Well Storage Tank replacement

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I am going to have my well storage tank replaced.
My current tank is non-diaphragm tank that is about 16 years old.

So I am doing a bit of preventative maintenance by replacing now before I have any problems.

I contacted three reputable plumbers/water compaines in my area (Fairfield, CT).

All recommended the Amtrol WX-203 as a replacement tank. All were around the same price...

Before I choose a plumber, what do I need to know about as far as replacing this unit? Are there any things specific to this I should ask of the plumber?
What should I look for in a good installation?

Thanks.
 

Sammyhydro11

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Go with the WX205! It's not too much more money and it will last longer. It's the best model Amtrol has ever designed. The taller the tank the more stress there is on the diaphragm. The 203 model is notorious for diaphragm failure because of this. The 205 is short and wide so there is more horizontal expansion vs. vertical. My wife and I did a tour of the plant in January and the engineers were quick to point out the design quality of the 205. You also want to make sure they are sizing the new holding tank to the pump in the well. If the pump fills the tank too quick it can burn out the starting mechanism in the motor. Most of the time only a well guy knows this stuff and that's why it is always recommended to hire a well company to replace any component on a well system. By the way, good choice on the brand just go with the better model!

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com
 

Gary Slusser

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I am going to have my well storage tank replaced.

All recommended the Amtrol WX-203 as a replacement tank. All were around the same price...

What should I look for in a good installation?
You could DIY and save hundreds.

The tank is a good one if you bought a CSV from Speedbump. The drawdown has to provide 60 seconds or more off time for the pump or you shorten the life of the motor/pump. With a CSV you'd have constant pressure, save the pump from cycling so much and can use a small tank that costs the least. And you could still find a plumber to do the installation. You judge an installation by the one with the fewest leaks...
 

Waterwelldude

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Is the pump a submersible or jet?
Since you are replacing the tank, and yours does not have a bladder,if it is a sub.
There will be a bleeder-valve down in the well, that will have to be removed. It drains the top 10 to 20 feet of drop pipe. That is what puts the air in your tank, to give it a air cushion. It will not work with a bladder tank.

If you have a jet pump, you will not have to worry about the bleeder. A jet pump does not have one.


Travis
 
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Is the pump a submersible or jet?
Since you are replacing the tank, and yours does not have a bladder,if it is a sub.
There will be a bleeder-valve down in the well, that will have to be removed. It drains the top 10 to 20 feet of drop pipe. That is what puts the air in your tank, to give it a air cushion. It will not work with a bladder tank.

If you have a jet pump, you will not have to worry about the bleeder. A jet pump does not have one.


Travis

Travis --

Submersible or jet? I am not sure. All I know is that the pump is down in the well.
I am planning on calling the water/well company that has serviced my well the last few years to see if they know. They may have been the company to put the well/pump/tank in originally about 16 years ago.

Thanks for the info.
 

Waterwelldude

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You have a submersible pump, if it's down in the well.
Calling the well co. is a good idea. They should know if it has a bleeder, and should be able to advise you on the tank choice.

Good luck


Travis
 
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Go with the WX205! It's not too much more money and it will last longer. It's the best model Amtrol has ever designed. The taller the tank the more stress there is on the diaphragm. The 203 model is notorious for diaphragm failure because of this. The 205 is short and wide so there is more horizontal expansion vs. vertical. My wife and I did a tour of the plant in January and the engineers were quick to point out the design quality of the 205. You also want to make sure they are sizing the new holding tank to the pump in the well. If the pump fills the tank too quick it can burn out the starting mechanism in the motor. Most of the time only a well guy knows this stuff and that's why it is always recommended to hire a well company to replace any component on a well system. By the way, good choice on the brand just go with the better model!

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com


Thanks for the info, sammy....

Let me follow up with a question.

What factors are used to determine which tank to use?
The water company I have used the past few years came out last week to service the current tank....drain it and add air.
While he was here, I casually asked him....when I need to replace this tank, what do I need and how much is it gonna cost?
He said that they would use a WX-203. He didnt give me any "reasons" why....
So when I got the quotes from the other two guys, they were over the phone quotes. I told them what tank I currently had and they basically said a WX-203 would be right for me...then gave me an installed price.

How do I know the WX-203 is the right tank for my setup? There seem to be a lot of options in the Amtrol line...

Oh, by th way, I was on the Amtrol site.......What is the Well-X-1? It looks cool with the nifty little computer unit on top.....heh heh.
Is that something I should look into?

Thanks again.
 

Sammyhydro11

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The WX1 i am not too familiar with and wasn't mentioned durring the plant tour (a little strange), but i believe it is a computer controlled valve that is similar to a CSV that limits the flow of water in the tank. The size tank is determined by the discharge of the pump. If you know the model of the pump in the well, the depth that its set at, along with the volume of water the well produces, then the discharge volume of the pump can be determined. Or you could measure the flowrate off the tank using a 5 gallon bucket. Simply time how long it takes to fill the bucket, take that number, divide it into 60, then multiply that number by 5, and you have your flow rate. The pump needs a minimum of one minute of run time from start to stop. So if you have a pump that is discharging 10 gpm, you will need a tank with a minimum capacity of 10 gallons. A CSV valve limits the volume of water down to 1 gallon per minute once the system reaches a certain psi. Because of that you can go with a smaller sized holding tank. Valveman, can give you more information on those valves. Maybe you can order it and have the well company install it.

Calling a water well company is a good move!

