Water Tank Bladder FAQs

Diagnose & Fix Water Tanks using an Internal Bladder

Repair a Water Tank Bladder Stuck to Itself

Water tank internal bladder is stuck: water won't go into the tank. How do I repair it?

I just replaced a bad water tank with a new pre-pressure tank. The pressure setting is at 29 psi according to the manufacturer.

However, after hooking everything back up, it appears no water is going into the tank. I attempted to adjust the pressure switch but nothing appears to work. Could I be dealing with a back pressure switch? - Ron

If the internal bladder has failed and collapse onto itself, can I get everything working by removing all the air pressure first and then pumping water into the tank?

There is water coming out of the water valve prior to the tank when the pump is running. However, after closing it, it appears no water is going into the tank. - Ron

... I have a internal bladder water tank that is empty, I have good water pressure until more than 1 water outlet is being used. I have a well water. Wondering if water line to tank could be clogged. I've checked bladder air pressure in tank and that's good.

Pressure gauge reads 40psi all the time Should a remove water tank and try to remove debris from inlet. It's 16 years old. I can't think of any other reason it wouldn't fill up. Help please? (Oct 20, 2014) Joe

Similar question: new bladder tank installed, tank won't fill with water

I just installed anew bladder tank, and it is not filling with water, is this normal? - Wess Wellmaker

Reply: Replace the Bad Air Bladder or try Pumping Up a Stuck Water Tank Internal Bladder

Ron:

I'd check the pressure at your new pressure tank at the pump cut-in and cut-out points. If the pressure never changes then I'd agree that something's wrong with the hookup and no water is being pushed into the tank. If an internal bladder has failed it can collapse onto itself, stick to itself, and can prevent water from getting into the tank. But first make sure there is no closed valve that ought to be open;

A bad pressure switch would prevent water from entering the water tank if the switch is simply not turning on the pump when it should.

For details of the arrangement of the parts inside of a water tank that uses an internal bladder, see WATER TANK BLADDER CONSTRUCTION

Next: when an internal bladder has collapsed and stuck to itself I think the "fix" may be to replace the bladder or the entire tank and bladder assembly. No water enters the pressure tank when the bladder is stuck like that.

See WATER TANK BLADDER REPLACEMENT

Since your tank is new, replacing the tank or bladder does not sound like the place to start. But even a new water pressure tank that uses an internal bladder could be having a problem filling the bladder the first time.

But according to Jeremy Rasmussen, an experienced well driller and installer, he sometimes can "un-stick" a jammed or stuck water tank internal bladder by temporarily forcing the well pump to pressurize the water tank to a pressure above the usual pump pressure control switch cut-off setting. Jeremy holds the pump relay switch closed to force the pump to keep running to increase the pressure against the stuck bladder.

See WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH

Watch out: Especially if there is no pressure relief valve on the water tank there is a risk of bursting the water tank. Over pressurizing a water tank can cause it to explode, causing injury or even, as happened in New Paltz, NY, death. Watch the pressure gauge, and keep the tank pressure well below the recommended manufacturer's maximum pressure rating for the tank. If you keep the pressure below 70 psi and the tank is not already weakened by rust or damage, you should be OK.

Watch out: there are potentially fatal electric shock hazards if you touch live electrical wiring, especially in wet areas or where you may also be touching building plumbing.

Finally, check to be sure that any valves between the water pump and the pressure tank are "open" to allow water into the tank.

Wes: indeed water should enter your water tank bladder when the pump cycles on. Look for

- a closed or broken water control valve between pump outlet and water tank inlet

- a stuck water tank bladder (try briefly holding the pressure switch closed to pump up to 1o-15 psi over the usual cutoff pressure to see if you can un-stick the bladder in the tank

Watch out: do not over pressurize a water pressure tank - it can burst and kill someone

Water won't go into my Flotec well tank; is it because of the pressure gauge location?

I have a flotec well tank, but no water enters it, I adjusted tank pressure but it hasn't work. Do I have to place pressure gauge after cut-in switch (Sept 9, 2014) Venold Johnson

Reply: no, it's a stuck bladder or clog, or a closed valve problem

Venold

The pressure gauge won't impact whether or not a water tank fills as it should.

Look for a tank bladder that has collapsed and stuck to itself or debris clogging the tank inlet.

Water pressure tank seems to be empty and water pump won't shut off

I gently rocked the tank and it does not seem there is any water in it.

My pump will pump water but the water pressure will only go a little over 30 so the pump will not shut off. For now I shut it off manually and turn it on and allow it to run until we have finished taking a shower or some other task.

If the bladder has failed shouldn't the water pressure still build up and then shut the pump off? - Dale

Reply:

Dale:

If the internal bladder in a water pressure tank has failed, the symptoms can vary a bit.

Sometimes a collapsed bladder will prevent water from entering the tank, or water can enter up to the pump cut-off pressure but water won't flow back out of the tank. If that's happening the pump will turn on and off quickly as if there were a waterlogged water tank.

When the pump won't shut off the well could be running dry or the pump control could be improperly set.

Don't entirely trust the pressure gauge on the water Tank to read the actual system pressure. Sometimes the opening into the gauge that permits water pressure to drive the gauge can become clogged itself, giving false readings.

Bladder tank and pump system worked fine until we had a burst water pipe: pump only runs for seconds. Water doesn't go into the tank.

Hi there, we have a bladder tank pump that was working perfectly ok until Friday night when a pipe in the kitchen burst, and all the water was turned off. Now the pipe is fixed and the water back on, but the pump will only run for a few seconds and then goes off.

It also isn't pumping much, if any water into the cold water tank in the loft (just a trickle running into it, mostly after the pump has switched itself off), and the other problem is, there is no water from any of the hot taps in the house.

The hot water tank is full. All valves had been turned back on.

Even running the cold taps won't make the pump come on and stay on. It's currently sitting at approximate 2bar, and when it runs, it cuts out at 3bar.

These figures are usual for our pump.

Any clues on why its cutting out too early and why there's no water coming from the hot tank to the taps?

Also, the cold tap in kitchen feeds straight from the pump, but running the cold tap doesn't make the pump stay on either.

Reply: burst pipe or pipe repairs may have caused debris clogging of the pressure switch

Jack

This doesn't sound like a tank bladder sticking problem.

Perhaps the burst pipe water flow rate stirred debris in the system and clogged the pressure sensor switch.

See the diagnosis and repair tips at

• PRESSURE SENSOR CLOG / FAILED DIAPHRAGM
• PRESSURE SENSOR CLOG at TUBING