Well-X-Trol pressure tank
I have a basic question about my 20 (appears to be 20 gal, most of the nameplate data is unreadable) gal pressure tank.It is blue and there are large Goulds Pump and Well-X-Trol stickers on it. After turning off the pump and draining the tank I checked the pressure at the auto tire air fitting on the side of the tank and it read zero, so.... with a bicycle tire pump I pumped and pumped and pumped and after about 20 minutes figured that that fitting must be used to introduce air into the plumbing in order to purge it of water. On top of the tank is a blue plastic plug that I am afraid of removing because I don't know if that will relieve the bladder of all pressure and leave me scrambling to figure out what fitting I need to fill it back up. But it now seems obvious that is where I need to check the pressure / fill it. What type of fitting do I need to check/fill the pressure tank air bladder? I can take a picture of the thing if I have not provided enough info. If this has been answered in detail in another thread please provide a link to it. Thank you. The pressure inthe bladder is measure at the top of the tank. There could be a plastic cover screwed on to the top of the valve. Hi I'm wondering..... Is the air valve (snifter valve) that you pumped the air into, on the tank or on the plumbing? If it was on the tank itself and you pumped air for 20 min. and didn't build any pressure, then you have a ruptured bladder. There's only one air valve on a bladder type pressure tank. If you found one that an air pump will connect to, then you've found the air valve. I suspect that the plastic cap you found on top is stuck in a threaded hole that a pump mounting bracket will bolt to. Take the plastic cap off and have a look at it. I'm with waterdoc on that if you've pump air for 20 minutes and there's still no pressure in the tank, that the bladder is probably bad. Put an air gauge on the valve you're pumping air in and see if there's pressure. Ron I thank you all for the prompt and usefull replies, and apologize for my not so prompt reply. Pumpman, you are correct that the plastic plug is fitted into a threaded hole. I did a little more pumping (with a different bike tire pump without a leaky connector ) last night and got the pressure to about 23 psi and it was holding an hour later when I checked it. My pump cut on pressure is about 25-26 psi. Now, on to my real problem. My pump is constantly cycling on and off. It is a 1/3 hp submersable pump (according to the goulds pump sticker on the pressure tank). I have isolated the problem to be between the pressure tank and the submerged pump by closing the valve that supplies water to the house and witnessing the pump continue to cycle. The pressure quickly builds up to about 45 psi then the pump will cut off (as it should) then the pressure radiply falls and I can hear the water draining out of the tank into the pipe that goes to the well then the switch picks up at about 25 psi (as it should) then the process repeats itself ad infinitem. I have no soggy spots in my lawn and have looked at the elbow fitting and pipe in the well while the pump as running and saw/heard no leaks. I think that the check valve in the pump (I assume it is in the pump, do they put foot valves on submersible pumps?) has stuck open. Can I put a check valve just prior to my pressure tank and pressure switch, or is there a specific and important reason that the check valve has to be in the well? You either have a bad check valve or a hole in the adapter at the top of the pump( years ago, installers used galvanized fittings and over time they will rust out) In either case you need to pull the pump (or have it pulled) and repair the problem. Waterdoc Waterdoc, you are absolutely correct. I pulled the pump yesterday and the innards of the check valve was in pieces. I replaced it and all seems to be working fine. I do have a couple of questions though. 1.Is there a specific and important reason that the check valve has to be in the well? 2.Would adding a second check valve just prior to the pressure switch and pressure tank be detrimental to the system? I'm thinking that the additional check valve would have the job of holding the house pressure while the one way down in the well, that's a half a day job to replace, would have the lighter load of holding the water in the line up to the additional check valve, hence less wear and tear. Is this sound thinking or would I just be adding uneccesary moving parts? 3. How should the ground wire be terminated? A wire was connected to the ground wire coming from the pressure switch then ran down the depth of the well but wasn't atatched to anything, just dangling. I went ahead and connected it to the body of the pump. Is the pump the normal grounding point or should it be atatched to earth ground somehow? Thank you very much for your time and expertise. Hello again, Yes, there should always be a check valve at the pump to keep the system from draining back into the well. All the pump manufacturers recommend that a check valve be installed at the tank also but I prefer not to. Without one, you can tell right away if you have developed a leak in the yard or well. Also, on many jobs, we install a yard hydrant at the well and with a check valve at the tank, the hydrant wouldn't work. As for the ground wire, all new pumps come with a green ground wire installed. If you have attached your wire to the pump you have done all you need to. Hope this helps. Waterdoc Waterdoc, It would seem as if my well woes are gone for now. thank you for answering my questions and giving advice. I'm fairly handy and most stuff around my new old house is fairly intuitive but it is nice to have some experts in the hip pocket for advice and support. Thanks again. I also have some minor septic problems and may be checking on the feasability and legality of a gray water cesspool here in the near future. So, unless some other emergency comes up before then I will talk to you guys when I start that.
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