Is my well tank plumbed backwards?
- Thread starter Hobby_Man22
- Start date
I've never dealt with a pressure tank with an in/out that is separate. My pressure tanks just have one port and it's fed with a tee that has in/out on each end of it. But the tank itself only has one opening. You'll have to see if you have in/out markings on yours. Or at least a make/model so you can look it up.
it does appear to be OK the way it is although maybe not normal... the water goes in high & has a bladder or air space above the water, the feed to your house is at the bottom to draw water from the tank.
the same thing would be accomplished by using only the bottom port for both pump supply( to the tank) & feed to the house ( on a tee)
the same thing would be accomplished by using only the bottom port for both pump supply( to the tank) & feed to the house ( on a tee)
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
It has no bladder. It has an airplane up top. Looks like my picture didn't show the air volume control valve. I would think connecting them both at the bottom would maybe allow it to hold more air in the tank.
I am not sure. I don't think it would make any difference . once the pressure is reached the volume of compressed air would be the same weather the water came in from the top, bottom or side ( in my opinion)
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
I think they're just ports. Maybe just an extra one to run more piping to the garage and to the house. It's a flotec FP-7240 85 gallon tank
When I google that model, I just get a vague diagram. But it looks like that top port is meant for an air volume control?:
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
Well that explains why I have such short run times. No, I think the top port is just a pressure guage and the middle port is where the air volume control valve is supposed to be. How is it supposed to have a proper air pad if the air volume control valve is at the very top! I'll post another pictures showing it all better.
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
I meant the top of the two ports visible in the picture... So yeah, the middle port, lol.
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OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
I'll call the manufacturer and order the correct air volume control valve and switch it all around. Looks like someone bought this tank at the local hardware store and didn't bother following the instructions on installing it correctly or something. It says it should get about 1/3rd of the drawdown, so that's like 25ish gallons before it kicks on? I had a plumbing company come out here and look this thing over when I bought the place. Morons
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
This looks like the correct valve.
www.pentair.com
Pentair Parts2O TC2120 Air Volume Control Kit
Parts2O offers vital accessories and parts for the upkeep of your residential pool. Take a look at our wide selection of parts at Pentair to improve your poo!
firebirdparts
Well-known member
firebirdparts
Well-known member
You should just add air yourself, but certainly what you are proposing to do with the connections is fine.
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
That was before I realized the air volume control valve was in the wrong spot on the tank
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
This looks like a can of worms trying to get these two pieces unscrewed to install the proper air volume control valve. . I'd imagine the pvc would unscrew easily, but not that male adaptor that's threaded into the port in the tank. Maybe just get the correct sized pvc ****** to fit that kit on? Or just add it onto where that plug is at the end?
Attachments
That kit you linked looks to be threaded:
You should be able to unscrew all of that PVC + fittings and thread the black adapter right into the tank. Why do you think it will be hard to remove? It should back out of there with a little effort, I would think.
You should be able to unscrew all of that PVC + fittings and thread the black adapter right into the tank. Why do you think it will be hard to remove? It should back out of there with a little effort, I would think.
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
Yeah it looked like it fits directly onto the tank, but that port is pretty rusted, so I'm afraid it may mess up the whole tank trying to get that rusted fitting unscrewed to screw in the fitting in the kitThat kit you linked looks to be threaded:
You should be able to unscrew all of that PVC + fittings and thread the black adapter right into the tank. Why do you think it will be hard to remove? It should back out of there with a little effort, I would think.
pipe thread is usually fairly easy to remove, even when rusted up . sometimes a smidge of a tighten will help it remove .
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
Okay.
yatg
Well-known member
FYI, NM cable can't be used in wet locations 
But seriously, it shouldn't be zip tied to the pipe.
And the gray cable entering the disconnect box needs a clamp.
But seriously, it shouldn't be zip tied to the pipe.
And the gray cable entering the disconnect box needs a clamp.
Nope! it won't matter with his messed up plumbing!
rancherbill
Well-known member
It doesn't look right according to the manual. See page 1 for a pic
https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/web/nam/flotec/manuals/35706.pdf
https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/web/nam/flotec/manuals/35706.pdf
A plumber showed me this trick decades ago. His trade was mostly 100 year old homes and apartments.
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Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
I didn't do this. We have a ton of redneck hacks in my area that cobble stuff together with duct tape and baling wire.FYI, NM cable can't be used in wet locations
But seriously, it shouldn't be zip tied to the pipe.
And the gray cable entering the disconnect box needs a clamp.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Stop cycle valve FTW.
I've never seen a pressure tank like that.
But ********* bonus for zip-tied romex.
I've never seen a pressure tank like that.
But ********* bonus for zip-tied romex.
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
I forgot to call flotec. which pump do I have? Is this a jet pump or a submersible one? I'm assuming jet pump since it's not submerged in the ground? Trying to make sure I'm ordering the correct air volume control valve.
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Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
Didn't they used to bury this stuff underground? what is the correct stuff? UF wire?FYI, NM cable can't be used in wet locations
But seriously, it shouldn't be zip tied to the pipe.
And the gray cable entering the disconnect box needs a clamp.
OP
Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
I'd like to add another tank for more capacity in between pump cycles. How would that work using an Air over water type bladderless tank? Would you Tee another air volume control line into the same port on the pump?
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Hobby_Man22
Well-known member
Occassionally, like every 3 months I drain the tank out as shown in the picture becaise after a while the air absorbed into the water and you no longer have an air pad at the top and this makes the pump short cycle. With this retarded plumbing, the longest the pump will run is about 70 seconds. Which is about a 5 gallon buckets worth of water