Ted, I am Chris' uncle and one of the owners of our company. I have been following your videos for a long time and a few years back, pulled the trigger (so to speak) on an FX Impact and Element scope. Your videos are always top notch. What a small world. If you're ever in N. Idaho, please drop by.
Yes it is the ONLY thing TH-cam is good for.. The Shadow banning is out of control. Any and all information regarding politics is convoluted and skewed (Google as well) if you try to find any negative although truthful information on the Democratic nominees you won't find it. It's really bad now bc of the upcoming election. A lot of conservatives are going over to rumble and X bc there's way less censoring of conservative speech.✌🏼🇺🇸💪🏼
It’s 2024 and I’m a contractor/homeowner. This video was very simple, easy to understand, and gave all the relevant information in a well constructed manner. I’ll be turning to your channel for answers first from now on. Much appreciated.
Thanks for making this video! I installed a large accumulator in my motorhome last year to keep the pump from cycling all the time. I set the pressure, but did not realize that the tank should be empty first! This turned out to be a game-changer because I had it at 36 PSI when full and when it was empty it read 4 PSI - so, wrong, wrong, and wrong. It's now set correctly. Without this video, I would never have known. Thanks very much!
Finally ! To the point and easy to follow. Thanks ! My well pump was cycling on and off very quickly. Turns out the pressure in my pressure tank was almost zero. (Apparently being in a basement with huge temperature swings can cause this?) I added the correct air pressure, and all is working properly now. Thanks again !! Was afraid I needed a new pressure tank.
You need to check the tank pressure once a year, maybe twice a year if your pressure tank is the old style galvanized tank without a diaphragm. If the water and air aren't separated by a barrier of some sort, then the air mixes with the water over time and you lose the air. Diaphragm tanks just lose the air over time, nothing is completely air tight forever. Checking the air and maintaining the correct pressure ensures the pump doesn't short cycle like yours was doing. That can burn your pump up if you let it go for very long. Pumping water actually cools a submersible pump, so the longer it runs after it turns on, the better it is for the pump motor. My well guy told me that, and he said when watering the yard or garden that it's better to run two sprinklers instead of one, that way the pump runs for a very long time before it turns off, if at all.
Thank you so look much!!! That was such a quick, easy fix to our ongoing issue. We were told we needed a new tank. The pressure was at about 54 psi, brought it down to 38 and now everything is running better than ever!! Thank you again!
We just bought our house and I have been having pressure issues and luckily I found your channel. Thanks to this very informative video I was able to quickly identify that we have a 30/50 psi switch. I verified that it was still set to 30/50, drained the tank and found that it was at 48 psi!! It's now set at 28 psi, the water level in the tank has more than doubled (based on the outside condensation level on the tank) and the pressure has been much more consistent. Thanks again and I will be checking out more of your videos.
Thank you for the help! The short cycling was due to low bladder pressure. Turning off the well breaker and draining water with a faucet allowed me to get a good pressure reading. Added the air to raise the psi to the proper level has worked!!!
As somebody who has been commissioning commercial systems for years, your recommendations and your numbers are spot-on. Too many people don't drain the water pressure off the tank before filling the air side. That is critical to proper operation. On a side note, the older tanks didn't have a bladder and over a period of time, the air that's in the tank is assimilated into the water and requires repressurization. The techniques for setting pressure on these tanks is a little different. I like to have the switch kick in I got about a 1/3 tank level and shut off no more than a 2/3 full tank level. This can be determined by the sweat on the outside of the tank, or by rapping on the side to determine the level. The same technique works on compression tanks with sight glasses. Heating system 1/3 full when cold. Cooling systems two-thirds full when warm. Once again tank completely empty before filling. Most commercial compression tanks don't provide a Schrader valve for adjusting air pressure. It would be nice if they did because over time, not only does the water assimilate the air but the air tends to leak out the rubbers on the sight glass. Thank you for an informative and correct method of determining the proper pressures.
Thank you! A great video: clear, succinct, logical and structured. I have been able to fix my house water pump system and all is well again. Saved me the usual "rip out and replace" solution, so something good has been done as well for sustainability and avoiding more landfill. Super! I am grateful.
Thank you. Just replace the pressure gauge and checked the pressure in the tank. It was 11 psi. Added air to 38 psi for our 40/60 gauge and it worked. Thank you so very much!
Unless they quit selling them,or ordering, you don't throw your tank away,easy repair,empty and take tank out, turn upside down, take all nuts off, take out bladder, put in new one, install and set pressure, I keep one on hand, have had a well for 50 years. , Roll up bladder like a newspaper,easy to replace.
Pressure started surging, gauge up and down...plumbers replaced switch, still doing it. Then I found this video after looking more into tanks at lowes & HD, and after thinking it's the switch and all. So, this video and all the specs and info on pre-pressurized, air pressure...I had no idea. But, now I do. With the info in this video, I checked the air pressure in the tank, and the tank/switch is set for 30-50 psi. The pressure in the tank was at LEAST 60 psi. Wow. No wonder it wasn't working right. I backed the pressure to 28, and now it's working right again. How the pressure got that high, or how long it was like that...let's just say the builder, from top to bottom, didn't do things right. I've had to learn to fix a lot of things, also, due to lackof good help in this area. So, thank YOU very much for this video, and it helped me troubleshoot and fix what could have cost a lot more than a new switch, which was, in fact, probably needed.
You're most welcome Troy! Glad we could help you solve your pump issues, it motivates us to keep putting out these help videos. We're just a phone call away if you need any technical advice or help with your water system. Cheers!
Another old guy here thinking the same thing... waiting for him to identify it as a Schrader valve. I later decided his ultimate goal was to keep the video as non technical as possible and avoid confusion for those people who are less than handy. That said... knowing its a Schrader valve is key in the event you ever need to purchase a new "valve stem" for a leaking valve. A beneficial thing knowing its a Schrader valve and "not a Presta valve" which is the other common valve found on bicycle tires.
