Why is a Pressure Tank important?
Pressure tanks are important because they keep water pressure at a constant. They also separate the water from the air before it enters the homes plumbing. Without a pressure tank, the water pump would just keep turning off and on, burning up the pump motor in no time. Not to mention it stores quite a bit of water in case your power goes out. First, we will go over the three types of pressure tanks. We will then review the better of the three, the sealed diaphragm pressure tanks by Water Worker, and the applications they are used in.
Standard Galvanized Pressure Tanks
Standard galvanized pressure tanks have been around longer than the other two types. It uses a cushion of compressed air to provide water without turning on the pump. The water and the air are in direct contact with each other. This makes it possible for the tank to become waterlogged, which will cause the pump to run more often than it should. Adding or reducing the amount of air in the tank will prevent this from happening. There is more upkeep on this type of tank than the other two.
Pre-charged Pressure Tanks
Pre-charged pressure tanks have a glass lining and a rigid float. The float covers the entire surface of the water, slowing the rate of air absorption. This type of tank comes pre-charged with compressed air. The upkeep on this tank is that it must be recharged on a yearly basis to prevent water logging. You can recharge this tank with an air compressor.
Sealed Diaphragm Pressure Tanks
Sealed diaphragm pressure tanks are the newest ones on the market. This type of tank is made of metal or even fiberglass, and it contains an air cell or diaphragm that’s made out of rubber or plastic. These are the more common, compact tanks used today, and the ones we will be going over in our review. They never need recharging. It has minimal maintenance compared to the other two types.
How do they work?
Sealed diaphragm pressure tanks have a rubber diaphragm that is fixed in place separating the lower section of water from the upper section of compressed air. As water is pumped into the tank, the diaphragm pushes up into the compressed air section until the preset water pressure level is met and the pump shuts down. This will help maintain a steady water pressure downstream in your house. As users draw water from the system, the diaphragm then pushes back down (keeping steady system water pressure) until the overall water pressure falls to the point where the pumps comes back on to rebuild pressure once again. Setting the compressed air level correctly is critical to optimal pressure tank performance.
Before You Purchase Your Pressure Tank
You need to take into consideration how many fixtures you are supplying with it. The more you have, the larger the pressure tank you will need to keep water pressure at a constant; this is key to keeping the cycling (the on/off) of your well pump to a minimum. This will prolong the life of your pump, and your pressure tank. A good quality pressure tank will provide your house with its water pressure needs for 30 years or more. A basic rule of thumb in sizing your pressure tank is to count the number of fixtures your the home, (sinks, showers, toilets, dishwasher, faucets, washing machines, outside faucets, etc.) and multiply it by 3. For instance, a house with 10 fixtures multiplied by 3 would be a 30 gallon tank. NEVER downsize, if the closest available tank size is 35 gallons and 40 gallons, go with the 40 gallons. You can’t have a pressure tank that is too large. In fact, in this case, bigger is always better.
Sealed Diaphragm = Best Pressure Tank You Can Buy
Why should you go the sealed diaphragm route? These tanks don’t have water-logging problems like your standard conventional galvanized tanks, running completely empty during each pump cycle. The air and water are totally separated using a diaphragm. No external air controls are necessary. Sealed diaphragm tanks have a much larger draw-down compared to a standard tank of the same physical size. Larger draw down reduces pump cycles and pump wear, prolonging the life of your well pump. The physical size is much smaller, which males it easier to handle versus other well pressure tanks.
In this review, we compare three of the the top selling pressure tanks on Amazon by Water Worker, an Amtrol brand, and how they could suit your water pressure needs. You can expect the same reliability and durability from Water Worker as you do Amtrol. By buying with Amazon, not only do you get reliability and great quality service; you get the lowest price with the highest standards of customer satisfaction.
Water Worker Pressure Tanks
Water Worker “Water Worker” is a generic brand manufactured by Amtrol. You will get the same long term durability and reliability as Amtrol, but at a lower price. Water Worker sets the bar high in terms of quality. Their designs are created in accordance to the standards of the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). These well pressure tanks will never crack or peel, and come with a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty. Thick butyl composite diaphragms keep water separate from pre-charged air, and helps to reduce air loss. The molded diaphragm offers the ideal fit. It sits on top of the water. It won’t fold or crease against the steel. The steel shell itself is lined with polypropylene. It is a corrosion resistant, deep drawn steel domed shell. This type of shell is twice as strong as a rolled steel shell of same thickness. You don’t have to bear the woes of water collection and wear on this diaphragm, and you can be sure no taste or odor will enter your homes water here.
Water Worker HT-4B In-Line Pressure Well Tank
First up, is the Water Worker HT-4B in-line pressure tank. It is available in 2 and 4 gallon sizes. Don’t let these numbers fool you, its a pre-charged tank, which means it is rated the same as a much-larger conventional tank. The 2 gallon Water Worker in-line pressure tank has a rating of 6 gallons compared to a standard conventional pressure tank. The 4 gallon is rated at 12 gallons. It will maintain air charge for years to come, with minimal upkeep. This pressure tank will serve submersible pump applications as well as shallow well jet pumps, based on rating and your size requirements/ proper sizing. The 3/4″ NPTM connection offers easy installation.
Water Worker HT-20B Vertical Pressure Well Tank
Next we have the Water Worker HT-20B Vertical Pressure Tank. It comes in a whopping seven varieties to satisfy most all of your water pressure needs. From plumbing your garage to providing water to an entire office building, Water Worker’s have you covered. Remember, submersible pump applications would usually need to utilize a vertical tank, based on rating and your size requirements. Shallow Well Jet Pumps could use vertical or horizontal tanks, again depending on your requirements. They come in several sizes, ranging from 14 to 119 gallons.
Water Worker HT20HB Horizontal Pressure Well Tank
Last, but certainly not least in our review, is the Water Worker HT20HB Horizontal Pressure Tank. It comes in 3 sizes, and sits horizontally; satisfying the tightest of spaces. The ratings range from 12 to 42 gallons, depending on your needs. Horizontal pressure tanks work well with deep or shallow well jet pumps depending on space and rating requirements.
When it comes to pressure tanks, quality matters. Sealed diaphragm well pressure tanks are no doubt the best you can get. With minimal maintenance, and a 5 year manufacturers warranty, Water Worker has the hardware for you. The reviews are high, 4.5 and above for most all of Water Worker’s pressure tank solutions.
Cycle Stop Valves
If a larger well pressure tank isn’t in your budget, perhaps a CSV (cycle stop valve) is! It is a great alternative. The CSV turns any pump into a variable flow, constant pressure system. It works in conjunction with your a small pressure tank. The CSV is adjusted to the middle of the pressure switch range. IE; 30/50 PSI switch, 40 PSI CSV. The size of your pressure tank will determine how much water can be used by your home before the pressure drops back down to 30 PSI, and the pressure switch kicks on to start the pump. As long as flow rates in and around the house vary from 1 GPM to as much as the pump can produce, the CSV will maintain a constant 40 PSI on the system. When there is no more flow required for the house, the CSV allows the little pressure tank to fill back up to 50 PSI, and the pump will shut off.
The CSV system uses a very small pressure tank to allow a well pump or a booster to remain off during smaller requirements of water use. The CSV will also work with larger tanks but, since the CSV controls the pressure and the flow, larger pressure tanks are quite unnecessary.
The CSV is designed to mimic the “constant pressure” control of Variable Frequency Drive, VFD, or constant pressure pumps. It requires no electronics, uses no extra power, therefore eliminating the electrical problems long associated with VFD control.