[robapacl]

I just lost my pump. The bladder perforated and because of other problems, I hadn't tested the pressure in the tank. I did the original installation myself, all of it, and am an engineer so I am familiar with the theory as well as practice. Were I to do it all over again, I would get a small inexpensive compressor with a pressure regulator set to a few pounds below the pressure switch cutoff, put it on a timer for running once a week, and if the bladder goes, so what. Maybe another check valve in the air line, a premium one to protect the against the el cheapo on the tank, and a damn good seal at the connection. My first pump lasted 16 years, and I might still have it if I had done the preceding. Before bladders, that's how they did it I have read, except they didn't automate it. Too bad that oil burners and wells are still such an antiquated design. If autos improved at the same rate, we'd still be hand cranking to get strted

 

[robapacl]

I'm not arguing about the normal functions.

If everything is working the way it should, no problem. If the bladder leaks and the air dissolves, the pump short-cycles and is soon gone. My bladder was perforated and I could either replace the tank ( expensive ) or repressurize the tank by hand or automatically by a compressor. Compressors are not leak-proof generally, hence the check valve in the air line and a tight seal at the tank. Check valves in pneumatic circuits are not uncommon. The compressor could be built into the tank with water level and pressure sensors eliminating the bladder also. Considering our primitive housing, slightly better than a cave, I'd like to see a little creativity. A guy built a house of foam plastic with walls 2 feet thick and heated it in the winter with 300 watts of electricity. I consider that a benchmark to surpass. Fat chance.