Great video, best one I’ve seen so far, and so far I have watched about a dozen or more. There was no extra added BS of useless info, just straight to the point. I can’t express enough how that sidebar graphic helped. I’m a visual person and it really put it into perspective how the range of both of the adjustments work and the result of adjusting them in relation to each other. It was a very nice touch that made all the difference for me. Now I feel that I completely know how this unit works. My intended use for this unit is to incorporate it inline with my Aquaponic system, Koi ponds and swimming pool. I will be using this unit to help keep pressure to a garden hose for watering plants around the yard (with the help of an 1/2hp 1500gph external water transfer pump) with the water source coming from either the Swimming pool, Koi ponds or Aquaponic system. I’m hoping to be able to continuously have adequate pressure (40 to 60psi) down the line of the hose and yet have the pump turn off whenever the garden nozzle is temporarily of shut off. It’ll make having to carry 5 gallon buckets around the property a thing of the past hopefully. Thanks again.
Thank you for explaining this so well! As a pump serviceman I always explained everything that you have shown! Many people inadvertently checked the pressure in the accumulator when the pump had pumped up to cut out pressure which is wrong! More often than not I would always remove the tank from the pumping system to get a correct pressure in the accumulator! On the smaller accumulators sometimes the diaphragm had inverted itself & in that case it could be reverted back to it’s original position with the aide of something small like a large strong stick the could be placed in the inlet side being the (bottom of the tank) saving the customer buying a new accumulator! Or in some instances connecting air pressure & blowing the diaphragm backwards but in doing that the Schrader valve needed to be removed to allow the air to be discharged from the top side of the tank! Nine times out of ten the water wouldn’t drain out of the tank in your suggestion because it takes so much pressure to push out that remaining water from the system! But the drain tap at the base of the intake sounds like a much better option for the novice home handyman!
I've no idea how many months my pump has been short cycling and the potential damage that's been done to it. How often is anyone in the basement while the water is being used upstairs! Anyway...when I did notice it finally, I checked the tank pressure but had not turned off the pump or drained it...and as I now know, that was incorrect. I also incorrectly concluded that the bladder had blown out and was in process of pricing out parts and pcs to replace. Saw this video in my search for knowledge....shut down the pump and drained the tank...pressure was at 5lbs !!! Pumped it back up as per this vid and presto ...no more short cycling ! Had no idea that the air pressure required yearly maintenance !! Thanks Guys ...saved me a bundle of pain and suffering !
If leaking air from the valve thus causing the tank pressure setting to drop... replace the air (Schrader) valve. If leaking water from the air valve... replace the pressure tank!
Mine also looks like leaking. I can hear the air bleeds out sometimes when i fill it with air. What sort of stem is it? I need to order one. is it easy to replace it?
@@Sean-Aviation It's exactly the same as a car or bicycle (or lawn mower, or snow blower, etc.) tire. So get down to the auto parts store and buy a couple valve cores. There ought to be an included tool that fits into the valve and interfaces with the core. Just unscew the old, and screw in the new.
Thank you so much for your help. We live in a rural area and finding service help is difficult. I procrastinated on resolving our water pressure becuase of a red tag reading "do not touch, call the installer." I would not have emptied the tank to measure this. You fixed out water pressure and we appreciate the help.
Such a helpful video! I appreciate you getting right to the point. First-time well owner, and immediately found problems: switch settings were 30-50, pressure tank was down to 15 and adjusting that to 28 solved it! Hypothetical question out of pure curiosity - what if your pressure tank was inflated to a higher psi than 2 minus the cut-in psi? For example if the tank was inflated to 38 whereas your switch settings were 30-50? My guess is the pump would never turn on? Thanks again!
I believe you are correct...because the pump switch would stay satisfied at 38 psi. It's not until the tank pressure reaches a low of 30 psi that the switch would activate the pump. 28 psi ensures a margin of error in pressure switch activation
I just happened across your video because I also have a tank and pressure system set up just like yours but what I didn’t know was that my tank needed to be 2 pounds lower than my current Cut on pressure and that was very helpful and useful to know.
Great video, but you should have mentioned that the ambient temperature of the tank affects the air pressure inside it. So, if it is in area that sees a large variation of temperature between say, Summer and Winter, then the tank pressure would need to be checked regularly as the pressure is going to go up in the warmer months and down in the cooler months. this very well could affect your cut in in the warmer months if the pressure stays above cut in, then your pump wont start.
@1960gambit - Good tip about change in temp during each season affecting ambient pressure. Wonder if the 2 psi margin accounts for most of this seasonal change? When you state " if the pressure stays above cut in, then your pump wont start.", that is true, but when someone uses water, like starts watering the garden, or drawing a bath, the system water pressure would drop below the cut-in pressure as the bladder tank would be empty of water at that point, so the pump would start supplying water and charging the bladder tank.
Great Help. My problem was the pressure in the tank. I was down to zero with the 5 gallon tank empty of water and the power off. Since I have a 30/50 pressure switch, I put air in the tank to 28 and problem solved for now. My sprinklers are working just fine and the motor is not turning off and on. I will watch to see if my tank pressure drops in the future.
My system was working, but the pressure would drop to zero before the pump cut in. I tried adjusting the air pressure in the tank, but no matter what I did, nothing worked. After running the pump up and down about a dozen times for testing, the pressure suddenly went through my top setting of 50psi and was heading past 65psi before I could flip the CB. I took the pressure switch off and found the inlet was blocked with rust and other slimy stuff. I carefully took the adapter off the pressure sensor and cleaned everything. I readjusted the tank pressure to 28psi (two pounds below switch cut in) and when I turned the pump back on, huzzah, it worked just as it was supposed to.
Thanks for watching! If you have ANY questions or concerns about your water system you can leave a comment, call our experts at 855.329.4519 or you can live chat with them on our website: RCWorst.com
Thanks for the video. You said to check under the cap of the water pressure switch for cut in pressure number. People need to know about the electricity under the plastic cap of the water pressure switch. If the power is on, it's dangerous.
Hey Chris I'm a plumber. Just found your videos and I'm glad I did. I'm just now getting into the service side of things and its midnight now and I'm still watching lol.
Thank you thank you thank you. We have been living with the tank clicking for so long now even when we flushed the tolit it would click about 10 times. We have never had a well before
this is great thanks, my tank is a 20/40, I sure hope it's adjustable, because I'm about to add a lot of pre-filters . I've got more than a few videos queue'd up, here's hoping I learn everything I need, and I don't need everything I learn :)
Thank you sir 👍👍 I had adjusted my pressure tank about 18 months ago and wanted to be sure I was doing it right . The first time I messed with it I had it all screwed up then somebody told me the proper way but I just couldn't remember all the details for sure. Cheers friend 😎 and I did subscribe and hit the bell 🚬
R.C. Worst & Co., Inc. my pressure tank is adjusted correctly . My pressure switch is a 30/50 setting but I'm only getting 4 gallons a minute flow out of a 5/8 hose that's approximately 200 feet away. Maybe I need to do a GPM test at the well manifold ...... ❓
R.C. Worst & Co., Inc. I did a GPM test off of my well manifold and I'm getting over 12 gallons a minute after cut in so I don't think I have a problem with my well. I guess if I want volume at that distance I need to run a dedicated inch and a quarter supply line and avoid things like a five gang hose manifold and go full port valves ha ha 😂
Thanks for the basic knowledge for my annual pump system check up and maintenance. I forgot the details. No need to commit it to memory, we have RC worst to rely on‼️ 👍
I'm so glad they're are videos like yours it helped me and my family a lot.... Thank you for taking the time to do this.... God bless you and your house......
Most tees have a water pressure gauge. This is really all you need to monitor the system without having to drain it and check set air pressure. As Chris said, run the water until the pressure is reaches at least 2 psi below the low setting of pressure switchand the pump cuts on...and cuts off at high setting of pressure switch. As I understand it, if that happens, your tank pressure is good. Remember, tank preset air pressure is set when tank is empty and pump is off. Having a gauge that monitors working pressure in tank is fairly useless as that is not the air pressure condition in the tank when the system is operating.
What are the symptoms of having the pressure in your tank too high or too low. e.g. on a 40-60 tank, what are the systems if your pressure was only 32, or if your pressure was 45? This would be useful to know so if we see that symptom, we know to check the pressure (vs it being something completely different)
I'm confused. You say to open a faucet anywhere in the house. I did that and the system drained empty. Then I opened the faucet on the tank tee assembly. The water drained out relatively slowly, with lots of glubs as air entered in to replace the water coming out from the tank. Was it unnecessary to empty the tank, or can you get by with just zero pressure reading from the rest of the household plumbing? Also how accurate must the tire gauge be? What if it's off by one or 2 psi, or 3 or 4?
The pressure is what you need to drain, if there is a little water leftover in the pipe that is fine as long as you pressure gauge reads 0 psi. The best method to check the pressure is with a digital gauge, but a tire gauge should get you close enough if you don't have a digital one. Thanks for the questions!
With exsisting pressure tank.....after draining after you really getting a 100% accurate reading, I'd think you'd drain most but not all water and I wonder if that'd mess with factory charge pressure readings
Thank you for explaining this, so if I am checking an existing pressure do I need to drain it as well? Or can I just turn off the power, and empty the system and opening a faucet?
Thanks for the comment. The valve/faucet being open shouldn't have any effect on the air pressure in the tank. The diaphragm in the tank is airtight, so as long as your pressure gauge on the water line reads 0 PSI you're good to go. Was air coming out of your open valve?
@@RCworstwater Thanks - that's good to know. First, I'll clarify by stating that I found a set of instructions that said drain and then close - this must have supported my confirmation bias as this was the answer I was after. Had I known you were checking comments, I would have just asked you :) My concern was based solely on the bladder/diaphragm working by displacement - or pushing the contents of the tank out as the pressure on one side becomes higher than the other. With the drain valve opened, the air is purged from the bottom side, just as the water is during normal operation (like a captive spring more or less). To answer your question, a nominal amount of air and water were draining as the bladder was filling - so I drained the air back to 0 and closed the valve. I filled it up again to 38psi, kicked on the pump, and saw my pump cycle time go from 7 seconds of duration to 40, and on/off are perfect at 40/60. Anyhow, you have one more fan on the internet - thanks for setting me straight.
@@fargley001" With the drain valve opened, the air is purged from the bottom side, just as the water is during normal operation" .....that is not normal...air out the water drain? busted bladder/diaphram
@@gtbarnes11 With the water drained out, the tank only contains air at this point (air will be drawn as water drains) - the main valve is closed, the pump is off, and the drain is opened. This fact is actually why I had pursued the question - in my mind, leaving the tank valve opened is like filling a car tire when there is no load on the tire. With the tank valve opened, there's no resistance to counter the bladder pressure - its just opened to the atmosphere, and therefore affecting the calibration. Regardless, my system is still operating reliably, so I guess, opened or closed, it must not matter.
One question: why does the tank psi need to be specifically 2psi below the cut-in setting of the switch? What happens when it’s higher or lower? Great video btw
Air permeates through the diaphragm at a microscopic level. As the tank cycles get olders, the passageways for that air to escape get larger and larger until a hole develops.
Great information.. I have a similar pump and tank ... I'm having an issue with the system not pressuring up. The pump works and builds pressure, but it will not pressure up to 30 psi at the pressure Tank to even fill the pressure tank. I do have a gauge installed before the tank, to monitor pressure. The water supply is coming off of a 15 foot deep x 4 foot wide holding tank in the ground . My original question, is why would it seem to be acting like it's sucking air? ... I have primed the pump and from the pump up to the pressure tank, I have clear plastic line, so I can see the bubbles .. but I might add, ( I'm not sure if it matters) the guy who installed the system, has the pump mounted 4 feet below the pressure tank, so it has to pump up to the pressure tank first. At first he thought maybe my pump was no good, and installed another pump that he has, that he knew was a good pump, but had the same issue, so put mine back in. Any advice you could offer, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. And great video
Fantastic Video! I recently replaced my control box and during the diagnostic process, I let some air pressure out of my tank. I re-pressurized it to 28 PSI using your instructions, but now the tank isn't coming up to high pressure when I put water back in. After draining it at the bottom valve and the outside valve, I close it off, open the valve from the pump, turn it on and it pumps water in, but maxes out at about 42 PSI and just continues to run without reaching 50 (does not shut off). When I drain it again, not a lot of water comes out compare to when I first drained it (it's a 32 gallon tank). Any ideas on how to get it to fill and back up to pressure? Thanks!
@@freshavocadew I called the professional who told me to replace the control box. He walked me through reducing the cutoff pressure on the control switch a bit. I have lower pressure now, but it’s working for now. I will probably replace the pump next spring. My system is only for my outside plumbing, so it isn’t urgent.
@@haugenbp Did you also reduce the cut-in pressure or just lowered the cut-off? Did you replace your switch as well? Was it your pump that couldn't reach a pressure higher than 42 psi or was it something wrong with your switch? Thanks for the reply btw.
@@freshavocadew yes, I also reduced the cut in pressure a little. No I did not replace the switch. Yes, the pump could no longer reach the 50 psi, so I reduced it to just below what it could reach it didn’t continuously run. It’s 53 year old pump.
Thanks! Your videos have been very helpful! There is one thing I haven't been able to find an answer to anywhere online though. What order should you set pressures? Switch first (with empty bladder), bladder first or does it not matter? I feel like an empty bladder will give a "true" pressure to set the switch accurately, but I'm concerned adding air to the bladder after will artificially raise the pressure so the switch is no longer accurate? Maybe I'm over thinking it 😅
JUST fixed the problem with a relatives water tank.....The initial water tank was waterlogged and the pressure switch was clicking alot....replaced the tank and the pressure switch, but the NEW pressure switch was STILL clicking alot....Changed the water pump and the pressure switch was STILL clicking....RE-replaced the new water tank with another water tank---same clicking.....FINALLY figured out the NEW pressure switch needed to be adjusted, as they are SUPPOSED to be set right to begin with, but this one was not....So we adjusted the screws so that the pressure MATCHED the pressure in the tank-------whallah....Fixed the problem.......
we live in country ..on a private well..recently ..hours ago.. changed out the pressure switch sent wife to town to get 40 / 60.gave her the old one..they sent her home with a 20/40
Great video!! I have a question. I have a 5 gal tank and a 40/60 switch, with the pump and tank on the ground floor of a 4 storey house, 2 bathrooms on the 4th floor. The pressure on the 4th floor is a bit low. What pressure setting would you suggest I increase the switch to, to improve the pressure on the 4th floor?
My tank pump is turning on about every minute or less. My dad used to prime the tank occasionally, my brother did it last spring, so it needs to be done again. You are teasing me, I need to know how much air to put in. Otherwise, it is working fine, he did not empty the tank to do it. Please?
I’ve purchased a zilmet pressure tank. It was damaged during shipping, has a 1” indentation by 2 “ wide near bottom where round meets straight upper part. Do you think the bladder will prematurely fail from rubbing over time. What are your thoughts on zilmet? I can send pictures if needed. Thanks Neil
how do i adjust the pressure in an already installed pressure tank? It has been in use for four years and the pressure is just a little low. All instructions I find explain how to adjust the pressure before an initial installation but not how to add pressure after install.
So once the pressure is drained completely by opening a valve or nearest faucet, before you add air if needed should I close that valve/faucet or leave it open? Thanks.
I'm grateful for the help. These kind of videos never go "viral", but they are the only thing keeping TH-cam remotely useful. Thank you.
Ted, I am Chris' uncle and one of the owners of our company. I have been following your videos for a long time and a few years back, pulled the trigger (so to speak) on an FX Impact and Element scope. Your videos are always top notch. What a small world. If you're ever in N. Idaho, please drop by.
It went viral 😂
Yes it is the ONLY thing TH-cam is good for.. The Shadow banning is out of control. Any and all information regarding politics is convoluted and skewed (Google as well) if you try to find any negative although truthful information on the Democratic nominees you won't find it. It's really bad now bc of the upcoming election. A lot of conservatives are going over to rumble and X bc there's way less censoring of conservative speech.✌🏼🇺🇸💪🏼
It’s 2024 and I’m a contractor/homeowner.
This video was very simple, easy to understand, and gave all the relevant information in a well constructed manner. I’ll be turning to your channel for answers first from now on.
Much appreciated.
Thanks for making this video! I installed a large accumulator in my motorhome last year to keep the pump from cycling all the time. I set the pressure, but did not realize that the tank should be empty first! This turned out to be a game-changer because I had it at 36 PSI when full and when it was empty it read 4 PSI - so, wrong, wrong, and wrong. It's now set correctly. Without this video, I would never have known. Thanks very much!
Same thing was done by me.
If you want the Worst service don't watch this video because this guy is the Best!
Finally ! To the point and easy to follow. Thanks ! My well pump was cycling on and off very quickly. Turns out the pressure in my pressure tank was almost zero. (Apparently being in a basement with huge temperature swings can cause this?) I added the correct air pressure, and all is working properly now. Thanks again !! Was afraid I needed a new pressure tank.
You need to check the tank pressure once a year, maybe twice a year if your pressure tank is the old style galvanized tank without a diaphragm. If the water and air aren't separated by a barrier of some sort, then the air mixes with the water over time and you lose the air. Diaphragm tanks just lose the air over time, nothing is completely air tight forever. Checking the air and maintaining the correct pressure ensures the pump doesn't short cycle like yours was doing. That can burn your pump up if you let it go for very long. Pumping water actually cools a submersible pump, so the longer it runs after it turns on, the better it is for the pump motor. My well guy told me that, and he said when watering the yard or garden that it's better to run two sprinklers instead of one, that way the pump runs for a very long time before it turns off, if at all.
Thank you so look much!!! That was such a quick, easy fix to our ongoing issue. We were told we needed a new tank. The pressure was at about 54 psi, brought it down to 38 and now everything is running better than ever!! Thank you again!
You bet! Glad we were able to help. :)
was that with an empty tank barry ????
Raymond J I would be interested in a response to your question also!
This is me after I actually read the pressure switch’s cut in and cut off
We just bought our house and I have been having pressure issues and luckily I found your channel. Thanks to this very informative video I was able to quickly identify that we have a 30/50 psi switch. I verified that it was still set to 30/50, drained the tank and found that it was at 48 psi!! It's now set at 28 psi, the water level in the tank has more than doubled (based on the outside condensation level on the tank) and the pressure has been much more consistent. Thanks again and I will be checking out more of your videos.
