"In our new system, the borehole and pump can supply full pressure almost instantly so our installer suggested we didn't need a pressure tank."
From everyone I've talked to in the well industry this was bad advice.
The reason you have a pressure tank is to keep your well pump from running on/off each time you run the water in the house. This is what kills the pumps going on/off repeatedly and why they suggest to size your pressure tank accordingly (don't get to small of a one or it will still do it). With a pressure tank the well then might run once a day or two times a day depending on the size and number of people in the house.
+1 on that.
One of my jobs involves working in state parks. Where I work, we have seven different systems, all with pressure tanks. When these systems are overtaxed, as on a holiday weekend, the pressure tanks become "waterlogged" (the frequent flow of the water from the pump into the pressure tank stirs bubbles from the air reservoir into the water, which get sucked further down the line, and flushed out the toilets. This limits the amount of pressure available, and causes the pumps to cycle on and off more often. When this happens, and no one realizes it, the pumps burn out from the constant cycling on and off.
The "funny" thing about this is: these systems were put into place thirtysome years ago, have never been modified with a larger pressure tank, and I've been draining the freaking things everytime they get waterlogged. And yeah, I suggested larger pressure tanks. Apparently it's cheaper if I remember to go drain off some water every holiday weekend...
I shouldn't complain: it's better than trying to reset a burned out pump in a septic pumping station. There's an ugly job.
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