Water pressure tanks: Diaphragm type vs traditional

[boybi]

What's the advantage of diaphragm type over the traditional steel pressure tanks?

[ghosthunter]

What's the advantage of diaphragm type over the traditional steel pressure tanks?

For one, no need to periodically drain the pressure tank of water.

Traditional steel pressure tanks depend on air being compressed inside the tank. The trapped air tends to dissolve into the water over time so the volume of air get less and less so the pump turns on/off more often which may result in the pump motor burning out.

[boybi]

How about durability? Won't the diaphragm inside get torn over time? Is this type of pressure tank commonly used in households already?

[ghosthunter]

How about durability? Won't the diaphragm inside get torn over time? Is this type of pressure tank commonly used in households already?

The diaphragm is a concern for me as well if I was buying a new pressure tank. I assume overtime (years) it will develop a leak and need to be replaced. But given the compact size, if you try the same with a traditional steel pressure tank, you will find yourself draining the tank very often. But I haven't used a diaphragm type pressure tank yet.

Anyway, if you are going for the traditional steel pressure tank, just make sure you have it in a sunken portion of the flooring and have adequate drainage.

[oj88]

Not that too often GH. We drain ours every 4 months. Takes around 15 mins to do it. We do this through a faucet+hose near the outlet of the tank. I put the drained water in a drum so nothing is wasted.

The tank is drained of debris through the bottom drain valve once a year, and only after most of the water has been transferred to the drum.

[ghosthunter]

Not that too often GH. We drain ours every 4 months. Takes around 15 mins to do it. We do this through a faucet+hose near the outlet of the tank. I put the drained water in a drum so nothing is wasted.

The tank is drained of debris through the bottom drain valve once a year, and only after most of the water has been transferred to the drum.

The frequency of draining of the tank depends on the amount of use of the pressure tank and size of the tank too.