Thank you for the help! The short cycling was due to low bladder pressure. Turning off the well breaker and draining water with a faucet allowed me to get a good pressure reading. Added the air to raise the psi to the proper level has worked!!!
This is how a "How to Vid" is ment to be. Proper and well explained, easy to follow info. Thank You
Thanks for the kind words! :)
...and not 35 minutes long
It don't pose to be that way
Lol
As somebody who has been commissioning commercial systems for years, your recommendations and your numbers are spot-on. Too many people don't drain the water pressure off the tank before filling the air side. That is critical to proper operation. On a side note, the older tanks didn't have a bladder and over a period of time, the air that's in the tank is assimilated into the water and requires repressurization. The techniques for setting pressure on these tanks is a little different. I like to have the switch kick in I got about a 1/3 tank level and shut off no more than a 2/3 full tank level. This can be determined by the sweat on the outside of the tank, or by rapping on the side to determine the level. The same technique works on compression tanks with sight glasses. Heating system 1/3 full when cold.
Cooling systems two-thirds full when warm. Once again tank completely empty before filling. Most commercial compression tanks don't provide a Schrader valve for adjusting air pressure. It would be nice if they did because over time, not only does the water assimilate the air but the air tends to leak out the rubbers on the sight glass. Thank you for an informative and correct method of determining the proper pressures.
Great tips!
Thank you! A great video: clear, succinct, logical and structured. I have been able to fix my house water pump system and all is well again. Saved me the usual "rip out and replace" solution, so something good has been done as well for sustainability and avoiding more landfill. Super! I am grateful.
Thank you. Just replace the pressure gauge and checked the pressure in the tank. It was 11 psi. Added air to 38 psi for our 40/60 gauge and it worked. Thank you so very much!
Unless they quit selling them,or ordering, you don't throw your tank away,easy repair,empty and take tank out, turn upside down, take all nuts off, take out bladder, put in new one, install and set pressure, I keep one on hand, have had a well for 50 years. , Roll up bladder like a newspaper,easy to replace.
Pressure started surging, gauge up and down...plumbers replaced switch, still doing it. Then I found this video after looking more into tanks at lowes & HD, and after thinking it's the switch and all. So, this video and all the specs and info on pre-pressurized, air pressure...I had no idea. But, now I do. With the info in this video, I checked the air pressure in the tank, and the tank/switch is set for 30-50 psi. The pressure in the tank was at LEAST 60 psi. Wow. No wonder it wasn't working right. I backed the pressure to 28, and now it's working right again. How the pressure got that high, or how long it was like that...let's just say the builder, from top to bottom, didn't do things right. I've had to learn to fix a lot of things, also, due to lackof good help in this area. So, thank YOU very much for this video, and it helped me troubleshoot and fix what could have cost a lot more than a new switch, which was, in fact, probably needed.
You're most welcome Troy! Glad we could help you solve your pump issues, it motivates us to keep putting out these help videos. We're just a phone call away if you need any technical advice or help with your water system. Cheers!
Troy W just watched the same video on water pumps. 😎👍
Just some facts from an old guy. The air valve on top of the tank is called a "schrader valve"
Another old guy here thinking the same thing... waiting for him to identify it as a Schrader valve. I later decided his ultimate goal was to keep the video as non technical as possible and avoid confusion for those people who are less than handy. That said... knowing its a Schrader valve is key in the event you ever need to purchase a new "valve stem" for a leaking valve.
A beneficial thing knowing its a Schrader valve and "not a Presta valve" which is the other common valve found on bicycle tires.
He may not know the actual name of the valve or its core.
@@eltonnoway5692 I also loved the pressure checker term, lol.
@@eltonnoway5692 nor was the hot water line from the boiler valve shutoff step mentioned but definitely on point otherwise.
@@AraceaeFanatics No, he's said it in other videos. I believe he was just trying to avoid making it too complicated for most homeowners.
Great video, best one I’ve seen so far, and so far I have watched about a dozen or more. There was no extra added BS of useless info, just straight to the point. I can’t express enough how that sidebar graphic helped. I’m a visual person and it really put it into perspective how the range of both of the adjustments work and the result of adjusting them in relation to each other. It was a very nice touch that made all the difference for me. Now I feel that I completely know how this unit works. My intended use for this unit is to incorporate it inline with my Aquaponic system, Koi ponds and swimming pool. I will be using this unit to help keep pressure to a garden hose for watering plants around the yard (with the help of an 1/2hp 1500gph external water transfer pump) with the water source coming from either the Swimming pool, Koi ponds or Aquaponic system. I’m hoping to be able to continuously have adequate pressure (40 to 60psi) down the line of the hose and yet have the pump turn off whenever the garden nozzle is temporarily of shut off. It’ll make having to carry 5 gallon buckets around the property a thing of the past hopefully. Thanks again.
Thank you for explaining this so well! As a pump serviceman I always explained everything that you have shown! Many people inadvertently checked the pressure in the accumulator when the pump had pumped up to cut out pressure which is wrong! More often than not I would always remove the tank from the pumping system to get a correct pressure in the accumulator! On the smaller accumulators sometimes the diaphragm had inverted itself & in that case it could be reverted back to it’s original position with the aide of something small like a large strong stick the could be placed in the inlet side being the (bottom of the tank) saving the customer buying a new accumulator! Or in some instances connecting air pressure & blowing the diaphragm backwards but in doing that the Schrader valve needed to be removed to allow the air to be discharged from the top side of the tank!
Nine times out of ten the water wouldn’t drain out of the tank in your suggestion because it takes so much pressure to push out that remaining water from the system! But the drain tap at the base of the intake sounds like a much better option for the novice home handyman!
I've no idea how many months my pump has been short cycling and the potential damage that's been done to it. How often is anyone in the basement while the water is being used upstairs!
Anyway...when I did notice it finally, I checked the tank pressure but had not turned off the pump or drained it...and as I now know, that was incorrect. I also incorrectly concluded that the bladder had blown out and was in process of pricing out parts and pcs to replace. Saw this video in my search for knowledge....shut down the pump and drained the tank...pressure was at 5lbs !!!
