Water well problems (advice please)

[KWtech90]

Hey guys I'm hoping this is the appropriate forum for this discussion. I have a deep well with an approximately 120 gallon pressure tank. My pressure tank (no internal bladder) seems to be water logged. My water pressure drops to 35 psi and within two seconds of the pump activating it has met the 60 psi cutoff threshold.

I was advised to replace the snifter valve located on the check valve on the inlet side of the tank and the air control valve. Does this seem to be the appropriate course of action. Should I also replace the check valve? How can I insure my check valve is in good operating condition?

 

[65ranchero]

Have you lost the air cushion in the tank?
I am not really into this type of system all I know is the bladder type

 

[KWtech90]

I'm not great at explaining things, but this type of pressure tank does not use seperate air cushion. It's designed to draw the necessary amount of air in through the inlet of the tank. From what I can tell there is little to no residual air pressure in the tank which is causing the pump to cycle frequently.

 

[Showkey]

Replace witha bladder tank.........less size, more efficient, more effective and the pump will be much happier.

 

[Jlarson]

You may have something plugging things up in snifter valve, which is typically just a low pressure valve core, you also need a functioning drain back valve to create the vacuum when the pump shuts off to draw air into the pipe.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Shut off pump power, drain down tank, power back up to fill tank to proper level, which it should do automatically. As soon as you can, replace the air volume control. I grew up with non- bladder well tanks, and this was usually the cure for short cycling. The air volume control maintains an air cushion in the upper part of the tank to provide flow pressure. A bad air volume control would let the water get too high in the tank. It seemed to be a regular thing back in those days, especially with hard water plugging things up with deposits.

 

[KEH]

Years ago my parents had a well with pump and tank. Sometimes it would get "waterlogged" which sounds like your problem. Occasionally we would add a little air from a portable air tank. That would take care of the problem for some time. I don't remember the permanent solution, but at some point they went on rural water system which ended that problem.

KEH

 

[firebirdparts]

Just add air. If that solves it at least you’ll know where to look.

 

[bob15]

Replace witha bladder tank.........less size, more efficient, more effective and the pump will be much happier.

I would go this route

 

[BD1]

Those air volume controls are always an issue. By the time you buy parts, drain tank, install, charge with air, you'd be a head by replacing with bladder type.
Bladder is precharged and ready to go.
Get a new pressure switch at the same time.
Menard's has the best prices when I replaced mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CraigStu]

We had a similar problem. For quite a few years I just added air at the fitting at the top of the tank. I even made a hole in the wall to the garage so I could stick my air hose from the compressor through to top it up. Eventually it sprung a leak and I replaced it w/ a bladder style tank. I have no idea about the various valves discussed above, just drained the system and put in the new tank.

 

[purplezr2]

For a few hundred dollars you could have a bladder style tank and not have to worry.

 

[paredown]

This is of interest to me as well, since we seem to have dropped pressure since we moved in...

How can I tell what kind of tank is currently installed?

If I wanted to switch to a bladder tank (assuming it is the air pressure type), how does the sizing work?

 

[dcg9381]

I've never seen a pressure tank with no bladder. But pressure tanks do go bad. They're easy to test (bladder type).

If your tank is bad, consider moving to a "stop cycle" valve. Much smaller. https://cyclestopvalves.com/

 

[dave_dj1]

This is of interest to me as well, since we seem to have dropped pressure since we moved in...

How can I tell what kind of tank is currently installed?

If I wanted to switch to a bladder tank (assuming it is the air pressure type), how does the sizing work?

Look (or post a pic) and see if it's an old galvanized tank or a blue tank. I have seen bladders go bad as well so there is always that possibility. A pressure drop over time could be a clogged filter if you have one anywhere in the system, even the screens in the fixtures can get plugged up. Did the house sit empty for a long time? Maybe by using it heavily the screens are plugged? I'm just spit balling here. Take some pics, look for a whole house cartridge filter (take a pic of that too) and report back and we'll try to help you best we can.

 

[bigdav160]

One of these fixed mine

Easy peasy. Much easier than plumbing a new tank.

 

[kbs2244]

I lived 40 years with a no bladder system that was installed when I bought the house
I have no idea on the total age
When I got those symptoms I would turn off the pump, drain the tank, and turn on the pump
The system would go to a half water and half air state and turn off
This wold happen every 3 or 4 years

 

[larry_g]

I lived 40 years with a no bladder system that was installed when I bought the house
I have no idea on the total age
When I got those symptoms I would turn off the pump, drain the tank, and turn on the pump
The system would go to a half water and half air state and turn off
This wold happen every 3 or 4 years

With near 30 years on a system with a no bladder tank I also did the above. Just add air to the tank and your golden. You have to add air pressure to the tank to get it remove the water tho because just opening a spigot will create a vacuum in the tank as the water drains so you have to add in air to eliminate the vacuum.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[paredown]

Look (or post a pic) and see if it's an old galvanized tank or a blue tank. I have seen bladders go bad as well so there is always that possibility. A pressure drop over time could be a clogged filter if you have one anywhere in the system, even the screens in the fixtures can get plugged up. Did the house sit empty for a long time? Maybe by using it heavily the screens are plugged? I'm just spit balling here. Take some pics, look for a whole house cartridge filter (take a pic of that too) and report back and we'll try to help you best we can.

Thanks--haven't been down in the crawl yet. Yes, there are whole house filters on the line, but those get changed regularly. And it definitely seems like the pressure is lower, until the pump kicks on.

Tank is definitely blue, installed horizontal. I had the well guy look at it when we first bought the house, and he thought the system was OK, but as he said, "it doesn't owe you anything." It is likely original to the house, so early '60s.

I found one picture but unfortunately not a close up...

 

[doctordirt]

I have 80 gallon galvanized, non bladder tank in a seasonal home. I have to do this every year. You need to drain tank completely with pump off. Close valve supplying house. Fill tank with air though snifter valve to 2-5 lbs less than pump cut in. I think I fill to 38 lbs. Once done energize pump let fill and open valve to house. Should be ready to go and no cash outlay.

 

[My Old Tools]

Air is air whether it has a bladder or not. Makes no difference at all whether the air is contained in a bladder. Our 800 gallon air over water tank adds air everytime the pump runs.

 

[johninct]

I'm not great at explaining things, but this type of pressure tank does not use seperate air cushion. It's designed to draw the necessary amount of air in through the inlet of the tank. From what I can tell there is little to no residual air pressure in the tank which is causing the pump to cycle frequently.

I forget the spec, you have to put some air into that tank . The air psi is relative to the cut in or cut out pressure but I don't rember what it is.

 

[rcktpwrd]

I forget the spec, you have to put some air into that tank . The air psi is relative to the cut in or cut out pressure but I don't rember what it is.

Air pressure in the bladder should be about 2psi below the cut in pressure of the switch.

 

[BombShelter]

I know it's an old thread but.....When my pressure *****, and I have a bladder tank, I turn off the power and unscrew the pressure guage connected to the pump on/off switch and clean all the **** out of the pipe under the guage.