[curtisodom702]

Hello All
My water pressure tank is an Air E Tainer AT244, installed in 2002. Lately I have noticed that quickly after the tank is filled by the pump, the water pressure at the faucets drops noticeably (to the point that the shower output is pretty weak). Is it ever necessary to "re-pressurize" the bladder? Or does someone have a notion of what may be going on?
Thank you very much!
Curtis Odom, Norwood, Colorado

[speedball1]

After you shut the pump off at the breaker box and bleed off the pressure the bladder tank should be pressured up at 2 PSI under then cut in point of your control box. Good luck, Tom

[jlisenbe]

Agree completely with SB. Will also add this. You used the word "quickly". Does the water pressure seem to pulse up and down every 5 or 10 seconds? Also, when the tank is filled and the pump cuts off, watch the pressure gauge and see if it is holding pressure when no water is being used.

[curtisodom702]

Ok thanks to you for your response... I will do what Speedball1 suggests and see if that does it. To answer jlisenbe- the pressure drops are most noticeable in the shower or at the kitchen sink where the pressure seems excellent immediately after the pump delivers water to the pressure tank, then while using the shower or sink the pressure falls off within just a minute or so. It appears that the pressure gauge remains steady after the pump cuts off.
Thanks again for the response!
Curtis Odom

[jlisenbe]

Two things strike me:

1. The volume seems to weaken more at the shower and kitchen faucet. I'd check that faucet aerator and the shower head to make sure there are no obstructions.

2. I'd open up an outdoors faucet and watch the pressure gauge. It should SLOWLY drop from 60 to 40, especially with the hoss of a pressure tank you have. According the specs, you should get about a 20 gallon drawdown, starting at 60 pounds of pressure (see link below). Measure this to see if that's what you are getting. 20 gallons of volume from 60# down to 40#.

PRESSURE TANKS for constant household pressure from your submersible pump system.

[juiceone]

How is the best way to bleed air from plumbing supplied by an air-e -tainer well system?

[jlisenbe]

You sound like you are on a well system with an air e tainer bladder pressure tank. If you are getting air in faucets, then the problem is typically due to your pump delivering an air/water mixture. You will notice this as "bursts" of air coming from faucets.