The most warranty you might have on that tank is 5 years. That would be expired. Well-X-Trol has a 7 year warranty. They are premium quality and premium priced.
Need advice about expansion tank
- Thread starter tess
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Craigpump
In the Trades
Like I said, if I'm reading the date code correctly. I have seen Pentair /StaRite tanks fail within a year or two of installation.
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Craigpump
In the Trades
tess
New Member
Isn't warranty from the time of installment though and not from the time Lowes bought it from the company? That seems negligent that Lowes would sell something that's been in stock for nearly 10 years. I need a drink.
tess
New Member
Jesus... They sure do make some shit today don't they? My mom's house was built in the 80's and their pump has never had to be replaced. I know it's how they make money but it doesn't make it right. This all sucks. :/
Widgit Maker
Member
That was your first mistake. Why panic? I'll repeat. All the discussion here has been about the well pressure tank. Nothing has been said to indicate a problem with the pressure tank. An expansion tank is some thing different and you don't need one on a well system.
You well switch, which is an electrical switch that turns the pump on and off based on the pressure in the well tank went bad. It has been fixed or replaced.
If you are worried about your well tank, have someone open the kitchen faucet while you watch the pressure gauge. If the pressure drops significantly (down to 30 or 40) then goes back up quickly when the faucet is closed you might have a pressure tank problem. However you have said nothing to indicate that.
More BS.
Don't worry about the missing cap on the tank valve stem.
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tess
New Member
So you think then that a pressure switch going bad after 5 years then is not something abnormal? I have seen so many DIY videos today while trying to research this on how to change it that it didn't seem a sure sign that your pressure tank was necessary in need of replacing. That's why I came here. I guess what worries me now is if the manufacturing date from those photos is from 2002. I need to look at them again up close. Hard to imagine the contractor would put in a nearly 10 year old piece of equipment in a brand new house.
tess
New Member
I'm trying to see where you saw that date - could you tell me where it's located on the picture?
tess
New Member
Not sure if this means anything but I went back under the house to take a closer look for a manufactures date- I didn't see one. But while I was doing this I heard a clicking sound, just really quickly then it went away. There was no water running when it happened.
Widgit Maker
Member
A clicking sound would be the sound of the switch clicking on or off.
Go back and listen some more (about 5 minutes) and watch the pressure gauge. Is the pressure gauge moving (going up and down)?
Go back and listen some more (about 5 minutes) and watch the pressure gauge. Is the pressure gauge moving (going up and down)?
2016-2010=6
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
There's also a check valve in the system to prevent water from being pushed back down into the wall. If that leaks, the pressure (air pressure from the bladder) will just push the water back out of the tank. If the pump is turning on/off without using water in the house, that may be bad. Have you watched the pressure gauge? When not using water, it should stay constant, essentially forever. If the pump had just run to fill up the tank, and there's no more water use, it should stay there. Now, if someone uses some water, it should slowly and smoothly drop until it gets to the point where the pump low-pressure switch turns it back on to try to pump the tank back up to the upper limit. Depending on the pump and how much and how fast you're using water, the pump might stay on while you're using water, but when you stop, it should rise to the upper limit and turn off and stay there.
As said, you can often tell if the bladder in the tank is shot by knocking on it...if the tank is full of water, it will sound different than if the bladder still has air in it. Part where the bladder and air are will sound more like a bell, the part that has water in it will be more like a thud. If it sounds like a thud everywhere, buy a new tank! If the pressure drops when you aren't using water, you need someone to service the check valve, or you have a leak in the pipe somewhere in the well, if you can't see water anywhere else.
As said, you can often tell if the bladder in the tank is shot by knocking on it...if the tank is full of water, it will sound different than if the bladder still has air in it. Part where the bladder and air are will sound more like a bell, the part that has water in it will be more like a thud. If it sounds like a thud everywhere, buy a new tank! If the pressure drops when you aren't using water, you need someone to service the check valve, or you have a leak in the pipe somewhere in the well, if you can't see water anywhere else.
tess
New Member
I was still thinking it was 2015 .. just so exhausted from all this. :/
tess
New Member
thank all you guy's - have to get my kids to bed but will update tomorrow. I have someone via phone that is going to walk me through how to check and make sure that the pressure is what it's supposed to be tomorrow. (the air I guess) I will update here and let you know how it goes. I really do appreciate everyone that answered.
Smooky
In the Trades
The warranty for the Pro-Source Steel Pressure tank is 5 years from the date of original installation. It is out of warranty so I don't think the date of manufacture matters in your case.
http://sta-rite.com/resources/images/912.pdf
http://sta-rite.com/resources/images/912.pdf
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tess
New Member
Last night I was so tired and exhausted I was thinking it was 2015 so had that stuck in my head :/ You're right though, the warranty is out.
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tess
New Member
Hey guy's - so today I had someone walk me through the steps to check the pressure of my tank.. I turned off the breaker for the well pump then ran the water until it stopped from my outside tap- I used a tire pressure gauge on the valve at the top of the tank and it wasn't registering anything so I tried pumping air in - still no reading on the gauge.. I realized that there was a lot of air leaking from my bicycle pump so not sure how much air got into the tank.. but if I ran the water from the outside tap until it stopped does that mean there was no water in the tank and if that's the case would there be any reading from the gauge? (I read that on another post that it's measuring the water pressure not the air pressure) I'm worried about the bladder I think? at this point in time.. but as my bicycle pump is shoddy then should I try with a good pump before calling another tech out? The person helping also had me go back under the house to listen if the pump was running once we turned the well back on ( I may be confusing steps here) but it was clicking too much he said so I guess that means there isn't enough air in it? Once I went back under I heard it click about 4 times in about 8 seconds maybe.
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Craigpump
In the Trades
It'll be Christmas before you put enough air in that tank with hand operated bicycle tire pump.
While you could try more things, the likely result in the end is very high that you will find the tank is bad. However with little bicycle pump, you would have a hard time pumping even 5 pounds of air. But normally there would be a little pre-charge air pressure if the tank was still good.
If you could borrow an air compressor, you could try more tests. Even if the tank diaphragm/bladder is bad, you could add enough air to buy some time. But if you can raise the cash, you will quickly have water with a lot less messing around. Plus, the sooner things work, the sooner you stop being so hard on your pump.
If you could borrow an air compressor, you could try more tests. Even if the tank diaphragm/bladder is bad, you could add enough air to buy some time. But if you can raise the cash, you will quickly have water with a lot less messing around. Plus, the sooner things work, the sooner you stop being so hard on your pump.
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Think of the bladder in the tank as a tire...a reading of zero means it's 'flat'. It must have close to the lower cutoff pressure to work properly. Most people don't want to spend the money for an air compressor that they may only use once...you can pump it up with a hand pump, it will just take awhile. It will take more than a few pumps, though! Once you turn on the water pump in the well...the water pressing against the trapped air means that the air pressure will match the water pressure. This is why you must relieve the water pressure so you can check the air pressure on its own, uninfluenced by the water pushing on the other side. If the bladder has a hole in it, you'll never see the pressure rise.
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