Help! Pressure Tank Waterlog Issue

[nphengsiar]

Hi. Hope someone can help me. New to the forum. I have a Wellmate SP-9 Air/Water Pressure tank. It has been waterlogging on me for a few years now. Initially, it was every quarter, then every month, then every two weeks, and now every other day. I would drain the tank and then recharge before turning the power back on so the pump comes on. I don't know why it keeps waterlogging. It's supposedly a sealed unit, but I noticed a few weeks ago that there was a grey plug like a gasket plug on a car's oil pan underneath the cap on top of the tank. It was leaking very little air through the plug. I thought that was the reason that it was waterlogging. So, I saran wrapped it tightly using rubberbands. Doing so seem to keep the air from escaping. Well, I thought maybe it would solve the waterlogging issue. But, it didn't. It waterlogged two days later. So, now I don't know what could be causing it to do so. It doesn't have a micronizer. I was thinking of buying one instead of having a service company come out to check the bleeder and spend so much money for them to dig it up and risk not being the issue. Even if the bleeder is no longer working, can't I just have a micronizer installed to fix it? Would the tank need to be replaced? I replaced the air volume float control on the side port as it needed to be replaced. Wasn't working correctly. I just need it to work for until 2019 since we are getting city water as part of the city's plan at that time. Any insights would greatly be appreciated. I'm hoping not to have to spend 1000 or so dollars to fix it knowing that city water is coming in 2019 and that's going to cause a lot out of pocket. Thank you.

 

[Breplum]

I know nothing of well systems but with my vague understanding, like with any plumbing water pressure tank, the inner bladder eventually fails. My guess is that yours has done exactly that.
Some of Wellmate's products have a replaceable inner air cell according to their advertising for the WM model.
Good luck.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[nphengsiar]

I know nothing of well systems but with my vague understanding, like with any plumbing water pressure tank, the inner bladder eventually fails. My guess is that yours has done exactly that.
Some of Wellmate's products have a replaceable inner air cell according to their advertising for the WM model.
Good luck.

I appreciate your response. This is their SP (Side Port) model with no bladder. It is an air/water tank.

 

[Valveman]

For a bleeder system to work the check valve at the tank has to seal closed to take the pressure off the bleeder and let it open. The Schrader on the check valve cannot have a cap and needs a weak spring so as to be able to draw air in when the bleeder drains. Then the bleeder must function properly. The only thing the Air Volume Control or AVC does is let the excess air out of the tank.

The bleeder down the well is the least likely to cause a problem. I would replace the check valve and Schrader and see if it doesn't start getting the air charge it needs.

 

[LLigetfa]

First off, I would not seal threads with saran wrap and rubber bands. Use teflon tape and/or pipe dope.
Second, make sure you are not losing air somewhere. Also, just because you replaced it doesn't mean it cannot be a bad AVC although a bad AVC would not ever let out all of the air.

Cary is probably right that the airmaker is faulty but I cannot see you losing all of the air in two days from absorption so suspect two things at fault. Stupid question but make sure someone didn't put a cap on the air valve. Also some folks replace the existing snifter valve with a tire valve that has too strong of a spring. Lastly as Cary said, verify that the checkvalve is holding so that the bleeder can open.

 

[nphengsiar]

How do you verify that the check valve is doing what it should? What are the symptoms of a faulty one? Sorry, I'm new to checking all of this. Thank you for any help you may provide.

 

[Reach4]

How do you verify that the check valve is doing what it should? What are the symptoms of a faulty one?

If you turn off the water to the house while the tank is pressurized, the water pressure should stay up without the pump having to turn on.

 

[LLigetfa]

If you turn off the water to the house while the tank is pressurized, the water pressure should stay up without the pump having to turn on.

Inconclusive. An airmaker system has two checkvalves, the other one being down in the well.

You can test the topside valve and bleeder combination by opening the snifter valve. If there is water pressure there, then the topside check is keeping the bleeder under pressure.

 

[Reach4]

Inconclusive. An airmaker system has two checkvalves, the other one being down in the well.

You can test the topside valve and bleeder combination by opening the snifter valve. If there is water pressure there, then the topside check is keeping the bleeder under pressure.

If the pressure drops, the check valve is bad. If the pressure does not drop, then the check valve could be bad while the bleeder is totally blocked or the check valve could be good. Your snifter valve sampling clears up the ambiguity.

 

[LLigetfa]

If the pressure drops, the check valve is bad.

Which pressure, where? Pressure at the tank should hold. Pressure at the snifter should drop.

 

[Reach4]

Which pressure, where? Pressure at the tank should hold. Pressure at the snifter should drop.

I was thinking of the pressure at the water pressure gauge that is at the pressure tank, as I was in #7.

 

[nphengsiar]

What is meant by "opening the snifter valve"? Unscrewing it from the pipe?

 

[Reach4]

What is meant by "opening the snifter valve"? Unscrewing it from the pipe?

It is like the valve on a tire. You know how you release air from a tire by pushing the center pin. You can release water from the snifter valve the same way.

 

[nphengsiar]

Ok, so if water is coming out of it, that means that the check valve is bad? I'm replacing the snifter for sure.

 

[Reach4]

Ok, so if water is coming out of it, that means that the check valve is bad? I'm replacing the snifter for sure.

If water comes out just when you first press the pin, that does not condemn the check valve. But if the water continues to come out without the pump coming on, then yes, the check valve is bad.

If water comes out of the snifter valve even, when you don't press the pin, then I think you would need a new snifter valve core.

 

[LLigetfa]

If water comes out of the snifter valve even, when you don't press the pin, then I think you would need a new snifter valve core.

That's why some folks put a valve cap on it. I always wondered why they sell them with a valve cap???

 

[Reach4]

I always wondered why they sell them with a valve cap???

Those caps are vented to pass air. I guess somebody could put on one made for tires, by mistake. I wonder if that could benphengsiar's problem.