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    TroyDS's Avatar
    TroyDS Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Mar 13, 2009, 07:53 PM
    Can't get pump to prime
    I know how to prime a well water pump, but I tried for 1 1/2 had a hose from another well for water and it still won't prime. It gets "full" and then an air bubble comes up and I lose the "prime". There is no busted pipes, no leaks and no water turned on anywhere in the system. The pump does run
    csavage1's Avatar
    csavage1 Posts: 86, Reputation: 5
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    #2

    Mar 14, 2009, 03:39 AM

    Sounds like you are sucking air{leak in suction} Check all the fittings,check the air volume control if you have one. Do you have a deep well or shallow well pump?

    Other thing to check is the injector in the pump,there may be some debris in there,normally if there is debris the pump will not build enough pressure to shut off the pump. But your problem sounds like there is a leak some where in the suction. Let us know how you make out. Do you have a bladder tank or a tank with a air volume control? The air volume control can cause the pump to suck air and if that what you have try and plug the air volume's small copper line.. Another question would be is how much pressure is your pump building if any?
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #3

    Mar 14, 2009, 05:25 AM
    Great answer by Savage. The only thing I can add is that if the check/footvalve is faulty you would get the same symptoms. The pump would not hold prim no matter how much water you put in the impeller cage. Now you have lottsa things to check out. Good luck, n Tom
    TroyDS's Avatar
    TroyDS Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Mar 14, 2009, 06:49 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1 View Post
    great answer by Savage. The only thing I can add is that if the check/footvalve is faulty you would get the same symptoms. The pump would not hold prim no matter how much water you put in the impeller cage. Now you have lottsa things to check out. Good luck, n Tom
    Where/what is the check/foot valve? How to tell if its bad? Shallow well. My wife went to work at 12:30 and the kids came home at 3:30 and said we didn't have any water. The pump runs, don't know what pressure, I fill the top with water and it fills up then a puff of air and it's empty again. I can get it full and turn the pump on and a big spurt of water comes out like the pump's actually working but after that spurt nothing, and I can do that over & over again. Need a new pump? Thank you
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #5

    Mar 14, 2009, 07:30 AM
    The check valve's located on the suction line above the ground while the foot valve's located at the well point. If the valves are faulty the impeller cage won't hold water after you pour in. From your description the impeller cage holds water when you prime but loses it when the pump starts to pull suction. The fuction of the check valve is to insure the prime doesn't run back into the well. It's beginning to sound less and less like a check valve and nmore and more like a leak in the suction line. How many pipes do you have going into the well. Is your pump a shallow well pump or is it a jet pump? Regards, Tom
    TroyDS's Avatar
    TroyDS Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Mar 14, 2009, 08:08 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1 View Post
    The check valve's located on the suction line above the ground while the foot valve's located at the well point. If the valves are faulty the impeller cage won't hold water after you pour in. From your description the impeller cage holds water when you prime but loses it when the pump starts to pull suction. The fuction of the check valve is to insure the prime doesn't run back into the well. It's beginning to sound less and less like a check valve and nmore and more like a leak in the suction line. How many pipes do you have going into the well. Is your pump a shallow well pump or is it a jet pump? Regards, Tom
    1 pipe and it's a shallow well
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #7

    Mar 14, 2009, 08:22 AM
    Have the suction pipe checked for a leak or a break in the pipe. Good luck, Tom
    jlisenbe's Avatar
    jlisenbe Posts: 5,019, Reputation: 157
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    #8

    Mar 14, 2009, 10:11 AM

    This site gives you a pretty good description of shallow wells.

    Single Line Jet Pumps & Water Wells, Explanation & Repair Advice

    This quote is from that site: "If the foot valve is leaky and water runs back into the well we increase the wear on the water pump as it has to run more often, and pretty soon the water pump will lose its prime (water inside the pump mechanism) and it may be unable to retrieve any more water from the well whatsoever. "

    The good news is, you are probably not looking at more than twenty or so of pipe. Not too bad to pull up if you have to. I would think you have to be looking at a faulty foot valve, which is essentially a checkvalve at the end of the one pipe going down. However, the fact that you see bubbles coming up into the impeller housing as the water drops might point to a leak in a pipe or pipe joint.
    TroyDS's Avatar
    TroyDS Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Mar 14, 2009, 10:30 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    This site gives you a pretty good description of shallow wells.

    Single Line Jet Pumps & Water Wells, Explanation & Repair Advice

    This quote is from that site: "If the foot valve is leaky and water runs back into the well we increase the wear on the water pump as it has to run more often, and pretty soon the water pump will lose its prime (water inside the pump mechanism) and it may be unable to retrieve any more water from the well whatsoever. "

    The good news is, you are probably not looking at more than twenty or so of pipe. Not too bad to pull up if you have to. I would think you have to be looking at a faulty foot valve, which is essentially a checkvalve at the end of the one pipe going down. However, the fact that you see bubbles coming up into the impeller housing as the water drops might point to a leak in a pipe or pipe joint.
    Well.. I don't see bubbles, really. I fill the impeller housing(I guess) and the water fills up and overflows like it's full and then a big "burp" so to speak and all the water is gone. I'm using a water hose so I don't know how much is going in but I'd say probably about a gallon at a time till it's full and then it "burps" and I have to put approx. another gallon in. This has gone on for hours, with or without the pump running, same scenario. Where in the world is all that water going? Into the well I imagine but I can't figure out why there is air. I can fill it up, turn pump on with my thumb over the opening and a puff of air with water shoots out for a sec, about a 1/4 cup full then it's back to the start.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #10

    Mar 14, 2009, 10:45 AM
    If you had a check valve at ground level it would retain water in the impeller cage until you started the pump. At that time the check valve opens up and begins to pull suction. However, if the suction pipe had a oleak or open spot it would pull air, (your "burp"!) and simply stop pumping. I think you're going to hafta pull the suction line and check for breaks or leaks. Jlisenbe thinks it might be the foot valve but I disagree for two reasons. (sorry Jisenbe!)
    1) if you had a bad foot valve you couldn't hold water in the impeller cage **and**
    2) A faulty foot valve would not intergect air in the line.
    My bet's on the suction line. Good luck, Tom
    jlisenbe's Avatar
    jlisenbe Posts: 5,019, Reputation: 157
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    #11

    Mar 14, 2009, 12:00 PM

    SB is probably right about a leak in the suction line. However, it must be major for you to be losing water at such a fast rate, not to mention that the pump won't move water at all. Typically, the pump will prime and pump, then lose prime when it shuts down for some period.
    TroyDS's Avatar
    TroyDS Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #12

    Mar 14, 2009, 01:52 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    SB is probably right about a leak in the suction line. However, it must be major for you to be losing water at such a fast rate, not to mention that the pump won't move water at all. Typically, the pump will prime and pump, then lose prime when it shuts down for some period of time.
    Thanks for everyone's help. I broke down and called the well guy who installed it. I know him pretty good. He got me running, he did say that I do need my foot valve replaced very soon and have the system cleaned out and stuff. Again, appreciate all the advise thank you a lot, Troy
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #13

    Mar 14, 2009, 02:35 PM
    Please let us know what you find. Good luck Tom

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