Water pressure tank install help

[Brandon607]

I am looking to replace the pressure tank for my double wide. I just wanted to get some tips on doing this before I got started. I'm pretty sure I did this wrong the first time since the bladder only lasted a couple years. I'm pretty sure it's because I installed the house filter after the pressure tank and not before, leaving the bladder to be ruined by sediment or calcification. I have a submersible pump about 95 feet down the well. The plastic pipe runs up to the water closet where I have the 20 gallon vertical tank and fil

ter. I currently have it going from plastic to galvanized hard pipe to the tank and filter, then back to plastic before it attaches to the home hook up. I'd like to know what some would suggest about how I redo this. I'm sure there are better ways to set this up. I will wait to see what suggestions I get before going out to purchase any parts. I'll be doing this fairly soon though as you can see the T pipe is leaking and the tank is waterlogged. I thank you all for any help you can give me.

 

[Jadnashua]

You really don't want any galvanized piping in there...copper, brass, bronze, or a plastic suitable for the pressure. The galvanized will rust, and that can create some problems of both debris and flow restriction.

The pressure tank's precharge must be correct. It needs to be a couple of pounds below when the pump turns on. That means that there will be a bit of water left for a reaction time between when the pump turns on and more water starts to arrive and build it back up again. If the tank runs out at the same time or before the pressure crashes, you'll get a momentary hesitation in the flow and the shock when the water hits it isn't great, either.

If you have a bunch of sediment, it is probably better to filter that out before the tank. But, if you keep any galvanized, you'll get some rust particles after it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

You must not have a cartridge filter before the pressure switch, and the pressure switch needs to be at the pressure tank.

Next time, buy a tank with a diaphragm rather than a tank with a bladder.

Also, you should have a drain at the base of the tank so that you can hook up a hose and drain out the sediment that has accumulated.

 

[Valveman]

A 20 gallon tank only holds 5 gallons of water. Cycling the pump on/off for every 5 gallons used is a lot of cycling. Sometimes you can have enough sediment to destroy the bladder in a tank, but it is usually the bending back and forth over and over with each cycle that breaks the bladder in the tank. And like Reach says, a diaphragm type tank will last much longer than a bladder style. Filtering before the pressure tank is sketchy, as it can clog and keep the pressure switch from turning the pump off as needed. Everything in a pump system is destroyed prematurely from cycling too much, even the sediment in the well can be worse because the pump is cycling and stirring it up.

 

[Reach4]

Brandon, you might want to get a bigger tank to reduce cycling. However a bigger tank would take more space and be heavier. A CSV would save some space and reduce cycling by working with a smaller tank. https://cyclestopvalves.com/collections/frontpage/products/custom-pk1a-pside-kick-kit is a kit that includes that and a tank. Is that your water heater below at E? To replace that would take some serious dismantling of your plumbing.

You have a check valve C. That should usually be removed or deactivated by removing its innards. The pump should have a check valve in or very near. That is the only one you want. A topside check valve on a submersible pump can be useful if the down-hole check valve has failed, but otherwise can be a negative. When you install, this is a good time to reduce the amount of galvanized pipe D. Use brass, bronze, copper, or plastic, but don't use plastic female threads unless it is an extra strong fitting. You can add a drain valve too. Your tank tee has extra ports A where you could put a drain valve.

One more important thing: you seem to have a valve B where there should be no valve. If a valve before the pressure switch got closed, that would burn out the pump.

 

[Brandon607]

I'm so glad I decided to come here and ask for help. I can't thank you guys enough for the input. I would have never thought of some of these things you all have an eye for catching.

So I'll keep the filter after the pressure switch and tank. I'll use brass and other materials than galvanized. The shut off valve will be moved. The check valve isn't really needed since I put a new valve down the well at the pump. Also will add a drain to the T pipe.

Looks like I'll be doing this very soon since there's a very small leak where the T meets the tank. So I have to drain the pan every day. So not only is the tank shot, but there's also a leak. I believe the cause of failure might have been due to the air leaking out of a balance weld around the air valve at the top of the tank. When I drained the system I could hear air sucking in around the air relief valve. When I looked closer I could see where it was leaking. I sealed it temporarily while it was dry with some jb weld, but that won't last. But that little leak probably caused the tank failure I'm guessing. It lost it's air and the diaphram didn't hold up. A while back when I noticed the problem, when I wiggled the air valve on top I saw a drop of water run down the outside of the tank. So I have a 23 gallon tank on it's way, and time to get the other parts needed and bring back any galvanized pipe.

Thanks again to you all. I hope to have this thing up and running right soon. I'll come back and post a pic when finished. Hopefully I get it right

 

[Valveman]

A 20 gallon tank only holds 5 gallons of water. Cycling the pump on/off for every 5 gallons used is a lot of cycling. Sometimes you can have enough sediment to destroy the bladder in a tank, but it is usually the bending back and forth over and over with each cycle that breaks the bladder in the tank.

 

[Brandon607]

I figured since the double wide originally came with a 20 gallon, then the 23 would be sufficient. The previous family living here did a lot of damage to the place. One out let has an extension cord running from the dining room to the bathroom to power that circuit. The living room has a 110 wire running from one outlet along the floor to another outlet. They used an umbrella and aluminum foil and nailed a pipe on top of the roof for an antenaa. So this guy thought he was Mr handyman and had his hands on everything, and screwed up a lot of things including the microwave, and dishwasher. So good knows what really happened to the tank. I did have to replace the pump in the well. While we did I also replaced the valve. It probably cycled the pump so often that it burned out the pump. Or perhaps they used the shut-off by the tank without shutting off the breaker and friend the pump that way. This place is so bass ackwards its almost funny. So I hope this 23 gallon tank will last once it's all properly installed. I'm glad I asked about this though because I learned a lot. Very much appreciated.

 

[Brandon607]

Actually the one I ordered is a 26 gallon. Even better

 

[Flow&Go]

Brandon- if your in the 607 area code of N.Y. and need some help with this after the holidays let me know, I’m in the Norwich area

 

[Brandon607]

Hi actually I'm not too far, in Greene. Help would be a miracle. Im slowly gathering up the things I need to get it done. I got the tank in today. I have the T pipe and a few fittings, but I'm sure I'll need other stuff. It would be awesome to have someone take a look at the setup and help me figure out what else I might need. Or if I should rearrange stuff while I have it all apart. We had a family in here that destroyed the place, and we are back to start on the renovations again. So now would be the time to do it correctly. I'm not in a hurry since I hit a deer the other night and things are absolutely nuts with the holidays. So once things get back to normal, or at least closer to it, then perhaps we could meet up. That would be great. Til then, everyone have a Merry Christmas and a safe happy New year.