Pumped it back up as per this vid and presto ...no more short cycling ! Had no idea that the air pressure required yearly maintenance !! Thanks Guys ...saved me a bundle of pain and suffering !
I noticed my valve stem was leaking. I changed the stem and then set the air pressure and it's working fine now. Thanks.
Happy to hear this video helped you fix your issues!
If leaking air from the valve thus causing the tank pressure setting to drop... replace the air (Schrader) valve. If leaking water from the air valve... replace the pressure tank!
Mine also looks like leaking. I can hear the air bleeds out sometimes when i fill it with air. What sort of stem is it? I need to order one. is it easy to replace it?
@@Sean-Aviation It's exactly the same as a car or bicycle (or lawn mower, or snow blower, etc.) tire. So get down to the auto parts store and buy a couple valve cores. There ought to be an included tool that fits into the valve and interfaces with the core. Just unscew the old, and screw in the new.
Thank you. My irrigation system is 40 years old and she still works but needed some tweaking. Your video did it. Much appreciated.
Glad it helped!
Thanks my friend ..you're a good man helping out those who really need it
Thank you so much for your help. We live in a rural area and finding service help is difficult. I procrastinated on resolving our water pressure becuase of a red tag reading "do not touch, call the installer." I would not have emptied the tank to measure this. You fixed out water pressure and we appreciate the help.
Glad I could help!
Such a helpful video! I appreciate you getting right to the point. First-time well owner, and immediately found problems: switch settings were 30-50, pressure tank was down to 15 and adjusting that to 28 solved it! Hypothetical question out of pure curiosity - what if your pressure tank was inflated to a higher psi than 2 minus the cut-in psi? For example if the tank was inflated to 38 whereas your switch settings were 30-50? My guess is the pump would never turn on? Thanks again!
I believe you are correct...because the pump switch would stay satisfied at 38 psi. It's not until the tank pressure reaches a low of 30 psi that the switch would activate the pump. 28 psi ensures a margin of error in pressure switch activation
I just happened across your video because I also have a tank and pressure system set up just like yours but what I didn’t know was that my tank needed to be 2 pounds lower than my current Cut on pressure and that was very helpful and useful to know.
Glad we could help!
Great video, but you should have mentioned that the ambient temperature of the tank affects the air pressure inside it. So, if it is in area that sees a large variation of temperature between say, Summer and Winter, then the tank pressure would need to be checked regularly as the pressure is going to go up in the warmer months and down in the cooler months. this very well could affect your cut in in the warmer months if the pressure stays above cut in, then your pump wont start.
Good tip!
@1960gambit - Good tip about change in temp during each season affecting ambient pressure. Wonder if the 2 psi margin accounts for most of this seasonal change?
When you state " if the pressure stays above cut in, then your pump wont start.", that is true, but when someone uses water, like starts watering the garden, or drawing a bath, the system water pressure would drop below the cut-in pressure as the bladder tank would be empty of water at that point, so the pump would start supplying water and charging the bladder tank.
Great Help. My problem was the pressure in the tank. I was down to zero with the 5 gallon tank empty of water and the power off. Since I have a 30/50 pressure switch, I put air in the tank to 28 and problem solved for now. My sprinklers are working just fine and the motor is not turning off and on. I will watch to see if my tank pressure drops in the future.
Glad to hear our video help you out! If you end up needing to replace the tank, we sell them on our site: www.rcworst.com/Amtrol/Well-X-Trol-c225.html
Thanks for the info! Very helpful, straight forward, and easy to understand!!
why there is not one built in pressure gauge on top of the blue tank?
Awesome video, super clear and told me exactly what I needed to know. Thanks!
Thanks for watchin!
New to off grid homesteading. I have a different pump, but obviously, this video is extremely helpful. Thank you
My system was working, but the pressure would drop to zero before the pump cut in. I tried adjusting the air pressure in the tank, but no matter what I did, nothing worked. After running the pump up and down about a dozen times for testing, the pressure suddenly went through my top setting of 50psi and was heading past 65psi before I could flip the CB. I took the pressure switch off and found the inlet was blocked with rust and other slimy stuff. I carefully took the adapter off the pressure sensor and cleaned everything. I readjusted the tank pressure to 28psi (two pounds below switch cut in) and when I turned the pump back on, huzzah, it worked just as it was supposed to.
Nice Job!
Thanks for watching! If you have ANY questions or concerns about your water system you can leave a comment, call our experts at 855.329.4519 or you can live chat with them on our website: RCWorst.com
Great job on the explanation, thumbs up.
👍👍
Thanks for the video. You said to check under the cap of the water pressure switch for cut in pressure number.
People need to know about the electricity under the plastic cap of the water pressure switch.
If the power is on, it's dangerous.
A clogged 1/4" tube to the pressure sw. will cause erratic pressure & pump function
Correct!
I am on a well and really appreciate knowing this and how to check the pressure. 🙂
Happy to help!
Thank you well information due to diaphragm expansion vessel.
Thanks for watching!
Hey Chris I'm a plumber. Just found your videos and I'm glad I did. I'm just now getting into the service side of things and its midnight now and I'm still watching lol.
Welcome aboard!
Thank you thank you thank you. We have been living with the tank clicking for so long now even when we flushed the tolit it would click about 10 times. We have never had a well before
Well before
Look into getting a Rays pressure snubber and install it under the pressure switch. Should take care of the problem
Very professional guy with great explanations. This is my first time owning and maintaining a pressure tank at home.
Glad we could help!
I can't thank you enough!! What a difference once everything was set up correctly! Thanks again! J
Thanks for watching! :)
this is great thanks, my tank is a 20/40, I sure hope it's adjustable, because I'm about to add a lot of pre-filters . I've got more than a few videos queue'd up, here's hoping I learn everything I need, and I don't need everything I learn :)
Make sure your filters are installed AFTER your pressure tank and switch.
Very informative, good training video.
Excellent video all the way around! Thank you! Checking my tanks today :)
Good luck!
