Generic 160L/42.3gal Pressure Tank For Well Pump,Fully Automatic Well Pressure Tank Stainless Steel Water Pressures Tanks W/Mounting Kit for Well Pump/Water System,Agricultural Water,Residential

What it is and why I tried it

I installed the 160L stainless pressure tank to stabilize a pair of modest well systems—one feeding a small residence and the other handling garden irrigation and outbuilding taps. I wanted a corrosion-resistant, bladder-free tank with enough volume to cut down on pump cycling and keep maintenance predictable. At 160 liters (about 42 gallons total), this model sits in the sweet spot for medium-duty domestic and light agricultural work where long service life is just as important as raw capacity.

This is a classic hydro-pneumatic tank: there’s no internal bladder. You rely on an air cushion above the water line to provide system pressure and trigger your pump’s pressure switch. That design choice trades the set-and-forget ease of a diaphragm tank for durability and serviceability. If you’ve fought through a few ruptured bladders, you’ll understand the appeal.

Build quality and materials

The shell is 304 stainless steel and feels properly heavy-gauge. Welds on my unit were clean, the seams uniform, and the base is a three-arc design that keeps the footprint compact without compromising stability. The finish isn’t polished to showpiece levels, but it’s even and easy to keep clean.

A few thoughtful touches matter here:

• A top port for air/cleaning makes it straightforward to add or vent air and inspect the interior.
• A bottom drain valve simplifies flushing sediment and doing periodic sanitation.
• The inlet/outlet connections are 25 mm (just under 1 inch), which is fine mechanically but does mean you’ll likely be adapting to your local thread standard.

Weight-wise, it’s substantial, which is what you want in a pressure vessel. Mine arrived with a small cosmetic ding—nothing structural—but I’d still like to see more protective packaging given the mass and the realities of shipping.

Installation and compatibility

Set your expectations around threading and fittings. The ports are 25 mm, and depending on whether your local standard is NPT or BSP, you’ll probably need adapters. I pieced mine together with off-the-shelf stainless adapters and used plenty of PTFE tape to ensure a gas-tight seal; pipe dope works too. The mounting kit and base geometry make floor placement simple, but anchor it if the area sees vibration or if kids/dogs share the space—tanks this tall can be top-heavy when full.

You’ll need to pair the tank with a pressure switch and pump sized for your delivery needs. Importantly, this tank is happiest in a lower-pressure regime. The manufacturer’s guidance indicates a start around 0.12 MPa (~17 psi) and stop around 0.24 MPa (~35 psi), with an upper working range in the neighborhood of 0.3 MPa (~43 psi). If you’re planning a 40/60 psi system or higher, this is not the right tank. For 20/35 or 30/40-ish operation (and gravity-fed transfers, irrigation zones, or rural taps that don’t require city-level pressure), it’s very well-matched.

Because it’s bladderless, commissioning is a little different:

• Start with the tank partially filled so there’s a healthy air pocket at the top (roughly one-third air volume is a good rule of thumb).
• Set your pressure switch cut-in/cut-out to suit your system (I used a ~25/38 psi setup).
• Verify the pump cycles cleanly and that drawdown feels adequate before you button everything up.

Plan for a routine air check because air dissolves into water over time. The top port makes that simple: crack it to add air from a compressor or to vent, and adjust seasonally as needed.

Performance and day-to-day use

The big win is reduced cycling. With a total capacity of 160 L, the practical drawdown on my setup has been about 18–25 gallons depending on where I set the cut-in/cut-out. That aligns with the general expectation of roughly 50–70% usable water in a non-bladder tank, particularly when you’re running conservative pressures. In real usage, that means the pump stays off through handwashing, toilet fills, and modest irrigation pulses; it only kicks on when you’re drawing continuously or when the tank is genuinely low.

Pressure stability has been good for the intended range. You won’t mistake a 35 psi stop for municipal pressure at 60+, but for fixtures tuned to lower pressures and irrigation emitters that prefer gentle supply, it’s pleasantly steady. The stainless shell keeps the water neutral-tasting and free of the metallic tint I’ve gotten from older mild-steel tanks.

Noise is a non-factor. It’s a tank; it doesn’t add any mechanical sound. Vibration is minimal when the base is on a flat surface and the lines are supported.

Maintenance

A bladder-free design eliminates the single most common failure in domestic pressure tanks. In exchange, you take on two light jobs:

• Air volume upkeep: Check the air cushion occasionally. If your pump begins short-cycling—even though demand hasn’t changed—you’re probably low on air.
• Flushing and sanitation: The bottom drain is worth its weight in brass. I do a quick flush every few months to keep sediment from accumulating. Annual sanitation is fast because you can drain fully and refill without contortions.

In cold climates, remember that stainless steel tolerates low temperatures better than many coatings and paints, but water still freezes. Either keep the tank in a conditioned space or fully drain it if you expect hard freezes.

Where it fits (and where it doesn’t)

Ideal for:
- Rural wells running moderate pressures, cabins, garden irrigation, and livestock watering where reliability matters more than high pressure.
- Applications that value stainless for potable water (304 is a good choice here) and for cosmetic longevity in damp pump rooms.
- Users comfortable with basic maintenance: adding air, checking fittings, and flushing sediment.

Not ideal for:
- High-pressure domestic systems (40/60 psi and up).
- Installations where adapting 25 mm threads to your local standard is a deal-breaker.
- Users who want zero-maintenance air management (a diaphragm tank would be better in that case).

What I’d improve

• Threading options: Offering native 1-inch NPT/BSP variants would spare many folks a trip to the plumbing supply.
• Packaging: A bit more internal bracing or foam would better protect the shell during shipping.
• Documentation: Clearer guidance on recommended pressure switch ranges and air volume maintenance for this tank would help first-time installers.

The bottom line

For medium-duty well and water-system work within a modest pressure window, the 160L stainless pressure tank is a solid piece of kit. The stainless build, large capacity, bottom drain, and straightforward service access make it a practical, long-lived alternative to diaphragm tanks—especially in places where corrosion is the enemy and a blown bladder would be costly or disruptive.

Recommendation: I recommend this tank if your system runs in the 20–40 psi range and you value durability over high pressure and absolute convenience. Expect to adapt the fittings and plan on occasional air checks. If you need 50–60 psi household pressure with minimal maintenance, a higher-rated diaphragm tank would be a better fit.