advice needed, I can't prime the pump

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rbig

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I'm working on my son's well. He had a 2hp pump on it. For some reason, the pump ate itself. So, I found a 2hp Sears Simer and put it on the well.

Coming out of the ground is a 2" pice of pipe. I have a hose bib coming off the 2" pipe, just above ground. The pipe goes just above it to a check valve (vertical). Then, the 2" piece of pipe goes into the pump intake. The idea of having the hose bib is a way to prime the vertical water stand. My idea is run water in, and when you don't hear it anymore, shut the valve off. The, I'd like to think you get suction.

This isn't what's happening with me. I run water into the well forever, and it doesn't fill.

I have no idea whats below the surface.

I thought thats what check valves at the surface were for: Holding a column of water right at the check valve.

Is the fact that I'm not able to fill the vertical water pipe something I'm going to have to get water well people to come out and advise me on?

Or, is there something simple I'm not doing?
 

JohnjH2o1

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If I'm reading you post right the hose bib is on the wrong side of the check valve. To prime the pump you must fill the line between the pump and the check valve not the line after the check valve.

John
 

Gary Slusser

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You also need to put water in the pump.

To prime the system you should be putting water into the pump where the water line from the pump to the pressure tank is, and the water should go through the pump and down the well to a foot valve but many/most 2" wells don't have a foot valve so any water you pour down the well ends up running out into the sand and gravel aquifer. That's why they have a check valve above ground between the well and the jet pump. With no water in the pump there will not be any vacuum created to suck water from the well. You did buy a shallow well jet pump right?
 

Gary Slusser

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Yes. It's a jet pump. What you say makes sense. I'll go back Wed and make the changes and we'll see how it does.
Thinking about how you plumbed the tap before the pump, you should remove that becasue any air in it will probably not be a good thing for priming. Put it after the pump or on top on the outlet of the pump where you can unscrew it to prime the pump (let it stick straight up out of a threaded coupler or female adapter). Or if you don't need it hgher than the top of the pump, use an elbow on its end.
 

rbig

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My gosh you guys were all right on target: I ripped out what was there and put in new pieces, without the hose bib (Yes, new check valve, too). I had a leak or two, so the old check valve was lost anyway.

Primed it twice, and there came the water: lots of it !!!

Thanks so much for your wise observations. At first, I was afraid I might have to have a well company come in and check it out. Big thing is one the new pieces, I used plenty of glue
 
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