How to size a well tank

This video attempts to explain how to determine what size well tank a well system should have.

[@HudsoniteJessie]

This is the best, shortest video I came across. My attention span thanks you.

[@anthonyphilbert9598]

This was very helpful am a plumber in Trinidad 🇹🇹

[@thomaslucas7414]

THANK YOU! Straight forward and easy to understand. It was a pleasure after 30 people yammering on with equations and white boards in other videos.

[@sleepingbearffg5008]

I agree!! If I had known you needed a rocket degree to put in a well pump! Lol new house well head is buried. Talk about research.. still no clue if bought right pump? Seems to work 5gpm. Can't check depth because rusted as could be,, and works now 😂 but will have to raise . Code.. dam government.. yep I agree simple it was God bless

[@1new-man]

Absolutely the most comprehensive yet concise to the point cut to chase post ever.
TY Sir John 3:16

[@CDeHeer97]

Best explanation I've come across yet. I'm wanting to replace a 50 Gal. with an 86 Gal. and couldn't find definitive reason why this was a bad idea. Cost aside you've eased any concern in doing so.

[@kathyern861]

Larry - you are a straight takin guy - refreshing - clear - understandable - to the point - over and out!

[@lennyc624]

10-4. Thanks

[@wardmontgomery9259]

Best video on sizing and I watched them all … keep that pump COOL ! Thanks !

[@jakonaza]

Thank you for making it clear and simple to understand, tomorrow first try at replacing the whole system.

[@brianb9410]

Thank you Lenny. Installing an expansion tank tomorrow. I need to take the one i bought back and get a little larger tank. I know that thanks to you!

[@shazzorama]

Thanks so much for answering these particular questions! Much appreciated.

[@booboofinger2595]

Thanks! Was confused about sizing a tank but not after hearing you explain how to determine it. Now if there is an easy way of determining the flow rate of my pump I'll be all set.

[@trestlew]

Great video. Answered my question about putting in a larger tank to give me more water. Thanks!

[@johnnyversaci7091]

Finally someone can tell me if a 1/2 horse needs as much run time thank u brother

[@johnnyversaci7091]

Unreal how it's so difficult to find that info, everywhere u look everyone says "1 minute even for 1/2 hp blablah" then it just gets regurgitated by 20 other people and then it's the only info out there

[@munsters2]

Very good explanation. 02:45 I would just like to warn folks that the 50 psi and the 30 psi he mentions is just an example. The draw down will depend on the rating of whichever pressure switch you use. 20/40, 30/50, 40/60, 50/70.

[@Jordan-yx5gb]

I have a 1/2 hp pump with a 20 gallon 202 tank. Thanks for the simple explanation as I’m looking to replace the 28 year old wellex 202 with the same model. I trust the word of a man at a wooden table with a coors light.

[@lennyc624]

The Well-X-Trol brand of tanks is among the best you can get. You will pay top dollar for it but it is well worth it IMO. The WX-202 is probably the best, longest lasting, most reliable tank I've ever seen.

[@johnnyversaci7091]

@@lennyc624 do u like ao Smith pump pro? Just had a pump installed the other day when talking about the tank our guy preferred ao smith, guess it's probably tomato tomato since they're pretty similar. Our well troll.went out right at warranty so I'm hoping this pump pro lasts at least 7 years as well

[@lennyc624]

@@johnnyversaci7091 I haven't run into many ao Smith tanks which might be a good thing. I believe they make contractor grade stuff so that's promising. I would be mindful of when the warranty expires, and check the tank out just prior to that. If it's still good then, cross your fingers and hope for the best. A lot of consumer grade tanks will go bad within the warranty. The problem is most people don't realize it. I wish you the best of luck. 🍻

[@johnnyversaci7091]

@@lennyc624 appreciate the response brother, good idea to check right around warranty, I just did the yearly pressure check around 39 so I might lower it a point. I was tempted to order another wel trol at the time to save a couple hundred but the pump had probably already taken a beating from the ~20 second cycles and someone I know had comparable pump pro tank right down the street. Hard to even find info about those tanks so I figure that's a good thing u can't buy it online and why not try a different brand I can get in there quick to try and squeeze a little more life out of a 22 year old pump lol pump died a year later tho, 23 years with 7 people in the house for most of that time

[@lennyc624]

@@johnnyversaci7091 as long as you're mindful of the pump running and don't let it short cycle too bad, you should be in good shape. It's not rocket surgery.

