Accumulator pressure tank bladder surge captive air install

mcfarmall · 09-23-2011, 06:53 AM

Just bought off ebay a Kenmore 2 gallon captive air tank with the replaceable FDA approved bladder. Got it for $30 including shipping. I plan on installing it in the pump compartment next to the furnace by supporting it from above with some straps and a bit of foam insulation. Then I will tee it into the pressure line off the pump. The tank is about 8.5" x 12.5" so I think I can squeeze it in somewhere.

I'll post pics to this thread during the install.

**Crabman** · 09-23-2011, 10:50 AM

Here`s my tank/pump mod, I went with the small one to save space.

Link for more info. http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthread.php?t=1492

mcfarmall · 09-23-2011, 10:38 PM

Looks nice! You have a boatload of room in there. Wait till you see the tiny space that I'm going to shoehorn my tank into!!

RustyFairmount · 10-04-2011, 08:38 PM

Tonight I installed a 2 liter homemade bladder-less accumulator tank. Cost $20 in parts and works AWESOME! Photos and video will be posted shortly. With a faucet on low, my pump now runs twice as long, but half as often.

Looking forward to seeing photos of your mod!!!

**Crabman** · 10-04-2011, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyFairmount

Tonight I installed a 2 liter homemade bladder-less accumulator tank. Cost $20 in parts and works AWESOME! Photos and video will be posted shortly. With a faucet on low, my pump now runs twice as long, but half as often.

Looking forward to seeing photos of your mod!!!

OK lets get those pics posted!

mcfarmall · 10-05-2011, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crabman

OK lets get those pics posted!

I will as soon as I find the

camera!!

RustyFairmount · 10-05-2011, 07:11 PM

0. This wasn't my idea. I stole it from http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/06/10/rv...er-accumulator and made some slight mods to simplify it. For example, the original uses a number of bushings to reduce down to the final water connection. Also the schrader valve in the original is a gasket-style seal. I chose to drill and tap threads into the PVC and seal with joint compound. It made for a more compact design. My thought is that any water that is left inside below the water line connector is not enough to fracture the tank due to freezing. We'll see.

1. Total cost for the tank was $20, but the other plumbing (which would be required for installation of a commercial accumulator tank) cost about $10. The tank was made out of a 10" long section of 4" PVC schedule 40 (2L capacity, not counting the end caps).

2. The installation with PEX was a snap. I cut into the cold water feed to the hot water tank and installed in that compartment. The final connection is made with reinforced flexible water line for forgiveness on final tank placement. On the X23B, it's forward under the port side dinette seat.

3. The tank is secured in the compartment with a couple of hose clamps that are screwed into a reinforced compartment side.

4. With the pump on and accumulator shut off, I can get 2oz of water out of the lines before the pump activates. With the accumulator turned on, I get 6oz of water. So it's running 3x less often which should be good for the motor pressure switch.

5. With the pump off and accumulator shut off, I can get 1 liter of water out of the lines. With the accumulator turned on, I get 3 liters.

6. There is no more "pulsing" in water flow when the pump turns on and off. I get a perfectly steady stream, even when just using a trickle to brush my teeth. I think a smaller accumulator would have probably had the same water smoothing effect as the large one that I built.

Of course I'm super excited because I built it myself.

**Crabman** · 10-06-2011, 04:07 PM

Nice work, Rusty.

RustyFairmount · 10-06-2011, 05:33 PM

I got the idea from this forum, possibly this thread from mcfarmall. Thanks to you all for the idea and information.

mcfarmall · 10-23-2011, 05:39 AM

Finally found the camera. Here is a picture of my install. I ended up putting the tank under the bathroom vanity shelf. The tank was charged to 40 psi from the factory so I dropped it to 20 psi and I can dispense nearly about half a gallon before the pump kicks on. I believe it will greatly prolong the life of the pressure switch contacts and pump motor.

**Crabman** · 10-23-2011, 07:05 AM

Nice job, farmall. Besides being easy on the pump, you will not have to hear it come on very often either!

Terry · 10-23-2011, 08:23 AM

Curious - how to you get the water out of it to winterize?

mcfarmall · 10-24-2011, 03:48 AM

It's a bladder tank. When you open a faucet with the pump off, it will discharge all its contents until the bladder touches the inlet port. The only possible place for water to collect would be the inlet piping. I sloped the inlet piping toward the cold water line to the vanity faucet so that when I open the low point drains, all the water will run out.

Terry · 10-24-2011, 11:26 AM

Didn't realize the bladder discharged all the way to the inlet port - figured it was just partial. I guess if it did freeze, there is plenty of room for expansion - kind of like the water heater.

mcfarmall · 10-26-2011, 04:38 PM

Yup, before I installed it I could see the bladder at the bottom of the inlet port when I looked into it. It forms a convex bubble in the opening so there's very little room for any residual water to cause harm

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