How many gallons will this tank hold per cycle?

[wpns]

I have the tank pictured below, which is a WM-6. The specs at

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/wellmate-wm-6-well-pressure-tank-20-gal
say it does 5.9 gallons at 30/50, is that going to be about the same for 35/52 with a precharge of 26?

I’ve ordered a counter and an hour meter, so I can determine how many cycles it does, and what its runtime is on a (weekly?) basis, and if I didn’t have to add a totalizing water meter, that would simplify my life.


Thanks!

 

[Valveman]

The 6 in the WM6 model number means it should hold about 6 gallons of water. It is a 20 gallon actual size tank. I show that with a 35/52 pressure setting it will hold 5.1 gallons of water with a 33 PSI air charge. The 26 PSI air charge will decrease the draw down amount some, but I don't know how much. But I do know that kind of tank, especially with a low air charge, will cause the bladder in the tank to over expand and not last as long. The way that bladder contracts and expands will wear out the bladder with many less cycles than a diaphragm style tank. You can use the calculator at this link to figure the 5.1 gallons of draw down if you want to check me. Just put 0.5 GPM in the demand line and the valve setting of about 40. Minimum Pump Run Time Calculator – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

But you know, if you are worried about the number of cycles you should get a much bigger tank or even better yet a Cycle Stop Valve because it does what the name implies.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I have the tank pictured below, which is a WM-6. The specs at

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/wellmate-wm-6-well-pressure-tank-20-gal
say it does 5.9 gallons at 30/50, is that going to be about the same for 35/52 with a precharge of 26?

I’ve ordered a counter and an hour meter, so I can determine how many cycles it does, and what its runtime is on a (weekly?) basis, and if I didn’t have to add a totalizing water meter, that would simplify my life.


Thanks!

I have a well that runs 5-6 gpm on a 40-60 pressure switch and a 20 gallon tank.

When the irrigation zones are running there is no cycling.

Right now with 2 people living in the home and the irrigation running they’re getting approximately 20 cycles a day with a 1.5 hp pump.

Did you get you counter hooked up ?

 

[wpns]

Did you get you counter hooked up ?

Not yet, ordered hour meter and counter from Amazon, now have to package it up (in a small J-box?) mount it, wire it to the output of the pressure switch, and start logging the results.

Got another set of hour meter and counter for the 12V supply that fills the cistern but that’ll be easier to hook up. I will probably 3-D print a small box with Powerpole passthru.

 

[Valveman]

Counting pump cycles doesn't mean anything unless you have something to compare it to. I suggest after counting cycles for a certain length of time to add a Cycle Stop Valve set at 48 PSI constant for use with your 35/52 switch setting and see if it will cut the number of cycles in half. I know you will like the strong 48 PSI constant showers compared to the 35/52 repetitive cycle you have now. You could also add some peak or pressure spike sensors to see how much less water hammer there is with a CSV. A watt/hour meter on the pump can also tell you the difference in energy use if any between the two systems. It would take a long time to set up a test to see how much longer a CSV can make a pump and/or tank last, as I have several going on more than 30 years so far.

 

[wpns]

Counting pump cycles doesn't mean anything unless you have something to compare it to.

Exactly, but "you can't control what you can't measure", so I thought I'd start with the measurements, as they are pretty easy. Also, if I can only get someone to take weekly measurements of input and output cycles and runtime, I can find things like the previous issue: A toilet in an unused outbuilding was running. And had been probably running for years. There are some wasted cycles for you! [And the hot water heater was on, again for years. Sigh.]

That's my late mother's house, which is hard to monitor continuously, my house is a little easier:




That's the water pressure pump (the big spikes) superimposed on the solar hot water pump (the continuous operation from 9:00-15:30 with occasional operation leading into and away from that). So 13 toilet flushes, clothes washer at 19:30, showers at 11:00 and 14:30, probably an average day. Harder to tease out cycles and runtime, but not impossible with a little Python...

This pump has been running like this for 18 years with very little maintenance. Not sure how much longer it'd last with the CSV, though the higher constant pressure sure is intriguing. But I have spare pressure switches in stock here, pumps and pressure tanks are easy to come by, and if something goes wrong with the CSV on Xmas Eve, I'm not sure what the repair process is...

Still, starting with the measurements:
Counter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RHK2TWX
Hourmeter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G58R6QG

More News As It Happens!

 

[Valveman]

Looks like you already have a cycle counter. Just need a program that counts spikes over a certain amount. Knowing when the pump cycles can be more important that how many times it cycles. If you see a cycle or two between midnight and 4AM, I would be looking for a leak somewhere.

With a Cycle Stop Valve looking at run time might be more advantageous. If there was more than 1 GPM leaking there would not be a bunch of cycles between midnight and 4AM, the pump would just keep running.

Oh and BTW, if a Cycle Stop Valve fails you still have water. The pump will cycle on and off, you just won't have the strong constant pressure.

 

[wpns]

if a Cycle Stop Valve fails you still have water

I guess I don’t understand how it works then, can you explain the operation of it? And it would only ever fail in the open position, and never get clogged up and stop passing water at all?

 

[Valveman]

It is a normally open valve. Take it out of the box and you can blow straight through it. Spring holds it open. Takes pressure to close it. Anything goes wrong and it just can't close.