[@j.r.576]

I went with an 86 gal tank, 30/50 which gives about 26 gal drawdown. I'm running a 1/2 hp deep pump off solar. I wanted to minimise the start-up amps. It works great.

[@simpleagain1]

Excellent explanation

[@odellproperties]

VERY VERY helpful thank you!

[@christown4783]

Okay well I agree with every comment. I am getting a well drilled in a month and was going to do all the hook up and want the most pressure and longest lasting system! This was super helpful. My only question is how do you find the time to reply to all comments:-) really impressive!

[@lennyc624]

Ha, I don't get very many.

[@eriwilnel]

@@lennyc624 So can I run a 4 Gal Pressure tank with a Cycle stop valve at 50 psi on a 40/60 switch with a 22 GPM 1 horse pump for strictly just my irrigation? I am on city but I have a well for my irrigation. Pump just bit the dust likely because tank bit the dust. That is all the pump will be used for is lawn watering.

[@walterhernandez338]

What tank do you recommend me I did run waterline to my new house which is 500 feet from the well but also fitting my old house with the same whale. If I remember correctly the guy told me this Well has good pressure I could get for houses if I wanted to

[@mariolibertad9972]

I learned something, thanks for the good video

[@georgyrogers3281]

Awesome thanks so much for this video

[@Zuvuuya]

Very helpful,,, thank you very much

[@sleepingbearffg5008]

Hey brother! Love your vid, first well I ever had I learned something! Thanks and God bless, now I learn about well heads and how to extend.. mine is buried good 2 ft ? Rusted scared to mess with. But need too . Bought 3/4 25 feet or under, since one pipe came out. No idea depth? But it pumps water. Was Rusty as heck clearing up with use first time ran for 3 hours came out clear. Morning was Rusty again? But didn't take as long to clear up still Rusty water when sits a spell in bucket. . I'm getting (filling bucket) 5 close to 6 gpm. Bought 33 gallon tank. Is a must to know depth? And can I raise Head? Cap needs to bleed air, but mine is buried? Has a cap in that hole. If iron well casing? Should I even try to remove? Thanks good to shower again!! Lol god bless

[@petersherrouse33]

Small tank = short run cycles. First approximation, the pump life span is not decreased by number of starts and stops. However, every time a pump starts and stops it has a tendency to twist which can rub the pipe and wires against the casing which eventually cuts the wires or pipe ( a careful install with snubbers and pipe centering guides greatly reduces this risk, I have also seen the pump to motor coupler splines wear out on a high usage pump with MANY starts over time. But probably the first to wear out will be the pressure switch contacts which arc away due to the number of times the pump turns off (greatest arc) The the smaller the tank (more start/stops), larger the pump (larger arc), the more water used, the faster this will happen. I highly suggest keeping a spare switch handy.

[@MrPhelep]

Doesn't the pump have a range of flow rates determined by it's operating curve (the flow rate varies with the pressure, in this case the pressure is not constant and neither is the flow rate) rather than a fixed rate? how do you know the pump's flow rate for this calculation? are you taking the maximum flow rate of the pump?

[@lennyc624]

Good question. You are correct about the flow rate depending upon the pressure. However, it's not rocket science, you just figure it at the average pressure. In most cases the pressure difference is negligible. In some cases it can make a big difference but most of the time you average it out. So if you're running at 40/60, figure it for 50. In most cases.

[@user-oy4qp9pq6i]

Other factors are the standing water level, the total head pressure, and the recovery rate of the well. If the pump is moving more water than the recovery rate, the standing water level will drop while the pump is running. Multiple variables, so you have a moving target.

[@munsters2]

If high pressure is important to you, one other drawback of an oversized tank besides the cost could be more time at lower pressure.
Assume you have a 30/50 switch. More water is moved at high pressure than low pressure. Assume a 20 gallon tank takes 1 minute to drop from 50-40psi and it then takes 2 minutes to drop from 40-30psi. Assume a 40 gallon tank takes 2 minutes to drop from 50-40psi and it then takes 6 minutes to drop from 40-30psi.
So, the larger tank means you are spending more minutes at a lower pressure than with a small tank.
(All amounts are hypothetical and I do not know what the actual figures are. Maybe an engineer or a well expert can correct me.)

