pressure tank...which do I do first???

[cc-rider]

Do I put all the "gadgets" on the brass "T"....the pressure gauge, switch, hose adapter, etc.... and THEN screw it onto the tank, or can I screw the "T" onto the tank first, and THEN put all the "stuff" on it?

I feel really stupid, but I'm afraid that if I screw the T on first, all the pressure will drain out. Ok...laugh. But seriously....what keeps the pressure inside until I want it??

[TnAndy]

ahahaaaa...( well, you said too )....

The 'pressure' is contained in a rubber bladder inside the tank.....unless you push down on the little tire looking fill valve up near the top of the tank ( sometime right in the top center ), you can't drain it.

Way it works is water from the well enters the tank, futher compressing the air in the bladder (air will compress, liquid will not....Bernouli's law ), so when the pressure switch cuts off, the high pressure in the bladder gives you some drain down time ( depending on the size of your tank how much ) so every time you get a glass of water, the pump doesn't have to run.

Put the T in first, put the dudads on first, it doesn't matter.....

[cc-rider]

I know that is how the "older" models worked, but do these newer, prepressurized, tanks work the same way? This is what mine looks like:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/27287819@N05/4708467651

(if that doesn't work, I'll try again)

What TnAndy said & you need to use a tire pressure gauge & make sure the pressure tank has 2 pounds less air in it than the pressure switch cuts on at . For example if you have a 20/40 pressure switch the air pressure in the tank should be 18 pounds , if it's a 30/50 pressure switch you should have 28 pounds of air pressure in the tank . The air pressure has to be set with no water in the tank .

[TnAndy]

Originally Posted by cc-rider

I know that is how the "older" models worked, but do these newer, prepressurized, tanks work the same way? This is what mine looks like:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/27287819@N05/4708467651

(if that doesn't work, I'll try again)

Actually, you have it reversed. The OLDER tanks didn't have a bladder...they were simply a tank. They would become "water logged" sometimes if the air pocket above somehow got replaced with water.....water would force the air into your lines over time, and the whole tank would fill with water, basically not functioning as a pressure tank anymore. You would then have to renew the air in the top after draining some water to get them to work again.

That's the advantage of the new, bladder type tanks. ( of which the one in the picture is one ).....unless the bladder fails, they can't water log. AND by the way, the bladders DO fail from time to time, so as Hillbilly said, you can check the pressure with a tire gauge if in doubt.

[cc-rider]

Ok, so BEFORE I hook it up, I need to check the pressure? My pressure switch is a 40/60 (which is what the guy at Menards said I needed....he's the one that said "You need this...and this...and this...and this...".

I assume I check the pressure at one of those things on top? Which one? I thought there would be an installation or instruction manual with the thing, but it didn't come with anything. They probably assume you aren't a ditz and already know this stuff. Sigh.

If one of those things at the top is to check pressure (and add more, I assume), what is the other thing?

I think I'm going to put all the "doodads" on the "T" first so that I can do it on the counter and be more careful, and THEN I'll hook it to the tank. Can I lay the tank on it's side to do that and then set the tank into position? I was envisioning having to stand on my head to do all this stuff.

My biggest fears are that I don't have the strength to tighten things. I don't have much strength in my hands, and I seem to have to wrestle everything I do. (Like yesterday, I accidently wrapped a garden hose around the tiller on the tractor. But that's another story....)

[oneokie]

Originally Posted by cc-rider

Ok, so BEFORE I hook it up, I need to check the pressure? YesMy pressure switch is a 40/60 (which is what the guy at Menards said I needed....he's the one that said "You need this...and this...and this...and this...".

I assume I check the pressure at one of those things on top? Which one? There will be a fitting that looks like the end of a car tire valve stem, probably has some kind of cap on it.I thought there would be an installation or instruction manual with the thing, but it didn't come with anything. They probably assume you aren't a ditz and already know this stuff. Sigh.

If one of those things at the top is to check pressure (and add more, I assume), what is the other thing? Hard to say without a picture of the top of the tank.

I think I'm going to put all the "doodads" on the "T" first so that I can do it on the counter and be more careful, and THEN I'll hook it to the tank. Can I lay the tank on it's side to do that and then set the tank into position? Yes, just don't let it fall off of the counter. I was envisioning having to stand on my head to do all this stuff.

My biggest fears are that I don't have the strength to tighten things. I don't have much strength in my hands, and I seem to have to wrestle everything I do. (Like yesterday, I accidently wrapped a garden hose around the tiller on the tractor. Stuff happens. Least it wasn't wire or 25' pieces of oil field sucker rod. But that's another story....)

Hope this helps.