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    2mile's Avatar
    2mile Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Jun 29, 2008, 03:51 PM
    Shallow-well Pump Issues.
    Hello.
    I will try to describe our problem as best I can:
    Yesterday we ran our well dry and didn't realize there was no water coming out of the hose for maybe an hour? All this time the pump was running. The well is now full of water. We checked the foot valve on the bottom of the water intake pipe and all seems OK. We can't seem to get it up to pressure (sits at about 25psi). We've tried it a few times letting the pump run for 10-15 minutes or so, water out of the taps is slightly sputtery. The pump has yet to shut off on its own. Could the bladder in the pressure tank have ruptured from the continuously running pump? Or is the problem the pump itself?

    Thanks. Beth
    Credendovidis's Avatar
    Credendovidis Posts: 1,593, Reputation: 66
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    #2

    Jun 29, 2008, 04:10 PM
    Most probably there is either an air bubble near the pump position, not allowing the pump to build up enough water head, or a problem with the pump itself.

    :)
    gary steele's Avatar
    gary steele Posts: 10, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jun 29, 2008, 06:50 PM
    Sounds like your points could be welded closed from the continuos running of the pump
    2mile's Avatar
    2mile Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #4

    Jun 30, 2008, 11:19 PM
    Thank you both for your advice... a neighbour suggested there might be an airlock in the pump. We loosened the top bolt just enough to let the air hiss out and shut it as soon as water started to spurt. That seems to have fixed it.

    I do have a couple quick questions, though:

    1. our pump is quite loud and the plumbing really lurches when the pump kicks in. Can we do anything about this? Are there quieter pumps out there?

    2. this time of year the well water drawn into the house is much colder that the air temperature. I can see part of the water intake line (as the ceiling is not yet finished) is covered with condensation and sometimes builds up enough to drip. Not really a big amount of water but what would that do over time inside a wall cavity? It must affect the insulation. Can I put anything around our pvc pipe?

    Thanks again.
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
    Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #5

    Jun 30, 2008, 11:24 PM
    Every time you run a pump dry (... and are lucky enough not to burn it... ), pump has to be primed to re-establish suction / pressure.

    There is also a chance that pump sucked in debris from the bottom that partially block the intake.
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