output I'm going to have to do some pipe rerouting. Is there a air over water tank this size available anywhere or should I do the work to reroute the pipes and go with a bladder/diaphragm tank and hope the internals don't get disturbed taking the tank home every fall and flushing.

 

[Reach4]

I would not say most are smaller. 21 gallons is pretty small as conventional tanks go, and I don't think most well pressure tanks are smaller. A pressure tank only delivers about 1/4 of the nominal volume as water.

Tell us about your galvanized tank. Does it have a valve that releases air if there is too much air? You can get equivalent tanks in galvanized, but you can also get them in fiberglass.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Teepster Price]

I would not say most are smaller. 21 gallons is pretty small as conventional tanks go, and I don't think most well pressure tanks are smaller. A pressure tank only delivers about 1/4 of the nominal volume as water.

Tell us about your galvanized tank. Does it have a valve that releases air if there is too much air? You can get equivalent tanks in galvanized, but you can also get them in fiberglass.

NO SIR, NO SHRADER VALVE OR OTHER AIR RELEASE OUTLET. IT'S A VERTICAL UPRIGHT TANK WITH THE PUMP INPUT ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE FRONT OF THE TANK AND THE OUTPUT TO THE HOUSE IS 90 DEGREES AROUND THE SIDE AND NEAR THE BOTTOM. HENCE THE REPLUMBING FOR A SINGLE INPUT/OUTPUT TANK. THE HOTWATER TANK I INSTALLED RECENTLY IS ONLY 12 GALLONS AND THAT'S SEEMS TO BE PLENTY OF CAPACITY. WE MUST NOT USE A LOT OF WATER.
THERE IS SOME KIND OF METAL ROLLING AROUND IN THE TANK WHEN I CLEAN IT EVERY FALL. IT'S CLOSE TO 50 YEAR OLD.
I HAVE ROOM TO GO TALLER IF THAT'S REQUIRED. THE CURRENT TANK DOES HAVE AIR VOLUME CONTROL VALVE ON THE SIDE.
SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER IN THE NORTH EAST SO NOW IS TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S BEST.

 

[Valveman]

If you use a CSV to control the pump, a 4.5 gallon size tank is all you need. Not only will this eliminate the cycling of the pump, but will deliver a stronger constant pressure to the shower and allows the use of a very small tank. The little 4.5 gallon tank just screws into the bottom of the CSV, which makes the plumbing change easy. And that way you just unscrew the little tank to winterize, and everything else drains out easily.

 

[Ballvalve]

NO SIR, NO SHRADER VALVE OR OTHER AIR RELEASE OUTLET. IT'S A VERTICAL UPRIGHT TANK WITH THE PUMP INPUT ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE FRONT OF THE TANK AND THE OUTPUT TO THE HOUSE IS 90 DEGREES AROUND THE SIDE AND NEAR THE BOTTOM. HENCE THE REPLUMBING FOR A SINGLE INPUT/OUTPUT TANK. THE HOTWATER TANK I INSTALLED RECENTLY IS ONLY 12 GALLONS AND THAT'S SEEMS TO BE PLENTY OF CAPACITY. WE MUST NOT USE A LOT OF WATER.
THERE IS SOME KIND OF METAL ROLLING AROUND IN THE TANK WHEN I CLEAN IT EVERY FALL. IT'S CLOSE TO 50 YEAR OLD.
I HAVE ROOM TO GO TALLER IF THAT'S REQUIRED. THE CURRENT TANK DOES HAVE AIR VOLUME CONTROL VALVE ON THE SIDE.
SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER IN THE NORTH EAST SO NOW IS TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S BEST.

Home depooo has pre pressurized well tanks that are made by a major USA company as their low end tanks. I doubt that there is much difference in them and they are quite inexpensive. Look online, usually less than Amazonia and delivered free.

 

[Teepster Price]

If you use a CSV to control the pump, a 4.5 gallon size tank is all you need. Not only will this eliminate the cycling of the pump, but will deliver a stronger constant pressure to the shower and allows the use of a very small tank. The little 4.5 gallon tank just screws into the bottom of the CSV, which makes the plumbing change easy. And that way you just unscrew the little tank to winterize, and everything else drains out easily.

Didn't know what these were until you mentioned it. Did some reading about it. Seems too good to be true. Amazing

 

[Teepster Price]

Home depooo has pre pressurized well tanks that are made by a major USA company as their low end tanks. I doubt that there is much difference in them and they are quite inexpensive. Look online, usually less than Amazonia and delivered free.

Your right I see 42 gallon tanks without diaphragms or bladders at both big box stores . Twice the size I have now but should be a good thing. I've been maintaining this kind of tank for years and feel comfortable with it and like to flush it out well at home in the fall and don't have to worry and jarring some internal materials loose. Thanks for finding these.

 

[Valveman]

Didn't know what these were until you mentioned it. Did some reading about it. Seems too good to be true. Amazing

It is too good to be true. That is why no one has told you about it. Been selling them for 24 years so they are not Snake Oil. They really do work as advertised.

 

[Teepster Price]

Home depooo has pre pressurized well tanks that are made by a major USA company as their low end tanks. I doubt that there is much difference in them and they are quite inexpensive. Look online, usually less than Amazonia and delivered free.

My current air over water tank has a Air Volume Control. This has a straw size air line feeding to it from the shallow well pump next to the tank. I don't believe diaphragm tanks would use this. What would I do with this air line?

 

[Valveman]

You don't need an air charge system with a bladder tank. Just plug off and do away with the air line.

 

[Valveman]

This is how I would do it.

 

[Teepster Price]

You don't need an air charge system with a bladder tank. Just plug off and do away with the air line.

Thanks. Nice compact system in the picture. I currently have a 21 gallon air over water galvanized tank with a 1/3 HP Myers pump.

I'll use the AVC air line to prime the pump on initial setup every spring then plug it onto the AVC. Usually good for the summer once it gets started. I'll figure out a way to plug and clamp it once I get the pump primed. Still trying to decide between a 42 gallon air over water over a 21 gallon diaphragm tank. I think I'll go with the diaphragm tank. Their not too expensive at Lowes and once I re-plumb for the "T' connection I'll be good for awhile.

 

[Valveman]

I thought the old tank had a hole in it and you wanted something easy to winterize? With the set up in the picture I posted, if you put the check valve on the suction pipe instead of the discharge, all you would need to do to winterize is pull the drain plug at the bottom of the pump and open a faucet in the house. There is no need to disconnect anything.

However, if you want to disconnect and take it with you, a union on the discharge and suction along with a couple of plugs for the wire on the pressure switch would make that easy. Just unplug the pressure switch, disconnect the unions and tote it all away.