May I leave my lake water pressure tank out over winter?

[James C. Hooper]

I pump water out of the lake here in SW MI and in the winter I always take the pump and pressure tank inside for the cold winter. The pressure tank is hooked up to pressure pipe that runs uphill towards the house. I normally blow this line out too. I certainly will bring the pump in for the winter. I'm wondering if I could leave the fiberglass pressure tank out for the winter. I have spigots plumbed to the tank and would open them up to drain most of the water out of the tank then close them so things don't get in my tank. Also what is going to happen when I try to blow out my pressure pipe if my tank is still hooked up. The way I have things rigged it is a pain to remove and then reinstall the tank in the spring. Thanks!!

 

[Valveman]

If it is a bladder or diaphragm tank it will drain completely by just opening a faucet when the pump is off. But there might still be water in the low places of the pipe line. It shouldn't hurt to leave the tank outside.

But you could be using a Cycle Stop Valve with a little 4.5 gallon size pressure tank. Then everything could just be brought into the house all in one piece, like in this photo.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[James C. Hooper]

I believe it is a bladder tank. Looking @ your picture my pump sits on top of the tank. I just want to make sure when I blow out my pressure pipe there isn't anything from preventing this from happening if the tank is still attached. I'm assuming a little water in the tank won't hurt it when it freezes.

 

[Valveman]

It is the pipe fitting at the bottom of the tank that will freeze. If you have a drain at the bottom you should be OK.

 

[James C. Hooper]

Look at that nice avatar someone gave me. Thank you. I'm a moderator of a large boating site.

I used to have a steel saddle tank but someone messed it up.

I would have to say I have a normal setup. All the plumbing on the fiberglass tank is on the very bottom of it. There is one pipe that comes out of the bottom of the tank. This pipe has a T that goes to the pump. Also on this pipe there are 2 spigots and a connector to my pressure pipe.

 

[James C. Hooper]

I'm hoping by hooking up my air compressor to the pressure pipe up by the house like I normally do will also blow out the tank and the pipe on the bottom of my pressure tank.

 

[MI Well Drilling]

If it were mine I wouldn't do anything different from what you've been doing. Get it out of the elements and keep honest people honest. No need for a cycle stop valve pumping out the lake.
Just my opinion do what you will.

 

[Greenmonster123]

I service many irrrigation systems with dedicated wells, we leave the tanks out side on all of them. As long as they are drained you will be fine.

 

[James C. Hooper]

I'm going to work on it today and make sure that when I blow it out that air and water come out of the lowest point.

 

[Valveman]

No need for a cycle stop valve pumping out the lake.

It doesn't matter if you re pumping out of a lake, well, cistern, or just boosting city water to a higher pressure, a CSV has many advantages. If you want to eliminate repetitive cycling that destroys pumps, motors, tanks, pressure switches, check valves, etc., while simultaneously delivering stronger "constant pressure" to the house, a CSV is very useful. But the main reason I mentioned it here is because the CSV does all this while allowing the use of a very small pressure tank, so everything could easily be picked up and moved inside for the winter.

 

[MI Well Drilling]

Sprinkler guys leave them out and well guys fix them. Job security I guess. Cycle stop on a menards shallow well pump that runs all the time while irrigating? Come on!
The original post ask if he could leave his perfectly good pressure tank outside so a snowmobile could hit it not a performance question.

 

[Valveman]

Sprinkler guys leave them out and well guys fix them. Job security I guess. Cycle stop on a menards shallow well pump that runs all the time while irrigating? Come on!
The original post ask if he could leave his perfectly good pressure tank outside so a snowmobile could hit it not a performance question.

I see the other way around. Well guys leave them out, even throw them in the trash, and the sprinkler guys put them back because they know how good it makes the pump and sprinkler system work. Also the little tank with the CSV will not be as hard to haul in when needed as the larger tank.

 

[James C. Hooper]

I ended up doing a bunch of other lake projects and left the tank for another day. Maybe I should look into new quick connects to my 1 inch pressure pipe. I'll try to get some pics on Wednesday, thanks!!
PS I do not have a CSV on my setup.

 

[Valveman]

PS I do not have a CSV on my setup.

I know. If you did the tank would be so small you could just bring it in with the pump.

 

[Reach4]

Another alternative could be to install the pressure tank and pressure switch inside. This works with or without a CSV.

 

[James C. Hooper]

Reach4,
This pump and tank is way down at the lake so I can't see how your suggestion would work.

 

[Reach4]

Reach4,
This pump and tank is way down at the lake so I can't see how your suggestion would work.

The pump would stay at the lake. If the pump uses a built-in pressure switch, you would bypass that.

At the house you would install a separate pressure switch in the line that feeds power to the pump. The pressure tank, new pressure gauge, and pressure switch would be teed very close together. While you don't need to use one, there is an item called a tank tee. It has ports for all of those things. They are often sold as a combination that includes a pressure switch and a pressure gauge. Sometimes they include a pressure relief valve. I don't have a relief valve, myself. Pressure switches and gauges are pretty cheap.

Note that the Pside-kick shown above also includes the various things. http://www.cyclestopvalves.com/prod_psidekick_geninfo.html You would want to have a valve that could be used to vent air when you drain, or to blow compressed air if you need that to clear the line after removing the pump.