The tank is buried in the ground in a 30-year-old system. Water is
pumped over the wellhead into the buried tank and then into the
basement. The tank is air pressured via a valve at the wellhead. Over
a few weeks the tank loses air pressure and becomes water logged. Can
I install a bladder tank in the basement and just leave the waterlogged
tank in the ground?
thanks

wrote:
The tank is buried in the ground in a 30-year-old system. Water is
pumped over the wellhead into the buried tank and then into the
basement. The tank is air pressured via a valve at the wellhead. Over
a few weeks the tank loses air pressure and becomes water logged. Can
I install a bladder tank in the basement and just leave the waterlogged
tank in the ground?
thanks

In article om, wrote:
The tank is buried in the ground in a 30-year-old system.

That's an *extremely* unusual setup.

Water is
pumped over the wellhead into the buried tank and then into the
basement. The tank is air pressured via a valve at the wellhead. Over
a few weeks the tank loses air pressure and becomes water logged. Can
I install a bladder tank in the basement and just leave the waterlogged
tank in the ground?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Is the tank losing air pressure because the air is dissolving into the water,
or because the air is escaping through a pinhole leak in the side of the tank?
If the latter, it's going to be leaking water too, as soon as all the air
escapes.

Or perhaps the air valve itself is leaking. The first thing I'd do is put a
little bit of soapy water over that air valve, to test for leaks.

Of course, I'm also wondering how you ever manage to correct the waterlogged
condition, if the tank is buried. Waterlogging CANNOT be corrected simply by
adding air to the tank. The tank *must* be drained -- completely -- to correct
waterlogging.

Yes, you may be able get away with putting a bladder tank in the basement, and
leaving the existing tank alone -- but I think you're better off removing the
existing tank from the system (not necessarily removing it from the ground,
just bypassing it) and adding a new bladder tank ANYWHERE that's more
accessible than what you have now.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Who ever said weird is correct. I also have unusual check valve that
causes problems at the wellhead. The valve is supposed to let water
escape in both directions. I have had it repaired a few times but have
given up on it. It only froze when it gets below zero. I have the
head covered and run a light bulb on below zero nights. The only
problem is when I forget to switch the bulb on. It has been warm in
Wisconsin the last few winters.

The pump is 30 years old. I have been wondering how much it would cost
to have a well driller excavate below the frost line put in the
standard T, reweld the casing and install a new pump?
thanks tom

..

Of course, I'm also wondering how you ever manage to correct the
waterlogged
condition, if the tank is buried. Waterlogging CANNOT be corrected simply
by
adding air to the tank. The tank *must* be drained -- completely -- to
correct
waterlogging.

Actually putting air into the tank by any means will temporarily cure water
logging.

Water over air systems usually have some kind of automatic means on
controlling the air level. Usually they involve injection (by various
means) of much more air than is loss by normal use and some kind of vent
that lets the air out when the water level gets below the half way point.
The clever student will note that venting the air will drop the system
pressure and start up the pump. Thus, air over water systems usually have
a minimum of a half tank of water. If the automatic vent stops "venting"
below some pressure (say, on the order of 20 psi) when during a power
failure and only during a power failure you use the bottom half of the tank.

That's why air bladder systems are so popular: a smaller air bladder system
will do the same job of keeping the pump from short cycling than a larger
air over water system. But you don't have that extra reserve when the
power fails.

wrote in message
ps.com...
The tank is buried in the ground in a 30-year-old system. Water is
pumped over the wellhead into the buried tank and then into the
basement. The tank is air pressured via a valve at the wellhead. Over
a few weeks the tank loses air pressure and becomes water logged. Can
I install a bladder tank in the basement and just leave the waterlogged
tank in the ground?
thanks


The tank needs to be within a few feet of the pressure switch. So if you
put the tank in the basement you have to move the pressure switch there as
well.

On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 18:58:25 -0800, Pat wrote:

The tank needs to be within a few feet of the pressure switch. So if you
put the tank in the basement you have to move the pressure switch there as
well.

I'm curious. What's the reasoning behind your statement?

It's always been my understanding that the pressure switch regulates pressure
in the system and the pressure tank prevents short cycling of the pump by
compressing some air and storing water - two independent parts of the system.
The tank would serve that purpose whether a few feet from the switch or
several hundred feet from it. The tank only has to have air in it to be
compressed and be hooked into the system so water can enter/leave it.
Likewise, the pressure switch will operate the pump based on set
cut-on/cut-off pressures and system pressure no matter where the tank is
located.

Maybe I don't understand things correctly?

Later, Mike
(substitute strickland in the obvious location to reply directly)
-----------------------------------


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On 8 Jan 2007 12:27:27 -0800, wrote:

Who ever said weird is correct. I also have unusual check valve that
causes problems at the wellhead. The valve is supposed to let water
escape in both directions. I have had it repaired a few times but have
given up on it. It only froze when it gets below zero. I have the
head covered and run a light bulb on below zero nights. The only
problem is when I forget to switch the bulb on. It has been warm in
Wisconsin the last few winters.

Might I suggest a greenhouse thermostat. I got one from Northern catalog
pretty reasonable. All you need is an outlet and then plug your bulb into the
thermostat - the sensor can be placed right by your valve if you wire things
right. It'll come on automagically when the sensor temp gets below 40F (IIRC)
and prevent freezing. I plug mine in when fall rolls around and unplug it in
spring - beats trying to remember to turn on a bulb when the temps drop.

Later, Mike
(substitute strickland in the obvious location to reply directly)
-----------------------------------


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