Only a gallon of water to reprime a 'dry' well?

[accdev]

My backyard well was producing plenty of water a few weeks ago and, then, suddenly stopped. It's stopped before when I didn't use it for a while (rainy season) and all I had to do was reprime it with the hose and off it would go again.

This last time the repriming did no good. I tried it over and over and over. I replaced the pump...same problem.

The strange thing is that it always takes just a gallon of water to reprime it even if I leave the cap off the the priming spot for several days. It did this with the old pump as well as the new. I'd think that if there was no water down in the well that the water in the pipes would drain all the way down and when I reprimed, I'd have to use the hose...not just a gallon pitcher. Is this true? If so, do you have any ideas about the problem? And what to do about it?

 

[Sammyhydro11]

you wouldn't lose any water down the well if you have a good working foot valve or check valve on the system. I would take a closer look at the rest of the system to see if you have a vacum leak or maybe a lack of water in the well. If you have a deep well jet pump there could be a few different problems. What type of pump system do you have?

sammy

 

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[accdev]

I have a 1/2 hp Flotec jet pump (capacity up to 8 gallons per minute at 40 PSI).

 

[Sammyhydro11]

how many pipes are coming into the front of the pump?

 

[accdev]

One goes out and down to the well.....another goes out to the faucets.

 

[Mike Swearingen]

There should be a check valve near the pump on the suction (well) side to hold prime. It may need replacing. It shouldn't take a whole gallon of water to prime a properly set-up surface pump.
Mike

 

[Sammyhydro11]

Unless you have a suction leak at the pump, you need to inspect the well.What is the diameter of the well? I believe those flowtec pumps have a check valve in them. Once you figure out your problem, i would consider getting yourself a better pump becuase that one will not last you long.

Sammy