How Does a Water Bladder Tank Work?

Water Bladder Tank Basics

As the water pressure and air pressure get low, the contacts on the pressure switch click together. The pressure switch sends an electrical current to the water pump which causes the water pump to kick on and pipe water back into the water bladder tank. The amount of time it takes for the pressure switch to click on depends upon the size of the water bladder tank. The larger the water bladder tank, the longer it will be before the pressure switch starts to deliver electrical current to the water pump.

How the Water Bladder Tank Works

Water leaves the water bladder tank each time that the water is used in your home or yard. As the water leaves the tank, the bladder gets smaller and the water pressure drops within the tank. Water bladder tanks also contain air within the water tank. When the water leaves the tank, the air pressure inside the water bladder tank also drops. A pressure control switch, which is usually located near the water tank, senses the drop in pressure within the tank and, after the pressure lowers to a certain level, the contacts within the pressure switch are pushed together, which turns on the water pump. The activated water pump draws water from the well which refills the tank and restores the water and air pressure within the tank.

How the Water Bladder Tank Gets Refilled

While the pressure switch is activated, the water pump, which is generally located near the tank or inside the well itself, pulls water from under the ground and pumps the water back into the water tank's bladder. As the bladder is filled, the water pressure and air pressure rise back to their normal levels. After the water pressure and air pressure are back to normal, the contacts within the pressure switch are pulled away from each other. Once the pressure switch stops supplying power to the pump, the water pump stops pumping water into the tank. This process begins again each time water is used within the home or in the yard.