Another Home Water Pump Question

So, Ive NEVER had "city water" in over 40 years on the farms Ive owned (Im experienced in shallow well jet pumps) and have a question about my system.

Okay, I have a shellow well jet pump where the jets on the pump (DUH, not in the well bottom like a deep well 2 line jet pump) and only the 1 1/4 suction line goes down into the well with a brass foot/check valve on the bottom.

Soooooo the last few days my pump has shut down twice, it has the safety lever on the pressure switch so it shuts off if she looses prime (real low pressure) so the pump dont burn up. Anywho the first time I go down there and WITHOUT HAVING TO FILL PRIME THE PUMP, i.e., I just hold the switch lever thingy (like a manual over ride) to force her to pump n she runs n picks up the water n builds pressure n shuts off at 45 like its supposed to NOT A PROBLEM and she worked fine another 2 days.

BUTTTTTTTT it shut down again (low pressure safety) and Ima thinkin HMMMMMMM I wonder if the bottom foot/check valve is leaking off between normal pump cycles causing the shut down?????? (it would do that automatically if the pressure drops too low like when it starts to pump up again). If it leaked off and the switch dropped out it wouldnt continue to run and self primme like when I go and manually hold the switch till she develops pressure.

Sooooooooo the bladder is fully discharged, all water used out of the tank, no pressure at all reading on the gauge and I think Ima gonna remove the big suction pipe to pull it to see if the check/foot valve is leaking BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
When I start loosening the suction pipe fittings THERES A LOT OF PRESSURE AND WATER THAT RUNS OUT BIG TIME

FINALLY MY QUESTION Looks like that tells me the foot/check valve is okay right??????????? Cuz if it were leaking off and draining the big vertical suction pipe, there wouldnt be all that water and pressure when I seperate the suck pipe from the jet. Seems to me the check/foot valve is okay WHATCA THINK?????????????

Today I retightened all the big hose clamps from the jet to the vertical suction pipe and all the hoses and pipes (new PVC) look good and I really dont think its a pin hole leak or an air leak in the suction side (Or Id see or hear water under pressure being forced out like when I loosened the pipe today) butttttttttttttt if the foot/check valve is indeed okay I wonder what else the problem may be??? The tank n bladder seem fine with the air pressure cushion and the pump dont short cycle and holds good pressure n pumps up n shuts down BUT IT HAS LOST PRESSURE TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK FOR SOME REASON. Today after I tightened all the hose clamps she manually over ride pumped up fine with no water fill priming necessary SO MAYBE IT WILL BE OKAY??? I cant see deep enough to insure the pipe bottom is still water immersed (like an extreme drought) but cant imagine the water level that low, but if this keeps up I'll have to insure Im simply not runnin outa water !!!!!!!!

Thanks yall

Ol John T

replace the low pressure switch...

How do you know the bladder is OK?

I have an occasional problem similar to what you describe. The water scale builds up in the pressure switch pipe coming from the pump. Just run a drill through it till it is open. Finally had to replace the switch when the pipe rusted through.

Gene

I would suspect the water level in the well is drawing down below the foot valve/screen. If the foot valve was leaking back the pump would start when no one is using water. Does this happen? If you are not sure shut off the water leaving the pump/tank and turn off the power to the pump before you go to bed tonight, if you have pressure in the morning there are no significant leaks. If you can't find any leaks try running water continuously until the well pumps out, my guess is that is your problem.

A leaky check valve would make the pump cycle more often. Could add more pipe (theoretical of 32 feet needed)so there is no chance of sucking air if the water level drops too much.

Pressure in pressure tank needs to be about two lbs higher than low pressure cut in.

Thanks all, after reading your comments and thinking about it, I now recall several years ago lime and calcium scale built up in the small fitting where the presure switch mounts such that it wasnt accurately sensing the pressure. I think I will draw her down and remove that switch and have a look see and drill a bit if required. If it doesnt switch the pump on when the pressure drops (cuz its clogged up) it will then drop too low and never kick back in until I go there and manually hold the over ride lever.

I'll let yall know

John T

John T

I plum forgot, it did that once a few years back, you may have it!!!!!!!! See my Thanks post above and thank you

John T

For what it's worth, we replaced the jet pump with a submersible last year. Big improvement. Much quieter and better pressure.

Yep I know its easier to push water then suck it up lol butttttttttt my well is only 18 feet deep and 6 ft in diameter with hand laid non mortar sandstone encasement. Its almost 100 years old but we raised 3 kids here n usually had water until sometimes in August droughts. However since the kids left we never have ran out even in a drought.

John T

"Pressure in pressure tank needs to be about two lbs higher than low pressure cut in."


Two pounds lower. Higher pressure will make it slam just as the pump comes on.