Pressure Tank Comparison - Pro's and Con's, Stainless, Bladder, Diaphragm

Explains the differences between the three types of pressure tanks and gives Pro's and Con's of each type as well as other information to enable you to choose the right pressure tank for your needs. (Everything you want to know about pressure tanks but were afraid to ask)

[@bobshearer7345]

Excellent description of the various types of tanks. As a seasonal "lake plumber" over the years I've used each type of tank and never really knew what I was dealing with. I'd encourage anyone who either does their own plumbing, or wants to know what their plumber is doing for them, vs just paying the bill, I'd recommend subscribing to Larry's channel. Thanks much, Larry.

[@zahidroowala354]

One of the most in-depth tutorial videos on pressure tanks I have watched. Thanks Larry.

[@LarryElterman]

Very welcome

[@londonrubbish8786]

The BEST information on KZbin! Many thanks for clarifying the subject Larry.

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@horsehide3039]

Excellent analysis of a tricky subject. I appreciate it. I have a shallow well, 60 feet to water. But it supplies three different houses. And in Arizona, quite a lot of tree, and gardening irrigation in the warm months. I have had a fair amount of hell with pressure tanks and pumps in the last few years and this is enlightening. Thanks

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks for the nice comment, but you have piqued my curiosity. What kind of hell were you having? What kind of equipment are you using?, what did you learn that might make you do something different?

[@billtaylor9167]

Thank you! Crisp and clean, no caffeine - I made it through wide awake and took some notes too. Excellent presentation.

[@LarryElterman]

Thank you!

[@tyrotrainer765]

Superb presentation, thank you very much. I live in the PH and have just had to up-size my tank as our original plumber fitted a 10L bladder type - totally inadequate for our needs - as I now know. I am fitting a new 60L bladder tank tomorrow and did not really know what was going on inside the tank regarding the pressurised air - your video has cleared this up perfectly. Thanks again.

[@johnpincaro2377]

Thank you for posting this. Very informative for someone who knows nothing about water tanks. As you have mentioned it is a bit long but it was worth it. You covered the topic well. Thanks again and God bless you.

[@rogeresquivias361]

One of the best presentations ever! I remained enlightened throughout and was never confused. Hats off to you sir Larry! Detailed really. I can actually make an “informed” decision on choosing what tank I will get. Many many thanks!

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks for your nice compliment!

[@dougsmith4524]

Thank you for clearing up my confusion on tanks very good explanation of them.

[@bencrawford8219]

Thank you for all your information that in the past I couldn't get from a plumber or a salesperson!!

[@rickdehaan61]

Thanks Larry. I remember the galvanized tank on the farm 50 years ago. Here is another method my dad had me do as a kid to fix the "waterlogging" issue. We would turn off the well pump; open a nearby hydrant, and use a air compressor to push out the water. The pressure valve was positioned about 40% up the tank. While blowing in air, you could hear the girgle of air passing through the water. When the water level was below the air valve, it would stop. Thus you knew exactly where the water level was. Worked great for many, many years.

[@mrblackllc]

excellent video Larry ...helped me decide and understand exactly what I need without regretting a big purchase and being stuck dealing with it. Thanks for taking the time to help educate us.

[@LarryElterman]

your welcome!

[@gramo63]

Thank you, Larry -- that is an outstanding explanation! I learned a lot from you -- mainly because you did not miss a single detail. Many plumbers (and hardware store salesmen) can learn a lot from you -- on how to explain to customers, who don't know which type of pressure tank to buy. BTW, tomorrow, I'm going to buy a NEW stainless steel tank, to replace my 20-year-old stainless steel tank. I was thinking of trying out the newfangled bladder pressure tank, but your down-to-earth analysis changed me back to the "old style" pressure tank.

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks for your nice comment. I appreciate it.

[@noelburke6224]

You set up the old pressure tank system to control it's own air make up.It works 100 percent, I have installed multiple systems in the last forty years

[@notcharles]

Why are you replacing the SS tank if it 'lasts a lifetime?'

