The bladder breaks or leaks and no longer maintains system pressure and needs to be replaced.
Gravity fed water system airlock.
Source intake sediment removal.
The system was fine for 40 years going back before my time but due to gradual settling there is now a place where airlocks regularly develop.
I hope that my simple overview will help you design build and enjoy a gravity fed system too.
Airlock in primary hot water circuit power flushing old gravity fed indirect system.
Gravity systems are simple but very complex at the same time.
Air lock best practice prevention.
It s a gravity fed system.
Long before there were complicated electric pump systems for rural properties there was gravity.
There are four basic elements to a gravity water system.
I am not a qualified plumber just a frustrated consumer.
Calculating water flow pipe size understanding air locks and using siphons are covered.
I am not getting any hot water from my hot water taps two showers which are fed from a water pump.
The tank fills with water and presses against a rubber bladder pressurized with air which fills and empties in response to system pressure.
I have a gravity feed water system to a mountain cabin.
Gravity flow design construction gravity flow water systems.
If the holding tanks get drained an airlock always developed and i just loosen the band clamp to let the air out again.
Having lived on spring water that was fed by gravity for over 50 years i have some experience in making these systems work and easy to maintain.
Hot water still coming from sources not linked to the pump kitchen bath bathroom sink no hot water in two showers or en suite in attic room hot water tap runs dry.
New stove gravity system airlocking.
Examples and references are given.
It sounds like such a simple theory too.
Plumbing forum plumbing advice.
If power is a problem gravity may be your best bet for a reliable water supply.
Plumbing forum plumbing advice.
The spring loaded valve works in opening and releasing high pressure and air during extreme system pressure.
To get an airlock out of either the cold or the hot water you require a water pressure more that the pipe that has the airlock in so that there is force pushing the airlock away.
And today in many parts of new zealand where access to power is uneconomic or impossible gravity fed water systems are still used to keep water flowing to troughs and homes.