Yes, where you tap into your water well system does matter. If you tap into your system before the pressure storage tank, it will eventually not only effect your household water pressure but can lead to eventual pump damange. The "Tank" is not only a storage tank for water, but also your hous water pressure. Most storage tanks work by holding water and vapor pressure in the tank for use when someone opens up a valve inside the home. Once a tap is opened up, water moves from the tank to the point of opening and at the same time the pressure in the tank falls. Once the pressure falls below the set point of the pressure regulator, it starts the pump and the tank begins to refil. Since the water line from the tank to the pump is empty, the first thing that enters the tank is vapor pressure. Once all the air has moved from the water line to the tank and the line fills with water, the tank begins to fill. Once the water demand has ended, the tank will continue to fill until it reaches the set point of the pressure regulator which will trip, turning the pump off. A check valve which will probably be installed on the water line coming into the pump, but close the the pump will close, preventing water from the tank draining back into the water line. A air valve (looks similar to valve stem on a car tire) opens up and allows air to enter the water line which releases the vacuum in the line and lets the water in the line to drain back down into the water well. When additional demand for water happens, this valve closes and the pump is activated, and again the air that is now inside the tank rushes into the tank ahead of the water. This air creates a vapor space inside the tank which creates a more constant water pressure inside the house. Without this system, your water pump would kick on every time someone opens a tap inside the home, and would cause the pump to run unneccessarily. This will shorten the life of the pump dramatically. If you tap your irrigation system into the water line upstream of the tank, and you turn your irrigation system on, you will get an initial rush of air out of the spray heads and eventually water. Once the watering stops and the valves close, the water line will not be able to refill with air. Thus, once water demand happens from within the house, the line will still be full of water and will not refull the tank with air. Eventually your tank will become water logged and your water pressure will be effected which will cause your pump to run all the time. Sorry for the long reply, but couldn't find a short version of explaining this. Sincerely, Curtis Anderson Evergreen Sprinklers Here is a link that might be useful: EvergreenSprinklers.com

You need to drain the tank completely. Standing water above the tank will cause your tank pressure to be incorrect. I know it's a pain but perhaps, as long as you have to disconnect the line anyway, you could install a drain valve.

Thanks for that link - very helpful read. So, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around all this before I go to far. Let me explain. First, I'm trying just to understand how this works. I understand it in theory and in that article but, in our setup, it looks like all it is really servicing is the water spigot on the side of the house. The water comes in from the left, down into the tank and also to the right through the honey well then just... on to the water spigot that comes off the house. That's it. Now, I CAN simply unthread the pipe a bit further down, and then into another pipe right by it, to hook the house to the well water in an emergency - as it was shown and explained to me by the seller. So, is it to keep and regulate pressure to the house, its there just in case of that? That might all make sense to me except, why does it make the bang sound when I use water out in the yard from a different spigot. I can't seem to understand how it is even involved there. I see the one pipe go into it. That's it. So anyway, on to what the article says, and others after I've googled a bunch. So, banging on the side of it, it does sorta sound more thud ish than hollow, so I do wonder if it is water logged. I understand if it is water logged the pump will turn on immediately any time you use the water. That is the case here. It does have the air valve at the top, and air does come out - not water. So that is good. I read I need it to be pre charged to the psi (minus 2) of what the pressure needs to be for the pump to turn on. Or two less than the .. in (something). I can't find the exact term again as I type this but it was in-something. SO now what I'm trying to figure out. How do I find out what that number is, I don't see anything on the pump. Am I to put the pressure valve on the drain at the bottom and see what it is? If it's over pressured or under pressured wouldn't that give a bad reading? Is that what the honeywell is for? It says 50psi It looks like on the right. I don't know what the "diff" is on the left. So, should I turn off the pump, drain everything, drain the tank, then pressurize (or depressurize) the air to 48 psi? Everything I see says this is a simple task and I feel like I'm almost there, almost understanding it... just not quite there yet. One thing I do know for sure, it's a good sign water didn't come out of the air inlet. ;)

Due to an issue with my well water pressure tank it will have to be replaced. We have a "shallow" private well with the current pump about 125 feet down. During normal times I can see the water column about 40 feet below ground level. It seems a have a few options now and would appreciate some input. 1 Just replace the tank with a new one or slightly larger to reduce pump cycling. 2 Get a VFD controller or a constant pressure system with a smaller pressure tank. 3 Get a Cycle Stop Valve system with a smaller pressure tank that will give a constant pressure service without the electronics.