[@gramo63]

@@notcharles Because when you die, the SS tank will break down a few seconds later and blow up -- causing a lot of water damage in your basement or wherever the SS tank is located. It's best to replace the SS tank at least one day before your life ends.

[@TheChadWork2001]

Technical people appreciate your detail and efforts in this video. Thank you.

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@squezy16]

Great video, straight to the point and complete and unbiased comparaison of the various types. Great work!

[@ReedSimms]

one of he beat anaylisis of the water pressure tank ive seen. Ty for your information!

[@LarryElterman]

Your Welcome!

[@codemonkeytrek]

Wooow, soo clear, thank you for this well prepared presenation.

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@TomWylie]

Thanks Larry, this was excellent! Really appreciate the thoughtful approach to arrive at the best cost-effective decision.

[@LarryElterman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@carlosramos-qw3qh]

Thanks Larry. I am a first time purchaser of a home with a well and I had no idea about pressure tanks, pumps, operation , maintenance. And desired components. Your thirty minute video was worth the watch and your presentation was very helpful.

[@LarryElterman]

Thank You!

[@greatquotestoliveby]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this presentation.

[@robertkosulic4122]

The best one which I have found here. Easy and strait to the point.

[@scottysimm]

Thanks for this valuable information Larry!

[@Freedom20244]

You are the only person in this you tube site that give such a wonderful and useful information with visual effect which make it real and understanding. You should offer a class and make money.

[@shopping1949]

At last an understandable explanation of the recurring waterlogging of my 70+ year old pressure tank. I'm going to do some re-plumbing to simplify the solution. Thanks.

[@ziggyd3114]

The bladerless tanks eventually fill up with water and with no/little air they stop working causing the pump to constantly cycle. I drain the tank every 4-6 months so it can fill up with new air and it works properly again.

[@buggsy5]

@@ziggyd3114 Why go to all that effort? Install a tire inflation valve into the input feed line from the pump, or the pressure switch line. Then, when the pump starts cycling too often, just inject pressurized air through the valve into the storage tank. The idea is to have enough air that the cut on pressure is reached just before the water level gets down to the output pipe level (or the input pipe level - whichever is higher). I run my system that way at 20 psi - 60 psi and only need to repressurize about once a year. That method is far more efficient of tank volume than the "drain completely" method. Here are the calculations using the above method. When the air volume is cut in half, the pressure doubles. We will assume the outlet is close enough to the bottom of the tank that it will not affect the volumes significantly. You are using an operating range of 20 psi - 60 psi, so when the tank is almost empty, the air pressure will be 20 psi - the cut in pressure. Assume you have a 45 gallon storage tank and that 5 gallons must remain in the bottom to keep the outlet level below water at all times. That means you have 40 gallons of usable air volume at the cut-in pressure of 20 psi. If you pump in 20 gallons of water, the air pressure in the tank will be doubled, to 40 psi - leaving 20 gallons of air space above the water. You cannot pump in 10 more gallons, as that would increase the pressure to 80 psi. But 5 more gallons would get it to approximately 60 psi - meaning that there would be 25 gallons of water that flows from full to empty. This is an efficiency of over 50%, which none of the bladder tanks can match.

[@jordanlevitt6639]

Nice video. I have a drainback system that draws from the lake. Smart guy talked me into using galvanized tank just like the Stainless Steel one you talked about in your video. No bladders or rubber barriers to wear out. After 35 years not a single problem with it. Longevity is another advantage of the open tanks.

[@JuniorJJLPhysicaMechanicaLumbu]

Thank you so much, impressive work sir.

[@robertmeye4718]

Excellent presentation, really the most helpful on tanks I’ve seen on KZbin

[@LarryElterman]

Thank you!

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@captsax]

This video is great. Definitely FWDing to my pals. Learned plenty. Much respect.

[@LarryElterman]

Thank You!

[@matthewgerman675]

Was thinking of replacing my "air on water" tank with a smaller bladder tank. It has an epoxy lined interior, but is not stainless. It is rusty and a hole developed, probably helped along by hurricane Ida when it floated, busted loose and fell over. I think you saved me a whole lot of money and time with this video. Thank you.

