Jet Pump Check Valve / Freezing?

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BrianC73

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I have an outside vertical driven well pipe that extends about 15" out of the ground, turns 90 degrees, and then runs 36" to a shallow jet pump inside a pole barn. At the top of the vertical pipe, just before the 90 degree fitting, is a check valve. The building is not insulated or heated, and the pump is set up with a couple unions so that it can be easily removed and stored indoors for the winter. This may be a dumb question, but once that supply line union is broken, will the water on the vertical line, below the check valve, drop back down into the well? My concern is that if it doesn't, then I either need to figure out how to drain it, or I can put an enclosure over it and heat it with a light bulb if necessary.

It took months of work and frustration to get this thing functioning properly, including pulling and driving a new pipe. It was kind of a "crowning achievement" on the property. It has worked flawlessly all summer, and I hate to "disassemble" any of the fittings if it can be avoided.

Thanks!
 

Reach4

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This may be a dumb question, but once that supply line union is broken, will the water on the vertical line, below the check valve, drop back down into the well?

For a shallow well, the check valve can be part of a foot valve (which is an intake screen plus a check valve).

A well point that does not have a smaller pipe inserted will not have a check valve down the well. You just suck on the driven-in pipe. That may be what you have. Ideally the the check valve would be right at the top of the well in that case, but since your pump is close, it could be at the pump intake. If you remove the check valve, the water will drop down the well.
 
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BrianC73

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Thanks. It's an 1.5" driven pipe and there is no foot valve. The check valve is right at the top of the pipe as you mention. So short of removing that check valve, water won't drain back regardless of what gets disconnected between it and the jet pump? My goal is to avoid having to remove that valve if at all possible.
 

Reach4

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Thanks. It's an 1.5" driven pipe and there is no foot valve. The check valve is right at the top of the pipe as you mention. So short of removing that check valve, water won't drain back regardless of what gets disconnected between it and the jet pump? My goal is to avoid having to remove that valve if at all possible.
You could add a tee with a valve that you could open. That valve could admit air when you want to let the water drop back into the well. You could also put chemicals in there (bleach and vinegar not pre-mixed) for sanitizing if you wanted.
 

Valveman

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Like holding your finger over a straw full of ice tea. That is how it is working now. Gotta let air in somehow. But if you put any fittings below the check valve you just have another place for a suction leak.
 
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