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Candy1234 · Oct 24, 2009, 10:20 AM

Hi-
We have a shallow well with a jet pump and it has lost its prime and we can't get it back... we have replaced the foot valve and pump and still no luck.

speedball1 · Oct 24, 2009, 01:42 PM

When you fill the impeller housing does it hold water? Let me know, Tom

Candy1234 · Oct 24, 2009, 04:56 PM

Yes it holds water... we have also replaced the fitting where the drop pipe(?) meets the pipe leading to the pump

speedball1 · Oct 25, 2009, 05:32 AM

This is a new pump, right? Could the suction line be clogged with dirt at the well point? You've replaced just about all the parts. What have you done different to make the pump lose prime? You have both a foot and a check valve? I think I'd pull the foot valve and replace with a sand point. Check the foot valve for a blockage when you poll it. If you have a check valve installed near the pump, (the fitting you replaced) you don't need a foot valve. Could it be that the foot valve is down below the water in the soil? Back to you, Tom

Candy1234 · Oct 25, 2009, 09:02 AM

The fitting we replaced was the o ring on the brass fitting on the drop pipe where it meets the wall and other pipe... we didn't do anything different, it just quit at 9pm last Sunday, it had lost prime a few weeks before and we got it back, again didn't do anything different just went to use water and nothing... Im not sure what a check valve is or if we have one but the foot valve is new and doesn't hit the bottom... and what is a sand point?

speedball1 · Oct 25, 2009, 09:28 AM

A sand point is a well point without the foot valve and a check valve performs the same function as a foot valve. If there's water in the impeller cage and in the suction I can see no reason that you can't get prime. I'm missing something here. Either the impeller's not turning or the suction line's clogged. You have a simple system. Not much can go wrong with it. Any other details you can give me? Tom

Candy1234 · Oct 25, 2009, 10:50 AM

The drop pipe stays full of water, do u think we might have a leak in the suction tube? We are considering connecting running a pipe into the well and bypassing the suction tube and hooking it up to the pump, if it works wouldn't that mean there is a leak I the suction tube? We are going to check to see if the suction tube is blocked.

jlisenbe · Oct 25, 2009, 01:59 PM

How far down to water?

Candy1234 · Oct 25, 2009, 02:29 PM

20-30 feet

speedball1 · Oct 25, 2009, 03:42 PM

we are considering connecting running a pipe into the well and bypassing the suction tube and hooking it up to the pump, if it works wouldn't that mean there is a leak I the suction tube?

The suction line's the first thing I would look at. Check the foot valve to be sure it opens. Good luck, Tom