190 psi at my water well head. Is there a way to use a pressure switch without installing a pressure tank rated above 200 psi? I was wondering if two 125 psi rated tanks plumbed in line work the same as one 200 psi tank?

The answer to your second question about the two tanks is "no".

As to your first question, what working pressure do you want? If this is for a house, and you want a range of something like 40 to 60 pounds, then you would use a pressure tank and switch to achieve that.

BTW, you would not want to run a pressure tank at 125# just because it's rated to that figure. The risk of tank failure is too great. Residential tanks like you seem to be referring to are generally not used at pressures that high.

I have storage tanks 400' above the well head. I would like to use a pressure switch to control the well pump that pushes the water up that 400' elevation gain to the tanks which are approximately two miles away. I was surprised to find how expensive pressure tanks were that are rated in the 200 to 250 PSI range. I was also wondering if anyone has had any luck using a pressure regulator between the pressure switch and the pressure tank so the switch would read the full pressure but the 125 MAX PSI standard well pressure tank would not receive the full pressure the system was really operating under. Any thoughts?

If your storage tanks are 400' above the wellhead, and the point of use is at about the same elevation as the wellhead, then you will gain about 0.4 psi for each foot of elevation, meaning you will have about 160# of pressure at the bottom of that 400 feet of elevation. So, why not just put a PRV on the line coming from the storage tanks, set it to 60# or so, and forget about a switch? You would need to install a cutoff switch on the storage tanks that would cut off the pump when their level reaches a preset point.

.43 PSI per foot which puts me at 173 PSI. The point of use is not at the same as the well head. The first point of use is approx. 90' below the storage tanks and were branching off the line coming out of the tanks every 50' to 100' of elevation drop thereafter. That is a 3" line on the distribution side of things.

The line filling the storage tanks with water is 2" for the first mile then it reduces to 1 1/2" for the second. I've never worked with PRV's so I'm not sure I understand how they work but the water has to go up the 400' so it's going to put 173 PSI on the low elevation side of that, yes/no??

Wow, 400' of elevation and two miles. I think you need a hydrologic engineer.

If you use the .43 per foot elevation wouldn't that be 173 lbs of pressure loss.

Forget using a pressure switch at the tank to control a pump two miles away. The voltage drop of that distance would require you to use a wire as big as the pipe, either that or something like a 600 volt system.

I think the math is 400' of water column x .43 = 173PSI at the bottom of the 400' water column which is at the well head. The pressure switch I'm using is located at the pump and is activated when the holding tank reaches it's full point and the float valve closes. When this happens the pump builds pressure in a pressure tank located back down at the well. When the pressure build up another 5 - 8 PSI the pressure switch trips causing the pump to turn off. There's no wire to run between the tank and the well this way!

I'm just trying to find an alternative to the Well X type pressure tanks rated at 200 PSI and above that cost in excess of $4000.00.

I think the math is 400' of water column x .43 = 173PSI at the bottom of the 400' water column which is at the well head.

Beyond my pay grade here but won't 190 lbs. at the well head translate into a 18 lbs at the top of the hill?

Think I would be considering a pressure switch on the line at the well head for the well pump, and a booster pump and pressure tank at the top of the hill.

I may not have explained well enough earlier, sorry. The line leaving the holding tanks is a second line that feeds all our needs and this is all gravity feed with more than enough pressure. The line filling the holding tanks only does the job of filling the tanks. That said would you still use a booster pump and if so could you please explain.

My take:

At the tank, place an air eliminator and, of course, a way to measure the level. Fill the tank at the top, that essestially means atmospheric pressure at the top. Definitely a check valve at the pump.

The system is then gravity fed. You have plenty of pessure due to elevation. Install a PRV (Pressure reducing valve) for the desired pressure.

What am I missing? I don't see a need for a pressure tank this way.

You do, however need a pressure relief valve and/or other safety at the top of the tank.

I guess I'm totally confused. I thought you have a well. You have well pump capable of producing 190 PSI at the well head. You have a storage tank 2 miles away and 400' higher. Just using the .43 of pressure loss per foot of elevation the PSI at the top of the hill should be reduced to 18 PSI. That's just using the .43 weight of the water and not taken into consideration the friction of the pipe walls or the loss of pressure at every turn.

You said you have 190 PSI at the well head but you didn't say at what volume. Is that static pressure?