Anyone know about in well pressure tanks?

[NathanS]

Having a well installed Monday and the driller said he could install the pressure tank in the well since we won't have a basement. He said he's done a few hundred of these over the past 10-15 years and he hasn't had problems with them.

It would cost a few hundred extra bucks.

A few other concerns,

I think these tanks only hold a few gallons of water, so the pump cycles on and off more often. From what I know that means the pump will not last as long.
If it needs to be replaced I doubt I could pull it myself, whereas I could replace a standard tank myself.

The only benefit I see is that it saves a little space in our utility area. Seems like a lot of potential drawbacks, but am curious if anyone has info on these.

[Redoverfarm]

Having a well installed Monday and the driller said he could install the pressure tank in the well since we won't have a basement. He said he's done a few hundred of these over the past 10-15 years and he hasn't had problems with them.

It would cost a few hundred extra bucks.

A few other concerns,

I think these tanks only hold a few gallons of water, so the pump cycles on and off more often. From what I know that means the pump will not last as long.
If it needs to be replaced I doubt I could pull it myself, whereas I could replace a standard tank myself.

The only benefit I see is that it saves a little space in our utility area. Seems like a lot of potential drawbacks, but am curious if anyone has info on these.

I haven't seen or heard anything about these until today.  I did look it up and in a pinch it seems like a good idea but I have my reservations.  A actual pressure tank does not take up that much room and generally is set adjacent to a hot water heater in a utility room if space permits.  Even with a smaller unit I would feel more comfortable as the capacity would be several gallons more than an in-well tank.  Maybe someone else will pick up and comment.  Here is an article about those.

http://www.inwelltech.com/pdf/Aug_In-Well.pdf

[MountainDon]

My thought is that I'd use an in-well type IF it would eliminate the issue of freeze proofing for winter. If this was my full time residence and thus kept warm all the time I would not bother.  Just my thoughts.

[glenn kangiser]

I have seen some up here in the mountains.  I don't like them for the reasons Don mentions.  Just my opinion though.

[hpinson]

It sounds overly complicated to work on.

Another thing that can be done is to run horizontal a few feet from the Pitless to a pit, presumably below frost level, and put the pressure tank there. At least you could work on it separate from the pump column. 

There was some argument that either of these, if they fail and leak, could contaminate the well.

A few years ago I was looking at variable speed Grundfos 12v pumps that did not require a pressure tank.  They looked great but were very expensive.   Looking just now, the technology has advanced - the pumps now have VFD devices built in to regulate pressurized flow!

[Redoverfarm]

It sounds overly complicated to work on.

Another thing that can be done is to run horizontal a few feet from the Pitless to a pit, presumably below frost level, and put the pressure tank there. At least you could work on it separate from the pump column. 

Most who have buried their pressure tank would never do it again.  Just asking for trouble.  Alternative would be to block up an underground area, pour concrete floor, roof over.  Only down side is that their should be a sump pump to remove ground water that will ultimately leak into the area. 

Too complicated for a piece of equipment that will only take up virtually 3 sq ft of space indoors.  (closet, under stairswell, and ect...

[NathanS]

Everyone has good points. We aren't going to do the in-well tank. we have space for it inside the house - we added a mudroom onto our plans with the idea that the pressure tank would go there anyhow.

The well has been drilled, they said conservatively we're getting 15gpm and that it's probably more like 20. They went down 240 feet and the aquafer quickly filled it to 40 feet below ground level (where the well casing stops). Big relief to have that done.

I am wondering if I could do the drop pipe and the pump myself now 

[hpinson]

Either way, get the pump down near the well bottom to have as much capacity as possible.

I'm not sure it's that costly to have the guy with the crane do it though.

[Redoverfarm]

Everyone has good points. We aren't going to do the in-well tank. we have space for it inside the house - we added a mudroom onto our plans with the idea that the pressure tank would go there anyhow.

The well has been drilled, they said conservatively we're getting 15gpm and that it's probably more like 20. They went down 240 feet and the aquafer quickly filled it to 40 feet below ground level (where the well casing stops). Big relief to have that done.

I am wondering if I could do the drop pipe and the pump myself now 

I have put all my pumps in myself.  There is not the weight dropping it in.  The weight comes in if you ever have to pull the pump with the pipe being full of water and the water within the well causing resistance when you try to pull the pump through it to the surface.

With that shallow of a well you could probably get by with 1" black water pipe.  Go for the heavier PSI.  Don't forget your vibration rings, poly rope  to pull it ( god forbid you will ever have to) , heat shrink and connectors for the wire connections at the pump ,  pitless adapter ( need a T-handle for installation or removal) enough pipe clamps ( heavy duty) to do a double clamp on each connection,  propane torch to gently heat up the pipe before slipping it over the brass fittings and check valve. Set your pitless well below the ground at least the frost line + a little more.  But the deeper you go then the longer T-handle you will need. 

I helped a neighbor set his this past summer.  48"  to the pitless.  I thought that was extreme given that the frost line is 18-24" but that is what he wanted.  Mine are generally set at 36"

I try to leave my pump at least 10' off the bottom of the well.  It will not pick up as much silt and if it ever would get silt continuously from the vein it will take several years to build up.   

[NathanS]

Redoverfarm thank you for such a detailed response. I think I actually am going to go forward with installing the pump myself. Thought about starting a new topic.

I am going to use the black polyethylene pipe. I am getting my info from "Plumbing" for pros by pros (taunton, rex cauldwell), all around my favorite plumbing book I've read. He said he doesn't like to use the spacers (vibration rings?) because it makes the pump very difficult to pull if it ever has to be done (they get caught on the pitless adapter). Similarly, he says to not tie a rope to the pump because it could cause chafing on the well line and that he's never heard of pump falling off the pipe. Any thoughts on that?

He screws a check valve onto the pump, then attaches a stainless steel male adapter onto that. The poly tubing fits over that and is secured with two marine (stainless) clamps with the heads facing opposite directions. A torque arrestor is attached above this. He uses a waterproof heat shrink wire kit to attach the pump wire to the pump and tapes it to the tubing every 5-10'. That's really all there is until you get to the pitless adapter.

The well casing is steel so that will be interesting. Looks like I need a 1 3/4" hole cutter.