I have an AO Smith water pressure tank for the well, that the diaphragm blew on.
I tried searching a bunch of sites and only come up with motors and heaters from them.
Its a V100 and Im trying to figure out the size. If anyone is familiar with the number, or has a catalog Id appreciate it. Ill pull some other # from it if this is the wrong one, I believe that is the model.
In addition, is this a fix I can do myself… replacing the tank? I cant tell whats under the base so Im not sure.
-zen
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Replies
The V-100 is equivelent to the Well-X-Trol WX-203. See the link below for more info.
http://www.starwatersystems.com/tank_faq's-c.htm
Could you replace it yourself? It depends on how mechanically inclined you are, if you have a good set of pipe wrenches, if the piping is copper or galvanized steel, if, if, if. It's not a hard job to do - just need to follow all the instructions and be ready to call someone if the going gets rough.
Thank you for the info.
If I step to the next size larger than needed does it improve the functionality, or stay consistent?
At the bottom of the current tank, there is a one piece fitting with the pressure dial, tap and the power reset switch. It looks cast, maybe bronze, I would assume it unscrews underneath, but its in a skirt. -if you have any comment.
The rest of the piping is common and Im comfortable with it.
-zen
Basically the size just determines how often the pump cycles.Have a 1/2 gal tank it will run everytime you get a glass of water.Have a 1000 gal tank it might run every other day, but then take hours and hours of runing to refill.Now I don't have any recent experience (within the last 50 years) with one for residential use, just irrigation and that runs all of the time when I am watering. But going up one size would probably be fine."At the bottom of the current tank, there is a one piece fitting with the pressure dial, tap and the power reset switch. It looks cast, maybe bronze, I would assume it unscrews underneath, but its in a skirt."I don't know anything about that, but the systems that i have seen just have separat pressure switches, guage, and standard plumbing nipples, Tee's,etc.I don't know about the "power reset switch". What kind of pump is it, shallow well, deep well? Does it reset or is it just a disconnect?
Bill,
I think the well is deep, 450, 475 or so.
Seemed deep the last time I pulled it.
-zen
Edited 7/23/2005 5:40 pm ET by zendo
"You are probably right about the switch, I just know that I have to lift it occasionally when the power has been off for a while, its grey and has the plumbing "D" on it, and is in line in the power."I think that some deep well pumps have a controller that does more than just a pressure switch.And some controls have low water cutoffs. I think that is activated if the pressure gets too low indicating that the pump is not pumping water. Which is what would happen if the power was off. I don't know if you can get pressure switches with that feature or if they are a separate "box".
Can't tell if you are, but before you toy with the notion of replacing just the diaphragm, you'd best make sure you can. Some of these bladder tanks allow for bladder replacement and some don't. Take that WellXTrol tank, for example. No big plate with perimeter bolts under there.....so no bladder replacement. Replace tank instead.
Frankly......replacing bladders is be a big pain in the butt and most folks just toss in a new tank. I've done four or five and I ain't doin' another. If your time is worth anything.....it's a waste of it.
And I'm not familiar with that AO Smith tank. I assume it's a bladder tank. If it's painted as opposed to galvy, then it likely is. But it may not have provision to renew the bladder.
The fitting you're referring to is known as a
"tank tee". Standard fitting for bladder tanks hookups, so your tank likely is a bladder type. It screws into the ell on the bottom of the tank.
Get the biggest tank you can afford and that will fit in the space you have. At least absolute minimum drawdown of 6 gallons. 9-12 is better. 30 would be great, but you don't likely have room for one that large. Bigger tank equals less frequent starts of pump and that equals longer pump life.
Adjust tank precharge via Shcrader valve (looks like tire valve).........without any water in the tank...... to 2-3 lbs less than the kick-in pressure on your switch. Check that kick-in before you remove the old tank so you know what you're shooting for. 30-50 switch is pretty standard, but who knows how yours is currently adjusted. Check it to see and act accordingly.
Pretty sure that WellXTrol comes with 38psi precharge (lots of tanks come pre-chage of 27psi). If your kick-in is 30psi.........you may have to let off some air (to 28psi) or the pump won't turn on.
Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
Edited 7/23/2005 1:53 pm ET by GOLDHILLER
What Goldhiller said -- The switch on the tank tee is probably a pressure switch not a reset switch. Probably set to turn the pump on (cut-in)when the pressure lowers to about 30 psi and turn it off again (cut-out)about 50 psi. It may be set for 40-60 instead of 30-50 but that's OK. What you're looking for is about a 20 psi differential between the cut-in pressure and the cut-out pressure, with the maximum pressure not exceeding 70-80 psi. The amount of water you can take from the tank before the pump starts to run is called draw-down. This should be equal to or greater than the amount of water the pump can push up our of the well in one minute. Ideally, the pump should run about two minutes each time it turns on and definitely no less than one minute. Anything shorter than one minute will lead to early failure of the pump motor.Before you remove the old tank, note the cut-in and cut-out pressure on the pressure gauge so you can set the right air pressure behind the tank bladder - it should be 2 psi less than the pump cut-in pressure. If the gauge is broken replace it - they're cheap.
Gold,
Its currently a 32 gallon tank, and I might bump to the next size, the house has 10 fixtures.
Im replacing the whole tank. Ill try to figure out what the whole cut in and out deal is.
If your current tank is a total capacity of 32 gallons, then your drawdown with the proper precharge would be 9.6 gallons......30% of total tank capacity........with a 30-50 pressure switch. A different range of pressure switch will alter the drawdown factor a little.The reason I mention this is because some tank manufacturers list their tanks by total capacity and others list them by drawdown only.
Choose accordingly as you hunt down a new one .....if you want the same drawdown or bigger.Even though your tank bladder is blown now, you can restore the drawdown temporarily while you hunt for a new tank and find the time to install it. Your well pump will thank you. The procedure goes as follows: Open a faucet somewhere to let water run while you check the well pump's kick-in and out pressures (psi) on the line gauge. Once you've noted the pump's kick-in pressure (the low end of the cycle)........ close the faucet, then turn the power off to the well pump and then drain all the water from the tank via the boiler drain valve or similar that is hopefully mounted off the end of the tank-tee fitting. Connect a hose from the drain valve to a drain somewhere. If no drain valve exists.....undo a union or whatever you have to to drain the pressure tank of all its water. (If the pressure tank is in the basement, water will also want to drain from all the pipes in the house above it, so close off any valves you have down there that would prevent you from having to wait while all of that water drains back. You just need the tank devoid of water.)Once the tank is empty of water, close the drain valve again and get out your tire gauge, as well as your compressor and add air to the tank (via Shcrader valve on tank) until you reach that 2-3 psi less than the kick-in on the pressure switch. IOW, re-precharge the tank....with the torn bladder in it. Then turn the pump back on and let it do it's thing. (If you happen to get a bit too much precharge air in the tank because your tire gauge and the line gauge don't agree precisely...... the pump won't kick back on even though no more water comes out the faucets. If that happens, just depress the Schrader valve and let a little precharge air out until the pressure switch clicks and the pump starts. Think of it as "fine-tuning. <G>) (Yes, that precharge air will slowly be digested by the water in the tank since there is no longer a viable bladder separating the air and water, but........ it'll take weeks, maybe months for that to happen.)Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.Edited 7/24/2005 1:18 am ET by GOLDHILLEREdited 7/24/2005 1:21 am ET by GOLDHILLEREdited 7/24/2005 1:23 am ET by GOLDHILLER
Edited 7/24/2005 1:43 am ET by GOLDHILLER
Will the cut in and out times be effected by the fact that the bladder is broken?
You are probably right about the switch, I just know that I have to lift it occasionally when the power has been off for a while, its grey and has the plumbing "D" on it, and is in line in the power.
-zen
No - the cut-in and cut-out pressure will remain the same, but since the bladder is broken water has replaced the air head and the pump will reach the cut-out pressure more quickly, then when you draw water the pressure will go down more quickly and the pump will "short-cycle". Depending on how old your water system is, if you're comfortable with working with wiring, you might want to replace the pressure switch, too. They're not that expensive. You can buy them set for 30-50 psi or 40-60 psi. If you know how the old one was set and it provided adequate pressure, you can buy another to match. That way you don't have to fiddle with re-adjusting the cut-in and cut-out pressure on the switch.