[@LarryElterman]

How did I save you money? What did you do different after watching my video?

[@rexkirkland3720]

Thank you for the no nonsense explanation. Looks like I am replacing a WellXtrol tank.

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@deborahfreeman2525]

Thank you for making this so clear.

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@robertbrawley5048]

Using your description and explanations I have concluded that the plumber installed a old style tank . Installed 5 years ago and 2 &1/2 foot dia. Tank at least 3 feet tall with no valve on top, the water stopped working 2 years ago during the winter and I want to determine which part of the system failed. The pump, the pressure switch the diaphragm. Or the electrical wiring . Since I have determine I must have a bladderless tank and knowing that the pump would run all day continuously supplying water to a concrete plant water storage tank then it must be the submersible pump and not a split bladder or ruptured diaphragm due to freezing weather when it actually failed.. Bravo to you for the explanation you offered

[@ChefKevinRiese]

Great vid Larry. Now I know what type tank for my boat!

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@victorhugofernandezgonzale3219]

Lo mejor que he podido encontrar, explica lo importante y de una manera muy profesional y gráfica.

[@edinsac]

Hey Larry great information, wished I had before I started my Deep well p tank installation. Fortunately I got lucky and got the system that worked for me. I now have a better understanding of pressure tank systems, draw downs, and pros/cons of each type. Ed

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks!

[@cwbaldwin61]

Just replaced my bladder yesterday - excellent presentation!

[@Mikie0607]

Amazing video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience

[@frogman1962]

great info excellent pictures and calculations , I understand how things work now thank you

[@janhonza4770]

Thanks. Very helpful. My last diaphragm tank (Grundfos) only lasted 3.5 years. I have decided to replace it with a simple stainless tank system and supplement it by a small compressor to keep the system air pressure higher vhile replenishing the air volume in regular intevals.

[@woodswal]

Explained so well and thoroughly

[@prestonrenify]

Very interesting...though I have no well, you did an excellent job of explaining the options.

[@LarryElterman]

Many thanks!

[@juandelacruz1520]

thank you it help me a lot ,, i can now suggest to my costumer on how to choice a pressure tank.. good job larry ,, greetings here from the phillippines

[@joecerniawski7798]

I have a fond women friend and help the family in Philippines. They live in Leyte and would like to help Dad and his sons with a shallow well system and water filtration system. Where in Philippines would they be able to get hardware, tubing, pump, etc.?? Thank you

[@ardyikoh6536]

@@joecerniawski7798 yes in Philippines you can buy it online or physical store any parts of the pressure tank set up

[@larryvaughters5603]

Your detailed presentation , Larry , was awesome , and just what I was searching for !!! ------ On a scale of 1 to 10 , yours was definitely a "10" !!!! Thank you for sharing ---God bless you !!!😁😁😁😁

[@LarryElterman]

Wow, thanks!

[@rogercloutier1419]

Excellent explanation. It's amazing how little information is available related to this subject. ThankYou for taking the time to make this video. It has been extremely helpful. Very well done!!

[@LarryElterman]

Thank you!

[@mikespencer1269]

Very informative! Answered all of my questions!

[@imelbook]

Thank you for this. This is exactly what I'm looking for.

[@LarryElterman]

Your welcome!

[@jameshyde1501]

Now! this video was very! helpful. Thank You!! This kind of knowledge is really what I have been looking for.

[@LarryElterman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ThePapa41]

Thank you Larry, you did an excellent video explaining this subject. Louis

[@LarryElterman]

You are very welcome

[@johnfritts7910]

Thanks for making this video. It was really enlightening.

[@TedThetford]

Great Job! A very professional explanation.

[@LarryElterman]

See my new video! Top Ten Reasons NOT to buy a Cycle Stop Valve (CSV) at kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIa7ppaFjMSEi9k

[@kennethdegruchy5503]

So completely instructive in helping me understand what I have in my 1940 built to industrial standards house with a big (size unknown because the greater part of the tank is embedded behind a cement block wall) My tank appears to be steel because it shows signs of rust externally where the paint has fallen off. This tank with 1-1/2" copper lines appears to supply the water for the 9 Sloan Royal flush valve toilets and urinals. For potable water there is a separate modern diaphragm pressure tank to feed the kitchen and lavatory faucets. I am slowly refurbishing everything but have not brought the tanks up to pressure yet until I free up all the valve which are mostly frozen from many years of non usage. There is also a small leak to be fixed at the bottom of the big steel tank.

[@GreyRockOne]

Thanks Larry, very detailed explanation, I have a bladder tank and it was cycling more than usual for weeks, so much so the pressure switch went bad and we replaced that. The reason was the tank was low on air, not sure why but after we fixed the switch and added air, all is back to normal and it's holding pressure and NOT cycling! Thanks!

[@LarryElterman]

You're welcome!

[@jco1023]

This was very informative! Thank you very much Larry!

[@hanzreyes2854]

Thanks very much for the very informative comparison!!

[@AboveandBeyondGlobalDrones]

Pump kept coming on and sink water pressure pulsed - low Tank Air pressure was the cause. Thanks for passing this info on !!

[@isakbonaventura2825]

Great work! I've lernd a lot this evening. Just bought a hydrofor pump, but didn't actually know how it functions. I do now. :-)

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks!

[@romeonieva4438]

You explained it well,its nice that you left the option of choosing the type of pressure tank from an economic and aesthetic point of view,it all depends then if the owner is handy or socy to handle chores involving water system issue, hope lots of viewers pick it up,godbless sir,staysafe😷👍🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭

[@michaeldb8477]

As with the others, thank you for the time and effort. I'm new to well water systems and many of the videos seem to simply assume that you'll have a bladder or diaphragm tank. My own tank has no Schrader pressure nipple anywhere that I can see, so I was doubting myself. Your video has at least offered me the belief that I probably have an older style pressure tank. I didn't know that it could get waterlogged as you put it. I will have to do some maintenance when I get a chance

[@buggsy5]

You can install a Schrader valve in the pressure switch pipe and inject air as needed that way. All you need is a hose on the drain fitting to make sure you to not add too much air. The tank "empty" pressure should be set to the cut-in pressure just before the air gets down to the water outlet pipe.

[@paco728]

Hi Larry, Awesome video! Great that you reply to all the questions too. I hope this isn't too long but details are important. I have the large galvanized tank set-up like your graphic except I don't have the cut-off from the well to the tank. The pressure switch (40-60), pressure gauge and schraeder valve are located on the side of the tank near the top. My question is about re-pressurizing the tank. My aim is to have the pump cycle time be between 1 and 2 minutes. Normally I use your method of turning off the pump, closing the valve to the house, draining the tank using the hose bib and use an air compressor filling to 38 psi. Then I turn the pump back on and I'm done. My well man suggested another method. Instead of draining the tank keep the pump on and run a faucet. (I actually do this while my whole house filter is doing a back wash so as not to waste the water). Then add compressed air as the pressure gauge drops while not letting it go below the 40 psi setting. I do this for about 1 minute and then I stop adding air. As the gauge drops below 40 psi I let the tank re-fill to the 60 psi shut-off. Then I see how long it takes before the pump restarts. I repeat this procedure until I get the desired cycle time. This can take as much as five minutes in total. Seems to work OK. What do you think?

[@LarryElterman]

I don't really have a clue what you are trying to do. When you say you want the pump cycle time to be between 1 and two minutes, you mean every time it cycles. Well that depends on the pump capacity as well as what else is running at the same time.

[@damianpokoj1065]

Thank you sir. Based on your video, i was able to make an informed decision. The layout for knowledge and no "fluff"! Subscribed!

[@LarryElterman]

Thank you!

[@anuarbatcha1562]

Thank you for a great video Sir! God bless you!

[@danieldc4175]

5 years later, I still enjoy watching this video.

[@just1smothie]

We had a galvanized tank for 40 years, till it finally let go to rust. Then we had to purchase a diaphragm tank, because they didn't make any more plain pressure tanks, where I live in Quebec. The problem now after 7 or 8 years is the bladder busted, and they don't make replacement parts for it. There goes another 400-500$ because the place we have ours is under the house in a crawl space, so there is not much room. I have been hearing too many bad stories with bladder pressure tanks. I have to get a new one now, and I am having a very hard time finding a 20 gallon tank, horizontal. Regular tanks were so much easier. Like you explained, not more than 5 min to drain and refill, no headaches.

[@zacharydavis4398]

Thank you for spending the time to create this content.

[@LarryElterman]

Your Welcome!

[@scrapwire1]

Very good Help. Thank you.

[@michaelcalise6111]

Larry, Thank you your presentation was very helpful !!!.

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@leolevesque9124]

Excellent video. Very explicit. Loved it.

[@LarryElterman]

Thank you!

[@suzannebiggs9217]

Thank you for a terrific explanation.

[@LarryElterman]

You are welcome!

[@Hwi1son]

Awesome video. Came here to learn and i did. Thank you sir. (My psi is too high, so i need to learn everything i can before i touch anything)

[@wemilk]

Valuable video! Thanks Larry!

[@velcranell4860]

thankyou sir, for me the stainless steel tank valve arangement diagram explanation did the trick, feels good to having the pump working just fine again. not sure about the numbers tho, the drawdown time of the tank its like a minute ( From the water faucet fully open in the kitchen ) and the presure ajustment is set to 20-60

[@valeryclark]

Thanks for the great information

[@jwjordan915]

Loved your video! You have help me very much. Thank you!

[@LarryElterman]

You welcome!

[@nealh2065]

Great video just what I wanted to know!

[@PBS-nm1uu]

great presentation wish everyone was this good.

[@LarryElterman]

Thank You!

[@stayfocus6974]

Brilliant. You help me a lot. Thank you so much.

[@LarryElterman]

You are so welcome!

[@dennislund5334]

worth the time to watch thanks

[@j.r.mcmullen6237]

Hi Larry. I have had a couple of the traditional tanks (without bladder or diaphragm) over the past 40 years and the easy solution I had both times was a Schrader valve installed about 2/3 of the way up the tank. Whenever the tank would get water logged (in my experience about once a year) I just added air from my compressor. Same issue with the drawdown problem you describe. My tank doesn't start a 0 psi. I start with the water a 6 inches above the supply from the well (the output to the house and garden is lower down) and pressurize the tank 40 psi. Then I turn on the pump which compresses the tank to 60 psi. I get quite a bit of draw down this way. It is a big tank that sits over in the corner of the basement where the water comes into the house. The old tanks were most commonly used around here when these houses were built in the 60s and a lot of us still have those original tanks. I always heard they had a 30 year life so I check for leaks regularly. I have only heard of one failure where the tank developed pinhole leaks. The neighbor replaced it with a diaphragm tank (because it was the new technology) and was disappointed when it failed after only 10 years of use. He went back to the old style tank. Another neighbor had his pump fail and as part of the job they replaced his old tank with a new old style tank. The well company recommended the replacement. He went with the old style based on familiarity. As an add on the new tank only cost him a few hundred dollars.

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks for your interesting reply relating your experience. I also tried a bladder tank which failed on me after only six months! I will never buy one again. Regarding over pressurizing a standard tank; well that will work as long as you don’t draw out all the water from the tank. In other words as long as you never use water faster than your pump can supply it, it will work. But if you draw out all the water, your extra pressure will be lost, which is no big deal I guess, it will just revert to its normal zero pressure start. Regarding the Schrader valve, you certainly need it if you are going to over pressurize your standard tank. However, if you don’t plan on doing that, I don’t find the valve necessary. For me it is quite easy to just empty the tank and then just start up again. The important thing is being set up properly so it is easy to empty and restart your tank. However, there is certainly nothing wrong with a Schrader valve, although it is another potential point of failure, as these valves sometime leak a bit, and if it fails completely you had better be set up so that you can easily replace it.

[@horstjung8857]

Outstanding job !!

