New pressure tank, lots of air in the line still a week later.

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Seldon14

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Put in a new pressure tank. First in line when the water comes in is a check valve, then I've got the manifold that has the pressure gauge on the side with the well water coming in, a pressure switch (30-40) on the other side, a valve on one side of the front, and a pressure relief valve on the other.
I'm still getting air coming out of the lines a week later. Not sure what could be causing this. There is a very minor drip/leak on the manifold where I need to go back and redo the thread tape. Not sure if it could be sucking air through these but doesn't seem like it should be able to pull that much through such a minor drip.
 
Can you hear the air moving around anywhere? The sound of air could be a sign of where the air is., or where it's coming from. A week later is a long time to still notice the air. The air is not the air that was originally there, it seems.

If your tank has a bleed valve it might be worth checking if there's actually air in it now.
 
Remove the check valve where water come into the house. This check valve is masking the problem. You most likely have a leak in the well pipe, which is letting air into the system. Removing the above ground check valve will keep air from getting in. But if you do have a leak the pressure will drop even though you are not using water. If that is the case the hole in the well pipe will need to be fixed. There is a check valve on the submersible pump, and that is the only check valve you need or want in the system. Either the down hole check valve is leaking back, or you have a hole in the pipe, Removing the above ground check valve will confirm that.
 
Remove the check valve where water come into the house. This check valve is masking the problem. You most likely have a leak in the well pipe, which is letting air into the system. Removing the above ground check valve will keep air from getting in. But if you do have a leak the pressure will drop even though you are not using water. If that is the case the hole in the well pipe will need to be fixed. There is a check valve on the submersible pump, and that is the only check valve you need or want in the system. Either the down hole check valve is leaking back, or you have a hole in the pipe, Removing the above ground check valve will confirm that.

Thanks. Plan on disconnecting to tighten up that where it's dripping today. I'll pull the check valve when I do so. Will update with changes.
 
Update: when checking it out yesterday found out the tank was filling with little to no water. Adjusted the pump switch, with got it filling and helped some, but still getting air. Didn't have what I needed to replace the check valve on hand. Will pick up a coupling to swap it out today after work, and update.
 
Removed. Sorry, totally unrelated...
 
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Got the check valve changed out, and still seems to be doing it so far.

It definitely seems like I'm getting air in the system when the pump turns on. I reused the old pump switch, if this is going bad, or has been adjusted to far, could this be causing the pump to engage to early or late causing these issues?

As for a leak in the pipe leading to the well or a bad check valve on the pump I assume I'd be watching for pressure bleeding off of the tank when no water is running?
 
That all looks good. Even if you have too much air in the pressure tank, it would only cause a momentary loss of water flow, not air in the lines. Yes check to see if the pressure is dropping when no water is being used to detect a leak. However, you could still have an additional check valve in the well other than the one on the pump. In that case you could still have a leak between those two check valves but the pressure will not drop to show the leak as it is prior to the second check valve.
 
So the switch, even poorly calibrated shouldn't have any way of causing air in the line?

Would the slight drip at the manifold be enough of a leak to get a substantial amount of air in the line?

The system was not having this issue prior to the pressure tank replacement. Would swapping it out have done anything to cause an issue with the pump, or line from the well, otherwise seems like odd timing for it to have an issue.
 
Was the old tank a bladder/diaphragm style tank? The only way any leak can let air in the system is if the leak is between two check valves. With only one check valve on the pump as it should be, water will get out but air cannot get in at a leak.
 
Was the old tank a bladder/diaphragm style tank? The only way any leak can let air in the system is if the leak is between two check valves. With only one check valve on the pump as it should be, water will get out but air cannot get in at a leak.

I'll upload a pic of the old tank when I get back home, it was a taller galvanized tank that didn't use a manifold.
 
Ahh! That is the problem. Those old type systems used a bleeder orifice about 5' down the well to add air to the bladderless type tanks. Removing the top check valve should be all you need to keep the bleeder closed. However, many people would just drill a hole in the pipe instead of using a bleeder. There is also most likely another check valve in the well. You are going to need to pull that pump up high enough to remove the extra check valve and bleeder, and/or plug the hole in the pipe.
 
Ahh! That is the problem. Those old type systems used a bleeder orifice about 5' down the well to add air to the bladderless type tanks. Removing the top check valve should be all you need to keep the bleeder closed. However, many people would just drill a hole in the pipe instead of using a bleeder. There is also most likely another check valve in the well. You are going to need to pull that pump up high enough to remove the extra check valve and bleeder, and/or plug the hole in the pipe.

Thanks for all your help, that sounds like a job that's probably too far out of my wheel house, and will necessitate a call to a well service unfortunately.

Will running the system as is, while waiting for them cause any permanent harm? When the pump kicks on it seems to run for approximately 1 minute to reach a full charge and shut off.
 
Why did you change the pressure tank? Maybe you should put it back, or buy a new one like it, I had that kind of system at my last house for 27 years, worked fine. In areas that have hydrogen gas in the groundwater they use that system to vent off the excess gas.
 
Why did you change the pressure tank? Maybe you should put it back, or buy a new one like it, I had that kind of system at my last house for 27 years, worked fine. In areas that have hydrogen gas in the groundwater they use that system to vent off the excess gas.
Sprung a leak in the side of the old one. If I where to got back to the old style, would anything need to be done on the well side? Or just slap a new one in and off to the races?
 
Only reason to stay with the old galvanized type tank is if you have sulfur or iron in the water? You would be smelling rotten eggs if you had sulfur. The bleeder or hole down the well really needs to be plugged. But you might get away with installing a continuous acting air release valve prior to the pressure tank.
 
Only reason to stay with the old galvanized type tank is if you have sulfur or iron in the water? You would be smelling rotten eggs if you had sulfur. The bleeder or hole down the well really needs to be plugged. But you might get away with installing a continuous acting air release valve prior to the pressure tank.

I have not noticed a change in odor since swapping tanks, so I can't imagine the sulfer is too bad.

I was just wondering about running it as is for a week or 2 until a well company can come out and plug the bleeder valve. As to putting a galvanized tank back in, that was just a thought if it would be significantly cheaper than having a well company plug the bleeder, didn't know if that would be a reasonable, or cost a fortune.
 
Sure you can just put a bladderless tank back in. Sounds like the bleeder is working fine. So, you would need to reinstall a check valve with a Schrader on the inlet, and an AVC or Air Volume Control on the side of the tank. You can get galvanized like Quicktank, or fiberglass with an AVC on top.

You may not have noticed any smell because you are still injecting air in the lines? Plug the bleeder and the smell may come back. Is iron orr sulfur common in your area? Ask the local well company.
 
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