[cbsarge]

After the recent hurricanes in Florida, we were without power for a week or so. When we got power back, I noticed a small leak where the pipe that feeds my sprinklers comes out of the top of the pump. I cut the pipe and resealed the threaded piece that was leaking then glued a coupling to reconnect the cut pipe. The system worked o.k. but, it lost pressure sometimes. This went on for a while until recently. Now no water comes out of the system at all!

What might have happened and what can I do? The system came with the house (new construction) and is only about 5 months old.

Thanks for any help.

[labman]

Check the pump to make sure there is water at both the intake and outlet. If there is water at the outlet, water should flow to the sprinklers unless a line is blocked. From there, you need to decide if the hurricane may have damaged the line or not. Did it drop anything heavy where the line is? If it doesn't seem likely to you that the hurricane damaged the system, go back to who ever you bought the house from. They should be able to go back to the sub contractor that installed the system.

[speedball1]

Greetings from Sarasota Sarg,
I just got through putting out the last of my yard trash that the hurricanes left me.
I don't think that repairing a leak on the pressure side of the system would cause a complete loss of pressure. Have you tried priming the pump?
The gage on the bladder tank shows nothing at all? That would put the problem on the suction side. Low water table, faulty foot or check valve, clogged sand point are a few things that come to mind. But why should it be your worry when most new homes on the West Coast carry a one year warranty? Labman was right, contact your contractor and have him put you in touch with the sprinkler company that installed the system. If one of the parts that they installed went bad they should replace it under warranty.
However, don't rule out a falling water table. I have a system with a 40 foot well serving my sprinklers. My neighbor put in a 60 foot well with a 1 1/2 horse submersible pump and a heap of sprinkler zones. During the dry season his pump lowered the water table down so low my system acted just like yours. So you can't rule that out. In the mean time contact your builder and have the system checked. Please keep us informed. Good luck, Tom

[labman]

Thinking some more about this and remembering problems in the past, check the intake side. Tom is right about the possibility of no water to pump. Even if you have water at the suction end, the slightest leak on the suction side will keep the pump from moving any water. Since air is going in, you won't see any water coming out when the pump is running. If the hurricane damaged the intake as well as outlet piping, the warrantee won't cover it.

[cbsarge]

The people that installed the system came out and took care of it.

Thanks for the help!

[labman]

Thank you for letting us know the problem is solved.