Well Storage Tank

LBrown59 · Nov 5, 2006

Billy_S said:
About once a year, this storage tank starts cycling more than normal and making a strange noise. When this happens, we call the service man. I don't know what he does but whatever it is doesn't take long, costs $75 and involves a small air compressor. We are now faced with this situation again. Can anyone tell me how to perform this service myself or, for that matter, if I should?

Over time a tank will become what they call water logged due to gradual leak off of the air in the tank.
The fix is simply to replenish the air in the tank.
This is no more difficult or complicated than airing up a low tire on your car.
Would you pay your local service station 75 bucks to air up your tire?

_RaT_ · Nov 5, 2006

LBrown59 said:
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Over time a tank will become what they call water logged due to gradual leak off of the air in the tank.
The fix is simply to replenish the air in the tank.
This is no more difficult or complicated than airing up a low tire on your car.
Would you pay your local service station 75 bucks to air up your tire?

Slightly more involved, but not complicated. You must do more then read the cold tire pressure rating on the tire or the comfortable range found in the car manual. You do indeed need to find out the cut in pressure and you do need to remove all pressure in the water line. After that, its as easy as filling the tire. I suggest a air gauge that goes from about 0 to 60 PSI. Your cut in will probably be about 40 PSI thus a pre charge of 38 PSI. It takes more air then you would think. A compressor is nice.

turnkey4099 · Nov 7, 2006

_RaT_ said:
I've not seen the water leak from the schrader valve but from the very top and center of the tank where there is often a opening. Often the air fill vlave is off to the side and top of the tank. The water goes around the bladder and makes its way to the top. At about 2/3rds down the tank is typically a circular indentation. That is where the bladder is attached.

Yes, most schrader valves are down a bit from absolute top but close enough to call it the top.

If there is a hole in the top of tank that water can leak out of the tank is shot. No tank I have ever seen has a hole there except for the schrader valve.

Harry K

Dusty · Nov 7, 2006

I checked mine this evening, and upon close examination of the cap that was supplied with the tank by the manufacturer, I can see how it can leak air if the Schrader valve is not properly seated.
As a side note, did you realize that the Schrader valve is the only part that is universal to every automobile manufactured no matter when in the world, from just about the very beginning of automobiles until the present day?

_RaT_ · Nov 7, 2006

turnkey4099 said:
Yes, most schrader valves are down a bit from absolute top but close enough to call it the top.

If there is a hole in the top of tank that water can leak out of the tank is shot. No tank I have ever seen has a hole there except for the schrader valve.

Harry K

Let me show you one. The schrader valve is off to the side. In the center is a cap that will allow any water in the steel casing out. You can get some idea of what I am talking about from the picture as well as some other information.

http://www.femyers.com/pdf/pdf.ws/ws%20brochure/tanks.pdf

turnkey4099 · Nov 7, 2006

_RaT_ said:
Let me show you one. The schrader valve is off to the side. In the center is a cap that will allow any water in the steel casing out. You can get some idea of what I am talking about from the picture as well as some other information.

http://www.femyers.com/pdf/pdf.ws/ws%20brochure/tanks.pdf

Thanks for that link. I have been looking for one similar to help explain pump operation to people who ask.

I see on page 4, four pictures of tanks with something on top, yes. From study, they appear to be there to allow mounting the pump on top of the tank. There is very little text explaining anything. Even if they do penetrate the shell - well sealed of course, I seriously doubt that they are there "to let the water out". Why?

The only way water can come out of anyting on the top of the tank is for:

a. The bladder to be broken. That is the only way for water to get on that side of the bladder (except for some very minor condesate from adding air).

b. The air bubble to be gone (or almost so for the schrader vavlve).

Why can't a little water come out? Because water will seek its own level at the lowest point available. That is going to be way down in the tank, not near the top until the tank is totally waterlogged (or near so)

As I said earlier. If you can get water out of anything on top of the tank, the tank is toast, or at least the bladder is in the case of those tanks with replaceable bladders. By that time there will have been other things that should tip one off there is a problem.

Harry K

turnkey4099 · Nov 7, 2006

I took another look. That thing on top of the tanks on page 4 is not a mount. It appears to be a big pipe plug. Purpose? I haven't a clue except it ain't there to let water out.

Harry K

Dusty · Nov 14, 2006

turnkey4099 said:
I took another look. That thing on top of the tanks on page 4 is not a mount. It appears to be a big pipe plug. Purpose? I haven't a clue except it ain't there to let water out.

Harry K

Possibly it is there to install a pressure gauge so you can tell how much air pressure is in the top of the tank. Dusty

LBrown59 · Nov 14, 2006

Dusty said:
Possibly it is there to install a pressure gauge so you can tell how much air pressure is in the top of the tank. Dusty

0r an air valve stem valve.

_RaT_ · Nov 14, 2006

Dusty said:
Possibly it is there to install a pressure gauge so you can tell how much air pressure is in the top of the tank. Dusty

Remember, the accurate reading is taken when the bladder has no water pressure against it.

Dusty · Nov 14, 2006

LBrown59 said:
0r an air valve stem valve.

Why would it need a second air valve?

turnkey4099 · Nov 14, 2006

_RaT_ said:
Remember, the accurate reading is taken when the bladder has no water pressure against it.

Sorta. More accurate is 'when the tank is empty'.

Harry K

_RaT_ · Nov 14, 2006

turnkey4099 said:
Sorta. More accurate is 'when the tank is empty'.

Harry K

Now thats what I call picking fly poop out of the pepper.

turnkey4099 · Nov 15, 2006

_RaT_ said:
Now thats what I call picking fly poop out of the pepper.

Well since water has no intrinsic pressure itself, and the tank should have no water in it at all, your reply was pretty well meaningless.

Harry K

_RaT_ · Nov 15, 2006

turnkey4099 said:
Well since water has no intrinsic pressure itself, and the tank should have no water in it at all, your reply was pretty well meaningless.

Harry K

I will leave that up to those of us less ****...

turnkey4099 · Nov 16, 2006

_RaT_ said:
I will leave that up to those of us less ****...

I just like to see replies that are helpful to the OP.

_RaT_ said:
Remember, the accurate reading is taken when the bladder has no water pressure against it.

Just when does the bladder 'have not water pressure....". My answer is simple and to the point. Yours requires the OP to scratch his head wondering just when that is. Hardly '****'.

Harry k