how do you check to see if the bladder is ruptured and how can you check the air in the tank?
There are several ways to test a bladder pressure tank. (1) Open the snifter valve on top of the tank. If water comes out tank's faulty, **OR** (2) Take a metal object and start at the bottom of the tank and start tapping. You should hear a "clunk" until you get about half way up the tank. Then you should hear a "clank".
If you hear the same noise all the way up the tank then it's faulty.
In both cases if it fails (1) and(2) the tank must be replaced
how can you check the air in the tank? Can you use an air gauge that you would use on your car tires?
The power must be off and the pressure bled off by opening a cold water faucet. You use a tire gage and a tire air pump to set the bladder tank pressure 2 PSI
under the cut in point of the pump control box.
Let me explain the function of a bladder tank. Pressure and bladder tanks provide a air cushion that produces water pressure in your system so your pump doesn't kick on every time you draw a glass of water. A bladder tank has a neoprene membrane in the center. As the pump puts water into the bottom half of the bladder tank the membrane compresses the air in the top half. When the pressure reaches the cut off point in the control box the pump shuts down. However you still have between 40 to 50 pounds of pressure pushing the water out to your system. As the pressure drops in the tank when you make a draw the pump kicks on and everything starts over again. More quesations? I'm as close as a click. Regards Tom