shallow well pump losing prime sporadically

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abeljda

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Hello, I have a shallow well jacuzzi jet pump which is new last year. I had some plumbers replace it and replumb most of the well pump piping in the well housing. Last week we lost water. I got the pump going, and it looked like it was sucking some mud so I pulled the draw pipe and replaced the pipe and foot valve. I decided to use schedule 40 pvc pipe 1 1/4 rather than use steel pipe as what was there. After getting a couple leaks in the new pipe and fitting sealed it worked for almost 2 days. when I got up this morning again no water. I am looking for ideas as to what might be wrong and if I made a bad choice in using the plastic sched 40 pvc pipe? I have read thru some other thread and I don't think its sucking air anywhere. It does have a slow dripping leak on the draw pipe into the pump, but that has been there since the plumbers did their work. Also the pump has a 4 gallon 3/4 pipe pressure tank on it and I new pressure switch all replaced last week. The old pressure tank was full of water which I thought was the problem to begin with, not so.

Any sugguestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
 

Masterpumpman

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As Valveman said, you have a leak in the suction line somewhere between the foot valve and the pump inlet. I suspect the water drip on the pump suction when the pump is at rest is where the suction leak is! No Schedule 40 PVC was a good decision.
 

abeljda

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OK, thanks. I am diggin up the line. It was sucking dirt still so it had to be cracked somewhere.The original line was a 1 inch galvanized, going into a 1 1/4 inch inlet on the pump. I am going back with 1 1/4 sched 40 pvc, not 1 inch. The well is shallow, 15 foot from the foot valve to the top of the line where it elbows back horizontal 50 foot to the pump. Does that sound reasonable or should I leave well enough alone and use 1 inch like what was there? Thanks.
 

jimtum

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Do you have galvanized pipe on the disharge side, if it is pvc as the pipe gets hot and then cools it will get loose and this can also allow for the pump to lose its prime as well.
 
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