What is a Pre-Charged Water Tank?
· Supplies stored water and water pressure to a household, cottage or small sprinkler system. Used In home water systems where constant flow is desired.
· “Pre-Charged” identifies a tank that was charged with air at the factory and will hold the air charge for installation and use. Required with any pump turning on and off by a pressure switch.
· Stores water and water pressure for use while pump is off; larger tanks minimize pump starts/stops and extend the life of the pump.
· Air charge and stored water do not come into contact with each other.
Used for households where water supply comes from a well, driven point or open water source.
How a Pre-Charged Pressure Tank Operates
All pre-charged tanks have either an internal air bladder or a diaphragm to separate water from air. When used in a household system, the tank serves as a reservoir to shorten the number of daily cycles of the pump, extending pump life. The pump cycles to fill the tank, compressing the bladder/diaphragm. This raises the system pressure until it reaches the pump’s shutoff pressure (pressure switch). On demand the stored water is used and the air will decompress until reaching the pump’s turn-on pressure. The pump cycles then again to deliver water from the source with no interruption of water flow to the system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I know if I have a pre-charged pressure tank?
A. All pre-charged tanks will have a single pipe connection.
Q. What additional items do I need?
A. Pump-to-tank hook-up kit for jets or tank tee for 4" deep well submersibles. Be sure to check individual pump package for additional materials required.
Q. What size tank do I need?
A. The tank needs to hold the amount of water the pump is capable of pumping in one minute. Bigger is always better. The bigger the tank the more usable water you have, which means fewer pump cycles, in turn extending the pump’s life. It also depends on house size and usage; see chart below.
Q. What is the difference between bladder and diaphragm?
A. A diaphragm is permanently attached to the inside of the tank, making it impossible to replace. A bladder-style tank has a water bladder inserted into the tank and sealed at the bottom with a flange, making it totally replaceable and reducing lifetime ownership cost.
The chart below shows the proper tank size to choose for home use based on family size and typical water usage: