I've recently installed two eighty gallon water storage tanks to my well which not only takes a load off the 220 volt electric motor at the pump but also gives me a better water reservior for power outages. My question is, how important is it to add a pneumatic fitting at the top of the tanks and to pressurize the water? What's the purpose if the pump at the well is already creating fifty pounds of water pressure?
The water won't come out if there is no pressure. The bladder tanks have a big balloon in them. The well pump fills the tank with water and pushes the bladder back. When you open the faucet for a tiny bit of water, the bladder gives pressure and the pump does not have to start up until the reservoir is down some. Save cycling the pump. If your tanks are just plain old tanks, you won't get any real benefit aside from what you can drain from them with he pressure of atmosphere at best.
I would say the tanks should be pressured in order that water is costantly flowing in and out of them to insure fresh water is in them oherwise to use just as storage the water would soon become stale and not potable. Thats my opinion. They can be pressurized regaless of whether bladder type or not by providing an air pocket in the tank.
The system runs on the air bubble that is in the tank. It is a spring. Pump compresses it and then the air pushes the water out when you draw some. Without an air bubble, you would get no water at all out unless the tank was above the point of draw or the pump ran every time you opened a faucet.
Pump running every time a faucet is opened is a big clue that the air bubble needs attention.
Proper pressurization of the tank is 2 psi below the pump cut-in setting. That optimizes the pump run time, i.e., longest run between start/stop cycles. Method is to totally drain the tank(s) then add air. If the tanks were just recently installed they should be bladder types and will already have an air valve on the top.
Your "take a load off the 220" is nebulous. It will draw the same amount of current to pump 50 gallon water whether it does it all at once or in several cycles. It will save some, however, as the pump starts draw more current until to speed but I doubt if you will see much of a change in your electrical bill. It is a good plan though as it is the start portion of the pump action that causes the most wear, or so I've been told.
Harry K
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