The Driller
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
  • EDUCATION
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Water
  • Geothermal
  • Construction
  • Environmental
  • Mining
  • All Industry News
  • EQUIPMENT
  • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
  • Consumables
  • Pumps
  • Featured Products
  • VIDEOS
  • Newscast
  • Drill Talks
  • Ask Brock
  • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
  • Drilling Business Insights
  • Reference Desk
  • Sponsored Insights
  • EVENTS
  • Conferences & Demo Days
  • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
  • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
  • Contact
  • Advertise
The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP
EquipmentOpinionsWater WellsSchmitt's 'Let Me Tell Ya'Drilling Consumables

Evolution of the Bladder Pressure Tank, a Real Step Forward

By John Schmitt
John Schmitt, CWD/PI
November 1, 2014
As I said in my last column, after years, indeed, of trying to keep air in pressure tanks, our industry figured out that the air was being eaten by the water. What followed were numerous methods to keep the air and water separated. These I have written about in previous columns. While a great leap forward, the air and water were not totally separated in these tanks and some loss was still experienced. Then the intelligent people at the manufacturing level figured out a way to, indeed, keep the water and air totally separated and the bladder tank was born.
Bladder Tanks
Columnist John Schmitt says he’s seen bladder tanks rust from the outside because of their proximity to the salt tank of a water softener. Source: iStock

One of the few drawbacks of the early bladder tanks was they were small due to the fact that they were made of stainless steel, which was and is quite expensive. This limited their use to fairly small pumps with low production rates so the motor had a long run cycle and would not “start/stop” itself to an early death.

Make no mistake, though, these tanks were a huge step forward and had a feature that we don’t think about much anymore. They could be installed in any position; this includes being so-called right-side up, upside down, or at any angle in between. With a conventional tank that our industry had used for decades, at least the smaller ones, standing straight up was the only position that really worked. Now, some larger tanks were designed to lay horizontally, but these really were few and far between compared to small tanks used in homes and farms.

After some years of making these stainless steel bladder tanks, which I think were initially called constant pressure tanks, some smart folks figured out a way to make a long-lasting tank using carbon steel. The method they came up with was to line the inside of the tank with a non-metallic material, some sort of plastic, lock it in place with a metal ring and then install the rollable bladder. The tank was then welded together and we had a pretty much corrosion proof unit. Other manufacturers began making this style tank using Fiberglas or other non-metallic material. These, too, are pretty much corrosion proof. The outside of the steel tanks was given a coat of good quality paint and we have what has become the common tank of our industry.

These tanks, no matter what their construction, did away with the old “bug-a-boo” of waterlogging. Also, due to the fact that they were pre-charged with air, a smaller tank could be used and still give the pump a good run time. This was easier on the installer, as a smaller tank was lighter and easier to handle. The Fiberglas ones were, and are, the easiest of all. Sometime space is limited in a basement, utility room or a crawl space and the smaller tanks have a big advantage there too.

This is not to say that bladder tanks are an end-all cure-all, or that they never have a problem. Although I never experienced it, a contractor friend has had serious complaints of bad tasting and smelly water using bladder-style tanks that he never had with a conventional tank. If the water from the well contained any air or gas that occurred naturally this could really foul up the system, as spitting and sputtering at assorted taps would result.

As to durability, any of the painted steel tanks would usually last a long time, which is good because most have a five year warranty. If one of these tanks is installed near the salt tank of a water softener, occasional rusting from the outside in is a problem. Salt could be spilled on the tank and, if not removed, it could corrode the carbon steel. In my career I have had a couple tanks that rusted from the outside in, not the other way around, and they were installed near a salt tank.

Lest you think these tanks were foolproof, in addition to the taste, odor and gas problems they have proven to be harder to replace than a conventional tank. If a conventional tank begins to leak or becomes filled with rust or sediment, it can be rather easily drained, removed and taken to the local recycle center, aka, the junkyard. If the bladder in a bladder tank fails, and this does happen, the only way to drain it is to drill holes into the sides and let the water gush out. I know some fellows who use a pickaxe to punch holes in the side. This is necessary, as even a small, say 44 gallon tank, is going to weigh about 400 pounds full of water and few repair men that I know can carry a tank of that weight.

Another rather rare failure of the early steel tanks was that they had a cast iron elbow at the extreme bottom. These elbows can and do corrode out and start to leak. I have had a few failures like this admittedly after many years, one even in my own basement. I was unable to unthread the elbow in all these cases, mainly because I could not get a good sized pipe wrench on the elbow and tank replacement was necessary.

