Trying to straighten out a water pressure problem.
Well system with bladder type tank. I'm thinking the pressure switch was cranked up without adjusting air pressure.
My question is: does the tank have to be completely drained of water to adjust the air pressure?
No drain installed at bottom level of tank so I will probably have drain by loosing up fitting on poly line going into the tank. Gonna be a mess if I have to do that.

Not completely. Shut off the breaker to the pump, open the closest faucet until no more water comes out.

I highly suggest adding a cutoff valve and spigot near the tank though, that's the best way to flush sediment buildup in future.

I don't know about adjusting the air pressure, but I do know that draining a pressure tank doesn't have to create a mess.

Until recently I needed to drain my waterlogged pressure tank every year or so. I'd simply turn the well pump off, take the anti-siphon valve off the closest outside spigot and open it. The tank would already begin draining, but I'd slowly unscrew the pressure gauge until it started sucking air and bubbling on the inside. Draining the entire tank would usually take about 30-45 mins through the outside spigot.

Edited to add: I see Gibb beat me to it. My new pressure tank has the cutoff valve and drain built into the new plumbing.

yes you have to bleed the system to no pressure to adjust the air pressure,

quote:

I'm thinking the pressure switch was cranked up

To what? Do you have a pressure gauge? Too much pressure isn't good.

Are you sure the bladder in the tank hasn’t breached? If that’s the case you would need to replace the tank.

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Trying to straighten out a water pressure problem.
Well system with bladder type tank. I'm thinking the pressure switch was cranked up without adjusting air pressure.

On/off pressure switches usually are not adjustable.

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
My question is: does the tank have to be completely drained of water to adjust the air pressure?

Yes, it does.

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
No drain installed at bottom level of tank so I will probably have drain by loosing up fitting on poly line going into the tank. Gonna be a mess if I have to do that.

Then that's what you're going to have to do. What the hell kind of well guy installs an expansion tank w/o a drain valve?

Disclaimer: I am neither a plumber nor a well guy.

I'm a homeowner who's been on a well for 28 years. Started with a 2 in. jet well. That was soon upgraded to a 5 in. plastic well. That was recently upgraded to a VFD pump.

If there's a valve on the main supply line from the tank to the home's plumbing: Shut it off. This will allow you to perform this procedure w/o depressurizing the rest of the plumbing. Otherwise: When you re-pressurize the system, make sure to remove the aeration thingamajigs from all your faucets before turning them back on--you will see why.

Turn off the pump.

Drain the tank. Install a drain valve with a hose bib, because you may have to do this again.

If there was no main valve (above): Install one now. (I prefer a ball valve for this one.)

The bladder must be pressurized to 2 PSI under the pressure switch's cut-on point.

Your pressure switch will almost certainly have a 20 PSI difference between cut-on and cut-off. Usually either 30/50 or 40/60 PSI. Possibly 50/70 PSI, but not likely.

I've adjusted the pressure on mine without turning off the tank.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Trying to straighten out a water pressure problem.
Well system with bladder type tank. I'm thinking the pressure switch was cranked up without adjusting air pressure.

On/off pressure switches usually are not adjustable.

Most common pressure switch is Square D, which are adjustable.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
My question is: does the tank have to be completely drained of water to adjust the air pressure?

Yes, it does.

Correct
And also agree with the rest of his original post.

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
I've adjusted the pressure on mine without turning off the tank.

Adjusted the pressure on your WHAT (tank or switch) without turning off the tank?

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
On/off pressure switches usually are not adjustable.

Most common pressure switch is Square D, which are adjustable.

Hmmm... I think our old switch was a Square-D. I'd thought I'd discussed it with my well guy and he'd told me it wasn't adjustable and that was typical. I suppose I could have misremembered that.

Direction inside cover show to 2 ways to adjust shutoff pressure.
One way adjust the cut off, the other way adjusts both on/off.

Wood foundation and floor. So with no drain valve inline I will have to rig up a pan with a drain hose attached to SLOWLY drain tank when I loosen the line. I only have about 3" of clearance to work with. THERE will be a drain valve in the future.

From Tailhook 84:
[I'd simply turn the well pump off, take the anti-siphon valve off the closest outside spigot and open it. The tank would already begin draining, but I'd slowly unscrew the pressure gauge until it started sucking air and bubbling on the inside. Draining the entire tank would usually take about 30-45 mins through the outside spigot.]

Tank in basement outside hose bib 6 ft above tank, no sure if that would work.

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:Tank in basement outside hose bib 6 ft above tank, no sure if that would work.

No, my method won't work for you because my pressure tank is above the level of the outside spigot. So disregard what I wrote. Best of luck!

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:

Tank in basement outside hose bib 6 ft above tank, no sure if that would work.

Shut the power off to the pump, open that hose bib and drain all the pressure off, leave it open and go set your tank pressure.

The air pressure in the bladder will push any water left in the tank out. The key is to remove the water pressure from the tank and to leave the water side open, so any increase in pressure on the water side can escape through the open drain valve, while you adjust the bladder pressure.

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