[@oldmgbs2]

This explained tanks to. Thanks for doing this video.

[@Cliptography101]

Very helpful and clear and concise explanation of the details. Thank you!

[@melchizedek717]

Thank you very much for this video. I am using a stainless pressure tank and my water pump was turning on and off when water is in use. Turns out it was just water lagging. Draining the pressure help stopped the short cycle of the pump. Also the draw down explanation was great info. My problem is the maximum water pressure of the stainless pressure tank is just 40 PSI but I want a maximum pressure of around 50 to 60 PSI so I am considering using a bladder pump.

[@LarryElterman]

ok, well nothing wrong with a bladder tank. I guess its getting harder and harder to find the old style hollow tanks anyway.

[@buggsy5]

That just requires adjustment of the high pressure shutoff relay for the pump.

[@MJ-qt4dm]

You are a good teacher!

[@phaedrus2633]

Thank you. I'm over here in the Philippines dealing with a stainless steel tank that has a leak in the bottom weld. I believe that the old style stainless steel tank is the only one available over here. After watching your informative video, I think I'll have a new one put in, but installed in a way that makes it much easier to maintain. Of course, there are no cutoff valves, except for the outlet going to the house, so we'll have to see what we can do to remedy that.

[@buggsy5]

Simply add a T-fitting into the tank outlet pipe and install a cutoff valve there for attaching the hose.

[@Alexis-zu8qk]

1:04

[@ALLFORYOUCambodia]

I am very interested in the video. Thanks and all the best wishes

[@David-qd6pt]

Well explained Thank you

[@jhoshlim1416]

Thank you so much for this presentation n I learned a lot and my mind is cleared .

[@Texas1FlyBoy]

No! $/liter of draw are only for a single use of the tank. That is not an accurate depiction of the cost over time. You are not going to use the tank one time and then throw it away! That is VERY misleading!!

[@epoye7450]

wow. thanks sir. now i understand my water tank. am about to replacemy bladder typebut now i think i will go for the old style.

[@MarkJensenph]

So did you have any regrets on your choice of going old school?

[@jameswalker590]

I'd like to know where to even buy the old school tanks. I must not know what to search for

[@richritchie5434]

Thanks information was priceless

[@jaybee8301]

Thank you for your video. Its very informative. Im using the old galvanized pressure tank. My problem is i lose pressure just after a week. Im sick n tired of opening n emptying the tank . Im planning to go bladder type but ur video help me alot in my next move. I will find a good plumber n fix my tank n chk if there r leaks n if chk valves r needed to arrest the pressure leaks.

[@LarryElterman]

Correct, the answer to your problem, is: Something is leaking! It's not an inherent problem with galvanized tanks.

[@human3444]

Thanks.For explain gentleman

[@paulcalif]

Hey Larry Thanks for your excellent video. My home came with a large galvanized tank. I have no idea how old it is but I've been using it for over 10 years. My biggest problem is draining it. There is no isolation valve between the tank and the house and no easy way to install one. Believe me, retired pipefitter here, 1 1/2 ips galv pipe coming out of a concrete slab with a 70 year old galvanized tee right above the slab. I don't even want to look at it. Anyway, I've been draining it through a hose bib when necessary and it takes 45 min. (Timed it yesterday). But, I only removed a quarter inch tube fitting to allow air in. So there are two 1 inch valves to be installed. One for drain and the other for air. I run my pressure high, 40 to 60 psi. Besides supplying my 2 story home, the system also supplies water to several trees and a rented out mobile home. My well is 300 feet deep, 3 1/2HP and 200 feet from my pump room (5 acres, California desert). I'd like to put a plug in for Flotec's shallow well pump, it's been awesome. I went through several pumps before getting this one, and it's been great. Anyway, still trying to decide whether to replace the tank or not, and if I do, what kind. At least I'm armed with the knowledge I obtained from your video. Thanks again.

[@LarryElterman]

Your welcome!

[@petermccool9396]

Thank you. I have stopped scratching my head.