[@curtisendicott5989]

Then switch to a 40/60 switch and pressure would stay up

[@alsiciliano4146]

Great video . One question I have a artesian well with a overflow pipe that’s underground and ends at back of yard with a slope . Does the pump in well work less because it’s a artesian well or it doesn’t matter ? Thank you

[@lennyc624]

Not really. If anything, it might be slightly inefficient because it's probably designed to have its maximum efficiency from a deeper depth than grade but the difference is likely negligible. If you look up the performance curves for the specific pump you have, it usually will have an efficiency curve on it as well which would tell you the ideal depth to pump from. But I'm guessing you don't want to do that and are satisfied with the answer I gave. I might do a video about performance curves in the future. Thanks for the comment. Cheers 🍻

[@myothernewname]

I have a small farmhouse, but I have a huge garden that I water frequently in summer because of the heat. Seems the pump is always cycling.

[@lennyc624]

Try to estimate how much water you use between each cycle. You might have a waterlogged tank. Usually if you think your pump is short cycling, it is.

[@munsters2]

RE:myothernewname. Check with an irrigation installer. They set it up so the pump will run continuously instead of cycling on and off. I think if your pump outputs 5 gallons per minute, you would want your watering hose to be capable of flowing a little more than 5 gallons per minute.

[@LightningWood]

BUT if i oversize the tank i get more draw down galleions , right, even if i have a half horse ill hear it kick on less. like maybbe two flushes ?

[@lennyc624]

Correct

[@philgurian868]

Good info, thank you.

[@carlosportilla7634]

Hello sr. I will like to know about my pres tank. I want to change it but the only i can see is 100 psi coud o instal well x troll. Of 50 gallons capacitive ? Thanks for your answer. Adiós

[@lennyc624]

If you don't have any information about the pump, I would advise you to replace the tank with one of a similar size. Well-x-trol is a high quality brand. I would recommend it highly.

[@bawilove3422]

You saved me a mental breakdown

[@rct8851]

Hi I just bought a WATER WORKER 86 gallon pressure tank at home depot do you have any idea how good these tanks are? I have only seen good reviews of them

[@lennyc624]

I'm my experience, they're not the best. My advice would be to see what the warranty is and check the tank right before the warranty expires. If it's still good, it might be ok. I've seen a lot of them go bad under warranty. After that just keep an eye on it now and then. And by that, I mean make sure it's not short cycling. The bladders are typically what go bad on them things. Good luck

[@skiptisdale3912]

What's the difference in performance for a Tall Skinny Tank vs Short Wide Tank?

[@lennyc624]

There is no difference in performance based on the shape. The performance is strictly based on the drawdown specifications. That being said, and this is strictly anecdotal, my opinion is that the short fat ones last longer than the tall skinny ones. As far as performance though, it doesn't make a difference.

[@akshaynimbalkar4741]

Can you confirm the 5lps pump@ 35psi which pressure tank sizesuitable minimum stars and stop.

[@lennyc624]

According to my calculations, 5lps is about 80gpm. Therefore, if you wanted to use captive air tanks, you would need to use several to get enough draw down. For example: A Well-Mate brand tank, model WM-25 has a 25 gallon draw down. You would need at least 4 of them to get sufficient run time. It might be more economical to use a big, galvanized, air over water tank although those require regular maintenance.

[@tjvaichus]

I’m looking to replace my tank as it is very old. If I go with a larger tank will I get more volume at my faucets? Not pressure but volume. Like if someone is taking a shower and someone else flushes a toilet the shower looses a lot of pressure. My pressure switch is a 40/60

[@lennyc624]

No. What you're describing is typically a distribution problem. A new tank won't help that. If your pressure gauge stays between 40 and 60 while that problem happens, then you have a problem in the distribution (Assuming you gauge is working properly). Possibly a blocked filter or softener or possibly blockage in the plumbing or too small plumbing.

[@tjvaichus]

@@lennyc624 hey! Thanks for the quick reply. And that makes sense. I have 2 whole house filters and a softener. Firsts a heavy sediment filter, next a softener, then a carbon filter to condition water. I guess that’s a bunch of slowing distribution flow

[@lennyc624]

@@tjvaichus check out my other video about replacing filters

[@tjvaichus]

@@lennyc624 I watched your video on flushing out the water line before replacing with a new one and that makes complete sense except when I moved into the house there was no water filters or softener. Upon buying the house and getting the water tested I then decided to add the filters and softener. Then I had the issue of pressure. So I’m thinking because I have 2 whole house filters and the softener is why Im loosing pressure with a few faucets open.

[@tjvaichus]

I’m also thinking of doing away with my first sediment filter and letting the softener pick up any of that debris and keeping the carbon filter which comes after the softener

[@ChibiButo]

Thanks

[@user-wl6ge9gu9v]

Outstanding

[@wally6193]

thanks for the video, but why does no one ever talk about the well and it's production rate. Like how do you size these if your well produces 2gals/min?

[@lennyc624]

The tank is sized to the pump. The pump is sized to the well production. The depth of the well and the static and pumping water levels play a big part in the figuring of the pump system in that type of situation. You can't just say that a well produces 2gpm, therefore the tank size is x.

[@wally6193]

@@lennyc624 okay, well depth is 177' and swl is 143'. What other well info do you need? Thanks.

[@lennyc624]

@@wally6193 depends on what your demand is. As you don't have much well to work with, you will only be able to pull 2 gpm out of there at any given time. If you are only using it for a toilet and sink, you could get by with a small 20 gal tank. If you intend to use much more, you might want to look into pumping into a reservoir of some kind and pumping out of it with another pump of higher volume. Know what I'm saying?

[@wally6193]

@@lennyc624 are you saying this is too low for my whole house to function properly, like showers, laundry etc? unless I add a cistern and another pump? Or could I just add 2 or more welltrol tanks. thanks.

[@lennyc624]

@@wally6193 you could add more tanks but as you use water during peak times, you will experience low pressure as the recovery is so low. That is unless you have enough tanks to satisfy your peak usage in one cycle but that can get a bit expensive. Ideally, if you have a low producing well, it's good to have it drilled deep and set the pump at the bottom to essentially use the well itself as the storage. I know that is not always possible in some areas and that is pricey too. 2gpm just sucks and there's not a real cheap and easy way to deal with it.

[@phayakoot1]

thanks

[@forphone2515]

Thanks bud

[@tanozVIP]

👍👍👍

[@dharr6628]

What can I do to increase water pressure?

[@lennyc624]

Most systems run anywhere between 30 and 60 psi. That is usually enough to provide plenty of pressure at the fixtures. 99% of the time low water pressure is caused by issues in the distribution. It is very common to have restriction in a filter or water softener. You can try bypassing those things to see if that helps. Also, many fixtures are designed to save water and result in low pressure. Depending on your water quality, blockage in the plumbing can result in low pressure. If you have any of these distribution issues, increasing the system pressure will be useless. If you are serious about getting more pressure, you will have to do some diagnosing to determine the cause of the low pressure. Sometimes it could be a leak or a mechanical problem. Sorry but there's not a simple answer.

[@dharr6628]

@@lennyc624 thanks for the response 👍

[@munsters2]

RE:dharr6628. "What can I do to increase water pressure?"
Assuming your pump can handle it, you can install a higher pressure switch or make some adjustments to your switch to increase it a bit.

[@butopiatoo]

Amazing how complicated this is. To say it's a 20 gallon tank but it's drawdown capacity is only 6 gallons seems to be misleading the customer. Why not just call it a 6 gallon tank?

[@lennyc624]

Agreed. Probably because the tank manufacturers cater more to the professional installers who have a good understanding of the difference rather than the consumer. Just my guess 🤷

[@munsters2]

RE:butopiatoo. They cannot call it a 6 gallon tank because the draw-down depends on what switch you are using with the tank. The manufacturer will have a chart showing what the draw-down is for each switch.

[@xxxxxxxx183]

I've ran my whole house on a 2 gallon tank for the past 5 years the tank size is irrelevant

[@lennyc624]

ok

[@cesarchavez5508]

addiousss❤😂

[@jocrpnter]

"Well" put

[@lennyc624]

I see what you did there.

[@mohawkmike142]

Get a CSV and have a 4 gal tank supply everything you need. Btw..pumps DO NOT create pressure they create flow. Restrictions make pressure. You should not be making videos if you don't even know that.

[@lennyc624]

Thanks. Next time I'll consult with you first. You seem like a really cool guy.

[@munsters2]

RE:mohawkmike142. "pumps DO NOT create pressure they create flow. Restrictions make pressure"
That's getting pretty technical. One could, also, say that restrictions don't create pressure if there is no pump.

[@georgehobson3954]

Thanks