On Mar 9, 3:29 am, wrote:
I am constantly seeing messages on here about the bladder tanks for
wells not working. I have had to replace far too many of them myself.
I have never opened one of them, but I assume these bladders are
similar to a inner tube for tires. Apparently the water contact with
them causes the rubber to deteriorate.

Does anyone know what the average lifespan is for the bladders?
I seem to have to replace them every 7 or 8 years, and that is getting
costly. Before I installed the bladder tank, I had a large galvanized
tank that had no bladder. That tank would need to be drained 3 or 4
times a year, but even when it waterlogged, the pump did not cycle as
often as a much smaller bladder tank.

I know my tank is probably due to be replaced soon again, and I am
considering going back to the old fashioned large non-bladder
galvanized tank, which seem to last forever. In fact I still have the
one I removed years ago, and I bet it will still work.

I'm starting to think the manufacturers of these tanks give them a
limited lifespan so they can keep selling them, and since the bladders
are not replaceable, they can sell a whole (costly) tank each and
every time.

By the way, I found the tanks with defective bladders make good air
compressor tanks, so at least they serve some purpose afterwards.

As others have said, the key is keeping watch on the air pressure.
When the pressure gets low more water gets in the bladder, stretching
it beyond it's intended limits. Some tanks have replaceable bladders,
with bladders available from the tank manufacturer. But in my
experience, when a bladder ruptures and the tank waterlogs, the inside
of the tank starts rusting and is subject to failure. Better to
replace the whole thing at one time than piecemeal it.
-Red