[@WillieStubbs]

I consider my tank to be a battery. The more water it holds means the more water I can get AFTER my electricity goes out. If there's a power outage I can be frugal with my water and still have water for a few days for cooking and washing my hands, flushing, etc. Also it takes longer for the pump to fill it up, so the pump needs to kick on and off less which saves on the life of the pump. So I don't mind paying more for a bladder or diaphram when it will save over the long run on the pump life. Excellent video, great information, thanks for putting up out there. Pretty cool to know you can change out a bladder, haven't ever seen them advertised anywhere. A neighbor's well had one leak on him so he tossed it and got a new one. Pretty sure it was a bladder tank, so he could have saved some money. When you're on a shared well though folks want the water back on quickly and don't mind if it costs more.

[@LarryElterman]

Ya, definitely a big tank is the way to go if you can afford it and have room for it. As far as changing the bladder, the problem is finding the spare part. Probably takes a long time to order it and get it. Perhaps get it ahead of time in anticipation of bladder failure.

[@jahnkaplank8626]

First time well owner here, learning about the whole setup. I have about an 80 gallon pressure tank and the pump would kick on when a tap was opened, within like 5 seconds and run for 5 seconds then kick off, and repeat this as long as the tap is open somewhere. Saw somewhere someone said to try to get the on/off time to at least 30 seconds, and mine was like 12, so I adjusted the pressure switch (after installing a new one cause I thought the old one was not working right: it was) and eventually got to almost 30, thinking it was now greatly improved. How wrong I was! Pump still clicked on/off fast, so after watching your video I went and completely drained the tank, and filled it up again, like you pointed out the procedure is, and when the pump eventually clicked off when the system hit 50 psi, I opened my test tap (same one as last test) and after FIVE MINUTES of constant pressure from the tank and the gauge not even close to 40psi on it's way down, I stopped testing. My pump comes on at about 30 psi. I went from a 12 second run time to 30, to 5 minutes but I guess it would have easily been 15 minutes, if not more, if I didn't stop because water just kept running and running and running. SO much better now. Analyzing previous performance, I bet there was very little air trapped in my tank, almost none at all. I wonder if the previous owners had EVER drained the tank to zero to reset the pressure... I'm guessing not.

[@LarryElterman]

Thanks for sharing your story! Glad my video helped you. If you are a new well owner you may want to watch my latest video, 43 topics in 43 minutes to give you an overview of all the equipment.

[@dalewcjr]

Great Video I thank you for the Info.

[@wilmerperry6932]

I have been my own plumbing for about 30 years. We used to have a steel tank, until that had a pin hole in the side. So we moved to a Bladder Tank. The ones at Lowe's and Home Depot will last about 5 years. The last tank I bought was a Challenger Well Tank, my well is 52 ft. deep, and 38 years ago, it was 20 psi, and would get better with time. My well tank is the biggest they make, 119 gallon, and it is in my basement. I installed it in 2006. I have a 1/2 hp Flint & Walling Stainless Steel Submersible Pump, on a 40/60 Square D pressure switch. I have a 50 gallon Whirlpool Hot water heater, with a Lifetime warranty. I was always told, to buy the biggest tank you can buy, and that would help your well pump last longer.

[@damonhill4909]

Yes. My parents had a 40gal tank with a multistage jet pump over a 90ft well. The tank had an air-volume control to keep the tank from water-logging. It never worked that well and usually put too much air into the tank which I had to manually release and then start over. The current setup on our farm is a new remote well with a submersible pump a few yards away that fills 11000gal of storage that feeds into an irrigation pump and 22Gal bladder tank inside the old pump house. I troubleshot the system because the irrigation pump was short-cycling and would only build about 45psi instead of 60psi. The bladder is ruptured and I could not fill it with an air compressor, the air came shooting out the inlet after I emptied the tank to get a true reading (which you have to do anyway), so that proved to me right there the bladder was ruptured. We are currently pricing tanks and they arent cheap here in Northern California!

[@duanelinstrom4292]

Thanks.Informative video.

[@Daus-eu9kw]

Thanks man, this is excellent information

[@LarryElterman]

Glad it was helpful!