Pump Won't Stay Primed

[ErikWP]

I have a shallow well about 26' with a check-valve (which i replaced, but did not help), and a 1hp pump. I drained the pump for the winter, and now it is very hard to prime. When it does prime it looses prime after an hour or so, and will blow the breaker if I am not around to shut it off, since it won't re-prime itself. Any suggestions? Please help.

[Wet_Boots]

If this is on a well point, the time may have come to clear out the intake screen. 26 feet lift is near the limits for a shallow well pump, and you don't want it working any harder than it has to. Another way to reduce the workload on a pump is to restrict the outflow, but that's likely to have an adverse affect on the sprinkler system operation.

[YardPro]

you have a leak somewhere in the suction side. the most common place is at the threads of the pump.

[Ric]

you have a leak somewhere in the suction side. the most common place is at the threads of the pump.


I always use Gav pipe at the pump and then go to PVC. This has saved me the problem of over heating causing leaks. Before doing this I would get thread leaks on PVC right at the pump. Yes it cost more to install, but so does call backs.

[Wet_Boots]

Man, you warm-weather guys get away with murder!

[Ric]

Man, you warm-weather guys get away with murder!


Wet Boots

PVC well casing and suction line are SOP in Zone 10 and Code. But remember we very seldom freeze and then only for a very short time. I go Sch 40 above ground and all suction lines. I am one of the few that will do that.

I am now semi retired and will not renew my Irrigation license. Two major problem here are the lack of good techs and low ball pricing on new installs for contractors. I never did new installs because we have three guys in town fighting to do contractor work. They charge $1,100 for city water hook ups. I can't buy the supplies for that to do a good job. So I just don't fight them. One of them is famous for removing the back flow after inspection.

Yes I realize you Northern guy have issues that we can't imagine. Freeze Line and hard pan soil are two I can think of.

[Grassmechanic]

Yes I realize you Northern guy have issues that we can't imagine. hard pan soil.
Did you ever get that one right!!

[Wet_Boots]

On pond-fed systems, we do the same thing, although with a brass check valve mounted on the suction side of the pump. On a galvanized steel well point, though, some suction sides were done entirely in brass and galvanized steel, which also makes it harder for a casual thief to steal the pump.

We like our hardpan. Keeps the weekend warriors out of the battle. :p

[crosson lawn]

I also have a similar problem. i do lawns but this is my yard. i haven't been serious about my own lawn until this year so i haven't used my irrigation since i moved in 3 years ago and i am guessing that it wasn't used before that for about 5 judging from the leaves on the ground. well about 7 oak trees and a large fire of leaves later i am ready to have a good lawn. i primed the pump and replaced all heads and the system has been working for 2 weeks. now it loses prime so i use a guzzler to try to prime it because i put a check valve in at the pump...didn't work. so i went to the well yes i dug it up and cut out the 2 inch 90 and i figured i would prime it so i ran a water hose to it and tried to fill it up but it takes all the water i can give it. what does this mean????? is my well dry and do i have to drill deaper???

[Ric]

crosson

As Wet as we have been this year I would hate to thing the well went dry. Yes April and May are normally very dry. We have had very strange wet weather this year. Is the pump new of old?? Are all the suction lines tight etc. The impeller on the pump may be woren out. I am not really a good irrigation guy, so others may have better Ideas.

[crosson lawn]

O. K. i have gone to where the pipe turns downward which is where the well is. i have cut the pipe and i am looking straight down the pipe. i ran the water hose to it and the water will not fill it up. is this the proper way to check this or do i have this all wrong and what is wrong. the way i have understood and allways had success in the past is to fill up (prime) the pipe with water from the pump all the way down the pipe is full of water. if you can do that then i should be able to do this for sure from the well where the pipe is going straight down and thats doesn't sound like i am asking for a miracle here. if there is anyone who can help i would appreciate it or else i will just have to dig a well. thank you

[Ric]

O. K. i have gone to where the pipe turns downward which is where the well is. i have cut the pipe and i am looking straight down the pipe. i ran the water hose to it and the water will not fill it up. is this the proper way to check this or do i have this all wrong and what is wrong. the way i have understood and allways had success in the past is to fill up (prime) the pipe with water from the pump all the way down the pipe is full of water. if you can do that then i should be able to do this for sure from the well where the pipe is going straight down and thats doesn't sound like i am asking for a miracle here. if there is anyone who can help i would appreciate it or else i will just have to dig a well. thank you


Crosson

Sorry but this is not how you prime Pump. First Unless there is a check valve at the bottom of the suction line (well point) it will not fill up. All you are doing is filling the water shed.

Since you have gone this far, Test your pump by shooting water to the pump and see if it picks it up any pressure. Have all valves turned off.

There are many things have can cause your problem. But I don't believe you have enough experience with pumps to be able diagnosis your problem. Suggest you get someone with experience to help you. Hands on can make a difference when trouble shooting.

[crosson lawn]

wouldn't most wells have a check valve as u say at the bottome of the suction line. and how would i check to see if there is or not?? i am a pretty smart guy and i promise if any advise is not understood fully i will not try it.
if there is a checkvalve at the bottom then why do some people put one at the pump also?? that must be if the one at the bottom gives out. anyway fire away i am listening.

[Ric]

crosson

Well points may or may not have a check valve. Sounds like your doesn't. To inspect the well point you must pull it. Loosen the well head and just pull the line. A man on top of a 12 foot ladder can generally keep the pipe from breaking since most are not more than 30 feet at most. Your pump shouldn't draw from more than 26 ft. If you don't have help then pull 10 or so feet at a time and cut the pipe. Be sure not to drop the pipe down the casing. Before sure to check if the well point is wet. A weighted Fishing bobbin can be used to fine the water level if it is dry. Just measure the lenght of string when you feel it float.

Now just one other thing. If you loosen the well head and water starts pouring out you have a free flowing well. But from what you are telling us I don't think so.

[crosson lawn]

so u are saying that the pvc is inside of another pipe. and u say to loosen the well head is this on the bottom of the pvc down in the well. i am looking straight down the pipe. and also pull this pvc up and out. ok i will try this.

[crosson lawn]

maybe i should put a cap with a water hole thread on it and hook the guzzler to it and try to siphon the water up to check it

[Ric]

so u are saying that the pvc is inside of another pipe. and u say to loosen the well head is this on the bottom of the pvc down in the well. i am looking straight down the pipe. and also pull this pvc up and out. ok i will try this.


crosson

No No No. Well head is at top and well point is under ground. Hire a Irrigation company to repair your pump. Sorry I can not help you. I will not post back to this thread.

[crosson lawn]

O.K. i did some more research and here in this part of florida we don't have all of that.
we got a piece of PVC down in the ground with a check valve vertical close to the well.
That's it. so the check valve was my problem. and also whoever put the line in decided that 1 1/4" pipe can just bend and it will be ok. it looked like when u kink the hose. so i replaced the line and the check valve and there u have it. thanks for the help though.

[YardPro]

I always use Gav pipe at the pump and then go to PVC. This has saved me the problem of over heating causing leaks. Before doing this I would get thread leaks on PVC right at the pump. Yes it cost more to install, but so does call backs.


we do the same thing... the other 1/2 of out business is pools. on our pool pumps we cannot use galvanized pipe becuase of the corrosive chemicals. We have suction leaks often becuase of a dry run pump. they get hot and the pvc shrinks..


a quick fix it to get the pump running and take some blur glue and gob it on really heavily right where the pcv meets the pump... the leak will suck it in and seal the joint....