Water needed

[Kev24]

Ok we lost water to our house and we share a shallow well which is 500 feet from our house. We have replaced the pump in house, the foot valve, the check valve and the pressure tank also put a longer pipe on going into the well. We get water and it kicks out but as soon as we flush it drops really quickly below 20 psi and pump seems to lose its pressure and prime. We have been fighting this problem for about a month. We can't afford a plumber I'm a maintenance millwright so know what I'm doing just can't figure out what's causing this. We've lived here for 26 years and have never had this much issue. Could there be ice in the lines the temperature has beeen -10 to -20 Celsius

 

[Valveman]

Sounds more like a suction leak. It won't leak water but it will let air in and make you lose prime.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Do you have a check valve other than the foot valve?

 

[Kev24]

Sounds more like a suction leak. It won't leak water but it will let air in and make you lose prime.

Suction leak from where?

 

[Kev24]

Do you have a check valve other than the foot valve?

Yes both check valve and foot valve were replaced

 

[Reach4]

Yes both check valve and foot valve were replaced

Glad to hear you say that. It points to a fairly easy likely fix. I suggest that you remove the above-ground check valve, or gut its innards.

Also, set your air precharge to 4 PSI less than the cut-on pressure. That is to account for the slower response time of a jet pump vs a submersible pump.

I am not a pro.

 

[hj]

A "longer pipe down the wel"l will have absolutely no effect on the operation if the water level is dropping more than 26' below the pump's location. Running out of water in the well WOULD cause your symptoms with a shallow well pump.

 

[Reach4]

A longer pipe prevents sucking air through the foot valve and losing prime.

 

[Bluebinky]

Suction leak from where?

Is there a union on the suction side?

 

[hj]

But a longer pipe will NOT supply water if the water level drops too far. At that point, the pump seals could leak air into the system.