Rincon

Hey all, I am having issues with water pressure at all of my faucets. Water pressure stays up for a few minutes then goes down drastically for a few minutes then back up again. I experienced this at another house I owned and it was the pressure tank. Could this be the culprit here as well? Want to check the pressure at the tank but don't know what it should be set at or where to begin. A friend of mine helped me in the past but is unavailable this time around. How can I tell if the bladder is busted? Can it be done without disconnecting it and shaking it around? Thanks.

Hube

if this a bladder type tank it will have an air valve similar to a car tire air valve. Remove the valve cap and depress the pin for a second or two to let some air out. If any WATER comes out or forms around the valve pin, the tank has a inner bladder leak. If no water comes out, then it can be assumed the tank bladder is ok. To put the tank pressure in correct working order, do the following:
shut the pump power OFF, drain the pressure tank of all water, then using a bicycle air pump, put air into tank so that the pressure in the tank is 2 lbs psi below the pumps "cut-in' setting. Turn the pump power back ON.
(on most pump gauges, the"on" setting is 30 psi and the off is 50 psi, then the air in the bladder should be 28 psi (when the tank is empty of all water) If it's a 20-40 setting then the bladder should be 18 psi

let us know how you make out.
good luck

Rincon

Thanks Hube, I really appreciate the guideance. I am pretty sure it is a bladder type tank so hopefully it will work out as you explain. Either method is fine with me. Easier than looking for some other type of leak even if it means buying a new pressure tank.

inspectorD

Here is a link of a pressure tank if you lost your directions.
www.amtrol.com/pdf/9015A290revcWXT.pdf

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Rincon

When checking the air stem to see if water comes out there was none that came out, however I noticed that there was an in-line pressure gauge on the pipe (not the tank) and it read ZERO. Could this be a bad gauge or that there is not enough air pressure in the tank? Air did come out of the tank when I pressed on the air stem.

Rincon

Thanks InspectorD, my current home did not come with any directions so this should come in handy.