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com
 

Valveman

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Hey guys, the Well-X-1 is just one of those electronic pressure switches (Amtrol-R) mounted in a fancy enclosure and stuck to about 5 times more tank than anyone needs. They use these and call it constant pressure because it is only 10 PSI between on and off instead of the normal 20 PSI. That way even with twice as large a tank, the pump can still cycle itself to death. I know I keep using this picture but with a CSV the 4.4 gallon tank is all you need for a house.

Here is another link about that pressure switch.

https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27355
 

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The WX1 i am not too familiar with and wasn't mentioned durring the plant tour (a little strange), but i believe it is a computer controlled valve that is similar to a CSV that limits the flow of water in the tank. The size tank is determined by the discharge of the pump. If you know the model of the pump in the well, the depth that its set at, along with the volume of water the well produces, then the discharge volume of the pump can be determined. Or you could measure the flowrate off the tank using a 5 gallon bucket. Simply time how long it takes to fill the bucket, take that number, divide it into 60, then multiply that number by 5, and you have your flow rate. The pump needs a minimum of one minute of run time from start to stop. So if you have a pump that is discharging 10 gpm, you will need a tank with a minimum capacity of 10 gallons. A CSV valve limits the volume of water down to 1 gallon per minute once the system reaches a certain psi. Because of that you can go with a smaller sized holding tank. Valveman, can give you more information on those valves. Maybe you can order it and have the well company install it.

Calling a water well company is a good move!

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com



I finally found the company that drilled my well.

I contacted them about replacing the tank.
They also suggested the WX-203, based on what I have currently.
But they also said that if I had the room (for about $100) more I could do the WX-250. Which I guess is a bigger tank, which would then require the pump to cycle less often.
WX-203 is a 32 gallon tank.
WX-250 is a 44 gallon tank.

FYI....The pump is a submersible pump. Goulds 1/2HP. The model number on the switch in the basement is tough to read....but it looks like: 75H05
Installed October 1993.
According to my well completion report:
Well Depth: 245 feet
At 245 feet: 5 gallons per minute

So, if I understand correctly, I can put in a bigger tank, as long as I have the space.....
that seems like a good idea, since we have plans to add a full bath to our house in the future. Currently, only have one bathroom in our ranch.

Sound right?

By the way, the quotes from my well driller were:
includes all parts (tank, pressure switch, pressure relief valve, gauges)

Sammy --
you mentioned the WX-205.........since I am considering a larger (more gallons) tank, is a there a larger tank comparable to the WX-205?

thanks.
mike
 
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Sammyhydro11

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. You must have a 5 gallon per minute 1/2hp pump because the 7 gallon doesn't have enough shut off pressure for your well depth. Anyways, that size tank will give your pump enough run time.

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com
 
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Valveman

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But they also said that if I had the room (for about $100) more I could do the WX-250. Which I guess is a bigger tank, which would then require the pump to cycle less often.
WX-203 is a 32 gallon tank.
WX-250 is a 44 gallon tank.

includes all parts (tank, pressure switch, pressure relief valve, gauges)
mike

If $848 is a good price on a 44 gallon tank that only holds about 12 gallons of water, you need to consider the alternative. A CSV and a 4.4 gallon tank will actually require the pump to cycle less often than with a 44 gallon tank, and it cost about half the price. Oh, and then you would also have "constant pressure" instead of constantly seeing swings between 40 and 60 PSI. Normally a CSV is not as important on a little 5 GPM pump, but if tanks are that expensive?????
 
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Speedbump

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I agree with Sammy on the WX 203. Worst tank Amtrol ever produced. And the 205 is a very good tank.

I agree with Valveman on the CSV and smaller tank too.

I expecially agree with Gary on the fact that you should buy all your equipment from Speedbump.

bob...
 
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That's a good price for the 250. Almost sounds too good to be true. You must have a 5 gallon per minute 1/2hp pump because the 7 gallon doesn't have enough shut off pressure for your well depth. Anyways, that size tank will give your pump enough run time.

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com

I think I may go with the WX-250.
Not sure what the well gallons per minute are for my pump.....

thanks for the advice....
mike
 

Stonecutter

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You should be aware of the fact that the larger draw down means you pull a low producing well down farther than with a smaller tank and, you take all that additional water out of the well all at once. That can cause water quality and other problems.

Gary,
Would you mind elaborating on that?
I plumbed in larger capacity tanks to my system, but they will only service my outside hose bibs. I have a deep well, around 700 feet, which produces in the 2-3 gpm range. I don't know what the static water level is. I plan to only allow the pump to fill the larger tanks while watering.
I'm curious what other problems I have set myself up for.
TIA
 

Gary Slusser

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Gary,
Would you mind elaborating on that?
I plumbed in larger capacity tanks to my system, but they will only service my outside hose bibs. I have a deep well, around 700 feet, which produces in the 2-3 gpm range. I don't know what the static water level is. I plan to only allow the pump to fill the larger tanks while watering.
I'm curious what other problems I have set myself up for.
TIA
I think what I said should be self explanatory but, you must replace all the drawdown gallons of all the tanks, or a larger tank all at once. That means the pump is going to run until the gallons are replaced and the pressure rises to shut off, right? Well with a low producing well, taking a lot of gallons out all at once shortens the recovery time and that reduces the number of gallons running back into the well as you take water out of it, right? And if you are watering at the same time, you take that water out of the well at the same time, pulling the water level down farther, right?

A CSV and small tank was the right way to go, the pump only takes the volume of water you use and the little to refill the tank when you stop using water.
 
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