Thank you sir 👍👍 I had adjusted my pressure tank about 18 months ago and wanted to be sure I was doing it right . The first time I messed with it I had it all screwed up then somebody told me the proper way but I just couldn't remember all the details for sure. Cheers friend 😎 and I did subscribe and hit the bell 🚬
Thanks for subscribing! We're happy the video helped you out!
R.C. Worst & Co., Inc. my pressure tank is adjusted correctly . My pressure switch is a 30/50 setting but I'm only getting 4 gallons a minute flow out of a 5/8 hose that's approximately 200 feet away. Maybe I need to do a GPM test at the well manifold ...... ❓
If you getting 4 GPM out of a 200 foot 5/8" hose that sounds about right. The longer/smaller your supply line gets the less GPM you will get from it.
R.C. Worst & Co., Inc. I did a GPM test off of my well manifold and I'm getting over 12 gallons a minute after cut in so I don't think I have a problem with my well. I guess if I want volume at that distance I need to run a dedicated inch and a quarter supply line and avoid things like a five gang hose manifold and go full port valves ha ha 😂
You are correct! :)
This is very useful for those who has well at their house and only for HANDYMEN......Thank you for sharing
Great explanation sir !
Thanks for the basic knowledge for my annual pump system check up and maintenance. I forgot the details. No need to commit it to memory, we have RC worst to rely on‼️ 👍
Right on!
This vid was great. At least I know how to check the status of my tank. Hopefully it's just adding more pressure.
Great vid told me just what I needed to thanks.
I'm so glad they're are videos like yours it helped me and my family a lot.... Thank you for taking the time to do this.... God bless you and your house......
Glad to help
GREAT information thanks.
Thanks for the comment Bob!
What they need is a pressure gauge on the air pressure valve. That would make spot checks easier.
Most tees have a water pressure gauge. This is really all you need to monitor the system without having to drain it and check set air pressure. As Chris said, run the water until the pressure is reaches at least 2 psi below the low setting of pressure switchand the pump cuts on...and cuts off at high setting of pressure switch. As I understand it, if that happens, your tank pressure is good. Remember, tank preset air pressure is set when tank is empty and pump is off. Having a gauge that monitors working pressure in tank is fairly useless as that is not the air pressure condition in the tank when the system is operating.
What are the symptoms of having the pressure in your tank too high or too low. e.g. on a 40-60 tank, what are the systems if your pressure was only 32, or if your pressure was 45? This would be useful to know so if we see that symptom, we know to check the pressure (vs it being something completely different)
Best video I have seen on this topic! Thank you for creating this content.
Glad it was helpful!
Great information.
Excellent instructional video! Thank you R.C. Worst & Co.!!!
Glad it was helpful!
WOW, Awesome. Clear, concise, useful information, efficiently presented. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice job with the video. Short, sweet, to the point.
I'm confused. You say to open a faucet anywhere in the house. I did that and the system drained empty. Then I opened the faucet on the tank tee assembly. The water drained out relatively slowly, with lots of glubs as air entered in to replace the water coming out from the tank. Was it unnecessary to empty the tank, or can you get by with just zero pressure reading from the rest of the household plumbing? Also how accurate must the tire gauge be? What if it's off by one or 2 psi, or 3 or 4?
The pressure is what you need to drain, if there is a little water leftover in the pipe that is fine as long as you pressure gauge reads 0 psi. The best method to check the pressure is with a digital gauge, but a tire gauge should get you close enough if you don't have a digital one. Thanks for the questions!
Thanks.
With exsisting pressure tank.....after draining after you really getting a 100% accurate reading, I'd think you'd drain most but not all water and I wonder if that'd mess with factory charge pressure readings
Dude you rock!!
Short, concise, well presented, thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Perfect. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for posting.
Glad it helped!
Thank you for explaining this, so if I am checking an existing pressure do I need to drain it as well? Or can I just turn off the power, and empty the system and opening a faucet?
Very helpful video. Great job guys!
Thanks!
Great videos on the pressure tank and switch thank you ! I will be taking some of this new knowledge to the cottage system
Good luck!
Excellent vid - one clarification I discovered was that you must close the valve or faucet after you drain, and before you check or adjust pressure.
Thanks for the comment. The valve/faucet being open shouldn't have any effect on the air pressure in the tank. The diaphragm in the tank is airtight, so as long as your pressure gauge on the water line reads 0 PSI you're good to go. Was air coming out of your open valve?
@@RCworstwater Thanks - that's good to know. First, I'll clarify by stating that I found a set of instructions that said drain and then close - this must have supported my confirmation bias as this was the answer I was after. Had I known you were checking comments, I would have just asked you :)
My concern was based solely on the bladder/diaphragm working by displacement - or pushing the contents of the tank out as the pressure on one side becomes higher than the other. With the drain valve opened, the air is purged from the bottom side, just as the water is during normal operation (like a captive spring more or less). To answer your question, a nominal amount of air and water were draining as the bladder was filling - so I drained the air back to 0 and closed the valve. I filled it up again to 38psi, kicked on the pump, and saw my pump cycle time go from 7 seconds of duration to 40, and on/off are perfect at 40/60. Anyhow, you have one more fan on the internet - thanks for setting me straight.
@@fargley001" With the drain valve opened, the air is purged from the bottom side, just as the water is during normal operation" .....that is not normal...air out the water drain? busted bladder/diaphram
@@gtbarnes11 With the water drained out, the tank only contains air at this point (air will be drawn as water drains) - the main valve is closed, the pump is off, and the drain is opened.
This fact is actually why I had pursued the question - in my mind, leaving the tank valve opened is like filling a car tire when there is no load on the tire. With the tank valve opened, there's no resistance to counter the bladder pressure - its just opened to the atmosphere, and therefore affecting the calibration. Regardless, my system is still operating reliably, so I guess, opened or closed, it must not matter.
@@fargley001 okay I see exactly what you meant now, thank you
Good SIMPLE explanation.
Glad it was helpful!
One question: why does the tank psi need to be specifically 2psi below the cut-in setting of the switch? What happens when it’s higher or lower?
Great video btw
Why does my pressure tank lose air pressure every several years? Tank is 10 years old. 20 gallon.
Air permeates through the diaphragm at a microscopic level. As the tank cycles get olders, the passageways for that air to escape get larger and larger until a hole develops.
Once you cut power, drain, adjust the pressure, can you just turn the water back on to the tank or do you have to follow any particular steps?
You guys make excellent and clear videos. well done!
What is the purpose of giving pressure "above" the diapragma inside the pressure tank (which is 2 psi lower than cutt-in pressure) ? Thank you.
The air holds water under pressure. Without it the pump would turn on every time you opened a tap.
Awesome information as a new well user.
Great and well made video. Very helpful,thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Great information.. I have a similar pump and tank ... I'm having an issue with the system not pressuring up. The pump works and builds pressure, but it will not pressure up to 30 psi at the pressure Tank to even fill the pressure tank. I do have a gauge installed before the tank, to monitor pressure. The water supply is coming off of a 15 foot deep x 4 foot wide holding tank in the ground . My original question, is why would it seem to be acting like it's sucking air? ... I have primed the pump and from the pump up to the pressure tank, I have clear plastic line, so I can see the bubbles .. but I might add, ( I'm not sure if it matters) the guy who installed the system, has the pump mounted 4 feet below the pressure tank, so it has to pump up to the pressure tank first. At first he thought maybe my pump was no good, and installed another pump that he has, that he knew was a good pump, but had the same issue, so put mine back in. Any advice you could offer, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. And great video
Fantastic Video! I recently replaced my control box and during the diagnostic process, I let some air pressure out of my tank. I re-pressurized it to 28 PSI using your instructions, but now the tank isn't coming up to high pressure when I put water back in. After draining it at the bottom valve and the outside valve, I close it off, open the valve from the pump, turn it on and it pumps water in, but maxes out at about 42 PSI and just continues to run without reaching 50 (does not shut off). When I drain it again, not a lot of water comes out compare to when I first drained it (it's a 32 gallon tank). Any ideas on how to get it to fill and back up to pressure? Thanks!
I have the same problem. What did you do at the end?
@@freshavocadew I called the professional who told me to replace the control box. He walked me through reducing the cutoff pressure on the control switch a bit. I have lower pressure now, but it’s working for now. I will probably replace the pump next spring. My system is only for my outside plumbing, so it isn’t urgent.
@@haugenbp Did you also reduce the cut-in pressure or just lowered the cut-off? Did you replace your switch as well? Was it your pump that couldn't reach a pressure higher than 42 psi or was it something wrong with your switch? Thanks for the reply btw.
@@freshavocadew yes, I also reduced the cut in pressure a little. No I did not replace the switch. Yes, the pump could no longer reach the 50 psi, so I reduced it to just below what it could reach it didn’t continuously run. It’s 53 year old pump.
You answered every one of my questions. Great video. Thank you.
Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for a clear description for checking my pressure tank pressure. Subed/liked
Hold on. . . you hearted a Trump Won Trump loser? Unsubed/unliked. Cancelled son.
Thanks! Your videos have been very helpful! There is one thing I haven't been able to find an answer to anywhere online though. What order should you set pressures? Switch first (with empty bladder), bladder first or does it not matter? I feel like an empty bladder will give a "true" pressure to set the switch accurately, but I'm concerned adding air to the bladder after will artificially raise the pressure so the switch is no longer accurate?
Maybe I'm over thinking it 😅
Switch first, then pressure tank.
JUST fixed the problem with a relatives water tank.....The initial water tank was waterlogged and the pressure switch was clicking alot....replaced the tank and the pressure switch, but the NEW pressure switch was STILL clicking alot....Changed the water pump and the pressure switch was STILL clicking....RE-replaced the new water tank with another water tank---same clicking.....FINALLY figured out the NEW pressure switch needed to be adjusted, as they are SUPPOSED to be set right to begin with, but this one was not....So we adjusted the screws so that the pressure MATCHED the pressure in the tank-------whallah....Fixed the problem.......
Happy to hear you found the solution :)
I wonder If you can make Video on servicing , Repairing , replacement of Gas valve If same one is damaged
we live in country ..on a private well..recently ..hours ago.. changed out the pressure switch sent wife to town to get 40 / 60.gave her the old one..they sent her home with a 20/40
why send her out to do a mans job?
did you enjoy the result?
lol
Great video!! I have a question. I have a 5 gal tank and a 40/60 switch, with the pump and tank on the ground floor of a 4 storey house, 2 bathrooms on the 4th floor. The pressure on the 4th floor is a bit low. What pressure setting would you suggest I increase the switch to, to improve the pressure on the 4th floor?
Man thank you for the pressure!
Thank you for the video , just helped me alot .
what is life span of this tank, had one put in four years ago and now my system is short cycleing, this is exact tank I have.
Solid video - very clear and concise
Glad it was helpful!
Good review , i had forgotten how to checked the pressure on my well tank. Thank you.
Happy we could help and thanks for watching!
Let it be known. I mentioned my pump tank in a private phone call only. THis video popped up without my seeking any information.
My tank pump is turning on about every minute or less. My dad used to prime the tank occasionally, my brother did it last spring, so it needs to be done again. You are teasing me, I need to know how much air to put in. Otherwise, it is working fine, he did not empty the tank to do it. Please?
This channel is AWESOME!...Home Depot be damned ...WORST is BEST!
:D Thanks Tim!!
Thanks for that. Like others have said, straight to the point and gives a clean understanding.
Gran tangi, from Suriname! very informative!
Very good explanation
I’ve purchased a zilmet pressure tank. It was damaged during shipping, has a 1” indentation by 2 “ wide near bottom where round meets straight upper part. Do you think the bladder will prematurely fail from rubbing over time. What are your thoughts on zilmet? I can send pictures if needed. Thanks Neil
how do i adjust the pressure in an already installed pressure tank? It has been in use for four years and the pressure is just a little low. All instructions I find explain how to adjust the pressure before an initial installation but not how to add pressure after install.
Excellent job.
Thanks!
So once the pressure is drained completely by opening a valve or nearest faucet, before you add air if needed should I close that valve/faucet or leave it open? Thanks.
Doesn't matter either way since the pump is off, no pressure should be present.