Do you precharge the tank with 12 psi before you open the valve to let water into the tank, or do you just open the valve and let the water into the tank untill it reaches system pressure.
Ideally speaking, you'd precharge both the expansion tank with air and the system with water to 12 PSI each, then when you open the valve separating the two the air and the water will both stay put. Until you heat your system - then the water will expand into the expansion tank, and go back into the system when it cools off. At least I'm hoping that's what will happen. I'm thinking though there will be some absorption of air into the water over time (or else there wouldn't be a market for bladder tanks), but not really sure until I go through it for myself in a week or two.
Do you precharge the tank with 12 psi before you open the valve to let water into the tank, or do you just open the valve and let the water into the tank untill it reaches system pressure.
Any ideas on using CO2 or nitrogen instead of air. No O2, no corrosion???
I thought about using CO2 since I have a tank and regulator but when CO2 dissolves in water (and it does eagerly when pressurized) it creates an acidic solution. That just doesn't sound good.
Nitrogen would not be very reactive when in solution in water. And it's cheap once you have the tank and regulator.
Any REAL chemists out there to back that statement up?
Bladder tanks are pre-charged with nitrogen at the factory. A bladder tank filled with air will over time lose it's charge thru the bladder, as epdm is not an O2 barrier.
Does this hold true with the butyl type bladders as well?
We use essential cookies to make this site work, and optional cookies to enhance your experience.