Well, I’ve rattled on at some length about a tank that has become very popular and one of the more major improvements I have seen in my years in our industry. Next time, I will write briefly about something that they won’t do in my opinion and I will then move on to a different subject.

We’ve had some up and down weather here in Michigan with torrential-type rains, and our grass is nice and green so we can keep on mowing. As this is written in early September we have gotten a cooldown and daytime highs are in the 60s with lows in the mid 40s — fall feels like it has arrived. My favorite football team, the University of Michigan Wolverines, is doing poorly. I hope your team is doing better.


For more John Schmitt columns, visit www.thedriller.com/schmitt.

KEYWORDS: water well tanks well drilling

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

John schmitt 200px
John Schmitt is a former Certified Well Driller/Pump Installer with decades of water well experience.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • geotechnical drilling rig

    6 Onsite Phrases Environmental Drillers Hate

    Here are six phrases that highlight common frustrations...
    Opinions
    By: Jeff Garby
  • Wayne Nash

    Pipe Stuck? Common Causes and Solutions for Drillers

    If you have drilled for any length of time, sooner or...
    Markets
    By: Wayne Nash
  • submersible pumps, water well pumps

    Selecting and Sizing Submersible Pump Cable

    This article helps pump installers and servicers decide...
    Water Wells
    By: Bob Pelikan
You must login or register in order to post a comment.
Unable to fetch comments.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Manage My Preferences

The Driller Newscast: Coiled Tubing Drilling and the Future of Geothermal

The Driller Newscast: Coiled Tubing Drilling and the Future of Geothermal

The Driller Newscast, Episode 147: Global Geothermal Collaboration at NY-GEO 2025

The Driller Newscast, Episode 147: Global Geothermal Collaboration at NY-GEO 2025

The Driller Newscast: New York Geo Talks 2025 Conference with Hands-on Driller Education

The Driller Newscast: New York Geo Talks 2025 Conference with Hands-on Driller Education

The Driller Newscast: 21st Century Drillers | Part 1 DEMAND

The Driller Newscast: 21st Century Drillers | Part 1 DEMAND

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the The Driller audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The Driller or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • demo of a DM450 drilling rig during a customer factory visit
    Sponsored byGeoprobe

    Built for You: Smarter Drill Rigs, Stronger Support, Bigger Opportunities

Popular Stories

MainPhotoTwoBrothers.jpg

Two Brothers' Journey Through the Drilling Industry

AI and Drought Concerns

AI’s Growing Thirst for Water and Power

demo of a DM450 drilling rig during a customer factory visit

Built for You: Smarter Drill Rigs, Stronger Support, Bigger Opportunities

The Driller Classifieds

COMPRESSORS

EAST WEST MACHINERY & DRILLING IS BUYING AND SELLING AIR COMPRESSORS, AIR BOOSTERS, AIR ENDS & PARTS
Company: East West Machinery

DRILL RIGS

LOOKING FOR LATE MODEL TOPHEADS & DRILLTECH D25'S
Company: Spikes’s Rig Sales

DRILL RIG PARTS

MEETING DRILLERS NEEDS AROUND THE WORLD
Company: East West Machinery

ELEVATORS

SEMCO INC. PIPE ELEVATORS
Company: Semco Inc.

GROUTERS

GROUTING EQUIPMENT - GROUT PUMPS & GROUT HOSE REELS
Company: Geo-Loop Inc.

PUMP HOISTS

SEMCO INC. - BASIC PUMP HOISTS
Company: Semco Inc.

WELL PACKERS

LANSAS PRODUCTS - INFLATABLE WELL PACKERS
Company: Vanderlans Lansas Products

WELL SCREENS

WELL SCREENS & SLOTTED PIPE
Company: Alloy Screen Works

Products

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

By carefully explaining both the underlying theory and the underlying mathematics, this text enables readers to fully grasp the fundamentals of physical and chemical treatment processes for water and wastewater.

See More Products

Subscribe to The Driller Newscast

Related Articles

  • John Schmitt, CWD/PI

    Pitless Adapter Tanks to Bladder Tanks: An Evolution of Air Separation

    See More
  • John Schmitt

    Residential Well Houses – A Step Forward from Well Pits – Maybe

    See More
  • John Schmitt, CWD/PI

    What Is This Glass Tube on the Side of the Pressure Tank?

    See More
×

Dig deeper into the drilling and water supply industry!

Build your knowledge with The Driller, covering the people, equipment and technologies across drilling markets.

SIGN UP NOW
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Classifieds
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP