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JerryCk · Mar 14, 2008, 07:04 AM

I have a shallow well with a submersible pump and a bladder pressure tank. Yesterday I noticed air coming out of the faucets, etc.. When I checked the plumbing around the pressure tank I could see the particle filter case was almost full of air. I have clear braided hose on both the feed to the tank tee from the well and the link between the tee and the filter. When the pump cycles I can see no bubbles or evidence of surging on the well side but very obvious bubbles between the tee and the filter.

Is it possible that the bladder in the pressure tank is failing and injecting air into the discharge, or is the air coming from the well, but dissolved enough that I can't see it?

jlisenbe · Mar 14, 2008, 03:28 PM

If you want to know for sure, pull the braided hose and, if it's long enough, let it discharge into a bucket of water. Look for air bubbles. If it's not long enough, buy a couple of feet and use it in place of what is there. I don't think a failed bladder will cause the problems you have described.

BTW, I am guessing the filter comes between the tank and the house, not between the pump and the tank. Correct?

JerryCk · Mar 14, 2008, 04:01 PM

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I have an alternative to what you suggest to test the pump output for bubbles. I have a freezeless hydrant attached to the line from the pitless adapter into the house. I can put a short hose from the hydrant into a bucket and look for bubbles.

In answer to your question: yes, the filter is between the pressure tank and the house plumbing ( on the input side of a Vanguard Manabloc ).

hkstroud · Mar 14, 2008, 09:53 PM

No well or tank expert here but logic says that if you turn off punp, empty tank then charge tank with air, you would get air out of a open faucet if the bladder is ruptured or leaking. No rupture no air out of faucet.

JerryCk · Mar 15, 2008, 07:29 AM

Thanks again for the wise counsel. I killed the power to the pump (and the electric water heater) and bled the system down to zero pressure. The discharge from the pressure tank went from water to bubbly water to pure air as the pressure bled off. Therefore there was a fair volume of air on the wrong side of the diaphragm. When I turned the pump back on, the refill time seemed normal, probably indicating a sound diaphragm with a reasonable air charge.

Conclusion: The air in the system must have come from the well. Today I'm going to do the hydrant test to see if I can see air bubbles coming from the well. I can draw heavily enough to force rapid cycling. I'll report the results later...

jlisenbe · Mar 15, 2008, 08:14 AM

I don't agree with the ruptured bladder thinking. The water inlet/outlet is on the bottom of the tank. Water is on the bottom. Air is on top, above the water. Ruptured bladder or not, how would the air on top get to the outlet on the bottom of the tank? People used to use galvanized tanks with no bladder at all (some still do), and there was no water in the lines, so how would a ruptured bladder do this? Perhaps it's possible, but I sure don't see how.

Let us know what you find out from the pump test. Since you have a submersible pump, if you are getting air, it is probably because the water table has fallen to a level close to the pump, allowing the pump to draw some air. Have you been through a dry spell?

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JerryCk · Mar 15, 2008, 01:01 PM

I hooked a 6 foot hose to the freezeless hydrant at the wellhead and put the end into a 5 gallon bucket. I ran the hydrant wide open, which kept the pump running continuously. I ran this way for at least 5 minutes, which would represent a demand far in excess of what we can draw in the house (probably 50 gallons). There was no sign of surging or bubbles.

Regarding the pressure tank, it is a horizontal unit with the air space on the same level as the water. That is, the cylindrical tank lies on its side with the water inlet on the front and the air fill nipple on the back. I had to go this way because the tank is in a very shallow crawl space.

Regarding the water table, it probably is low because climate change has manifested itself in our country (southwest Montana) with reduced precipitation and milder weather.

I'm kind of at a loss as to what happened. Since I bled all of the air out of the system by letting the pressure drop to zero with the pump stopped, there is no evidence of it returning. I guess I'll keep watching and hope it was just a freak event. I sure don't want to put in a new, deeper well.

Thanks again for the advice.

jlisenbe · Mar 15, 2008, 02:45 PM

Glad it worked out for you.