Hello,
I have a well pump that is short cycling. It started after I had a plumber bleed air out of the hot water heating system. (coincidence?) The pump would come on every time the faucet was used. I shut off power to the pump, opened a faucet and waited until the water stopped running. Closed the faucet and checked the pressure on the tank. It was 0. I added air to 28lbs. It seemed to cycle normally ( 45sec to cut in and 30 to stop running) for a few days.
I repeated the procedure and found the pressure was at 18lbs. I added air again.

My question is, do I have to drain ALL the water out of the pressure tank before adding air or is opening facets to drain pressure and then closing them the correct method?

Also, if the tanks bladder is bad have I just put back the air the plumber took out of the system?

Thanks.

It sounds like a bad bladder tank to me. Let things go until the pump kicks on every time you make a draw and then go out and check the bladder tank.
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.
To check, take something metal and start rapping at the bottom of the tank and work upwards. You will hear a "clunk" in the bottom half full of water. On the upper half you should hear a "clink" because the upper half should have nothing but air in it. IF the sound doesn't change or changes close to to tank top then the bladder tank must be replaced. Your air setting on the tank should be 2 pounds UNDER the cut in point in the pressure control box. If your pressure control has a 20 PSI cut in and 40 PSI cut out the tank pressure should read 18 PSI. This should be done with the pump off and no pressure in the system. Let me know, Tom

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Originally Posted by Stratman

Hello,
I have a well pump that is short cycling. It started after I had a plumber bleed air out of the hot water heating system. (coincidence?) The pump would come on every time the faucet was used. I shut off power to the pump, opened a faucet and waited until the water stoped running. Closed the faucet and checked the pressure on the tank. It was 0. I added air to 28lbs. It seemed to cycle normally ( 45sec to cut in and 30 to stop running) for a few days.
I repeated the procedure and found the pressure was at 18lbs. I added air again.

My question is, do I have to drain ALL the water out of the pressure tank before adding air or is opening facets to drain pressure and then closing them the correct method?

Also, if the tanks bladder is bad have I just put back the air the plumber took out of the system?

Thanks.

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Thanks for the reply Speedball1. I inderstand the concept of the pressure tank. My question still is,
"do I have to drain ALL the water out of the pressure tank before adding air or is opening facets to drain pressure and then closing them the correct method?"
Even when I leave the faucet open until no water comes out there is STILL water left in the tank. Must I somehow drain this wzter out to properly set the tank pressure?

You do not have to drain the water out of the bladder tank to recharge it. Simply shut the pump off at the breaker box and open a faucet to bleed the pressure out. The fact that you lose bladder pressure makes me question the integrity of the membrane. As you add pressure to the bladder tank the water in the bottom should be forced out. It's beginning to sound like you're going to need a new bladder tank. Regards, Tom