no water

[drmd3715]

I have a question that I hope someone can help me with, I'll explain. I am 68 years old and have had no running water in my home for 5 months now and there are two reasons why. The first is money the second is that I cant get a definite answer as to what is really wrong. Some 5 months ago my old galvanized pipes in the basement began leaking. I had them replaced with copper, only about 4 feet of it was needed. The Gould 1/2 hp pump was turned off for about a week and then taken apart, rust chipped out of the inside case, 2 new gaskets replaced and plugged in. It was water primed for hours and it would not bring up the water. The pump has the 2 hoses coming off the front of it. We took the pump off and brought it out back and shoved the 2 hoses into a small tub of water. It shot water about 10' into the air. We put it back on the well pipes, primed it and nothing comes out. You can see water right there in both plastic pipes but it will not come in. I have very little money after feeding my two dogs and when anyone comes here to look at it they do nothing except tell my they have to dig up my front yard, pull up many feet of piping and replace the foot valve. The system holds 50 lbs of pressure when my neighbor hooked his hose to my system, and the took it off and the pressure held steady for 2 weeks. I dont understand why a foot valve would get ruined just by replacing 4 feet of pipe in my basement. The cost of digging in mine and my dogs food allowance for the next 4 months so before I let them dig this up I wish I knew if it was really a bad foot valve or just the pump. I assume that since the pump worked in the bucket of water out back it must be okay, but I dont know for sure. Can anyone help me with this please? Thank you so much, david

 

[Doherty Plumbing]

I have a question that I hope someone can help me with, I'll explain. I am 68 years old and have had no running water in my home for 5 months now and there are two reasons why. The first is money the second is that I cant get a definite answer as to what is really wrong. Some 5 months ago my old galvanized pipes in the basement began leaking. I had them replaced with copper, only about 4 feet of it was needed. The Gould 1/2 hp pump was turned off for about a week and then taken apart, rust chipped out of the inside case, 2 new gaskets replaced and plugged in. It was water primed for hours and it would not bring up the water. The pump has the 2 hoses coming off the front of it. We took the pump off and brought it out back and shoved the 2 hoses into a small tub of water. It shot water about 10' into the air. We put it back on the well pipes, primed it and nothing comes out. You can see water right there in both plastic pipes but it will not come in. I have very little money after feeding my two dogs and when anyone comes here to look at it they do nothing except tell my they have to dig up my front yard, pull up many feet of piping and replace the foot valve. The system holds 50 lbs of pressure when my neighbor hooked his hose to my system, and the took it off and the pressure held steady for 2 weeks. I dont understand why a foot valve would get ruined just by replacing 4 feet of pipe in my basement. The cost of digging in mine and my dogs food allowance for the next 4 months so before I let them dig this up I wish I knew if it was really a bad foot valve or just the pump. I assume that since the pump worked in the bucket of water out back it must be okay, but I dont know for sure. Can anyone help me with this please? Thank you so much, david

If your pump is holding a prime it is NOT the foot valve. If the pump constantly loses prime it's the foot valve 99% of the time.

And when you say you get no water what do you mean exactly? Do you get no water at the faucets? If so you may have some fouled up Galvanized that's just clogged and not letting water through.
[edit] NM you mentioned you had water when connected to your neighbours hose bibb.

So the real question is the pump losing it's prime constantly?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Teets]

If there's 2 lines coming out of the front of the pump, then it's a deep well jet pump with a jet assembly in the well. If the pump will hold prime but not build pressure, then the jet asembly is probably plugged with debris and should be cleaned out or replaced.

 

[drmd3715]

well, theres no more galvanized anywhere. I hooked my neighbors hose to my system and turned on their water. While on, I plugged in my pump. The pressure went up to 50 lbs and my pump shut itself off. I took their hose off my system, went upstairs and turned on my kitchen faucet. The water came out as it once did and then slowly the flow became less and less, the pump turned itself on but within a minute or so there was nothing coming out of the faucet and the pump was still running but the pressure gauge read zero and no more water would come in. I apologize for not responding quicker but I have cancer and at times the pain is quite strong and I have to lie down for bit. thank you,
david

 

[NHmaster]

Teets has it right. The jet in the well is plugged.

 

[drmd3715]

thank you all very much now at least I know what has to be done.