New Shallow Well Pump - No Water Flow After 12+ Hours

[JKS129]

I installed a new Red Lion 1/2 hp pump with pressure tank to pull water from an underground 1100 gallon storage tank. I got everything primed and it worked, but sounded as if it was sucking some air and/or cavitation. I thought everything was working OK, until the next day when it wouldn't move water. I had to re-prime and start/stop the pump multiple times where it finally built pressure and worked. Trying to figure out where to go from here...

1100 gallon underground water tank. The tank is about 2' underground and the pickup for the water is about 8' underground. There is about 15 feet of pipe from the pump to the inlet of the tank. The pump is rated for pulling from 25' deep. I don't know if I am 8' deep or 23' which includes the horizontal section. I have 1 1/4" pipe run from the pickup to the inlet of the pump.

I did install a 1 1/4" check valve about 2" off the inlet of the pump. From the check valve, there is a 90 degree elbow and then a union. There are a couple more 90 degree elbows before the line gets to the tank.

In troubleshooting this I've read that the check valve should be about 12" from the pump. I've also read that I should not use a union. I'm thinking of adding a 12" section of horizontal flex pipe from the inlet of the pump and getting rid of two of the 90 degree elbows. I still need a union in order to connect everything up though.

Thoughts on all this? I can add a picture in a few hours.

 

[Reach4]

I suggest that you use the search box above and look for this word for a tip in finding your leak:

 

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[Valveman]

The check valve needs to go on the bottom of your suction pipe. And the pressure switch needs to be turned down to a pressure that the pump can actually build. You may also have a suction leak. Just glue it all together and don't use a union.

 

[JKS129]

Here is a picture of the setup.

 

[JKS129]

have coated all suction side joints with shaving creme and do not notice any leaks. The pump seems to be work this morning also... I still hear some air noises while it is running. Not sure if it is cavitation from the check valve being too close to the pump or if it is sucking some air somewhere.

The reference about the check valve being on the bottom of the suction line... Does that mean it should be at the tank pickup and not by the pump at all?

 

[VAWellDriller]

have coated all suction side joints with shaving creme and do not notice any leaks. The pump seems to be work this morning also... I still hear some air noises while it is running. Not sure if it is cavitation from the check valve being too close to the pump or if it is sucking some air somewhere.

The reference about the check valve being on the bottom of the suction line... Does that mean it should be at the tank pickup and not by the pump at all?

The check valve should be in the tank at the pump pickup so it will hold water in the entire length of suction pipe. There should be no other check on the system. The problem is obvious looking at your picture...the giant upbend your suction pipe makes will make this VERY difficult to prime....and there is probably a pocket of air trapped in the vertical that moves around a little when the pump starts. As Valveman said, skip the union and just glue it together....its easy enough to glue back a coupling if you ever need to service it. You plumb the suction so it goes straight out of the pump and 90's down....do not go up.