robbsclassics
New Member
I have a 2 pipe deep well jet pump that won't work. It is a Read Jacket pump. There is a sticker on it that says 1979, so I think its over 30 years old. The problem I have is it is not pumping any water. The power was off for about a week. I did not need to prime the pump at all, started pumping fine for about 2 weeks. I noticed that it kept running so adjusted the pressure down a little, the next day same thing, adjusted the pressure down a little more. The next morning there was no water pressure, and the pump was dry. I shut it off, but I have no idea if it was dry for 5 min or 5 hours. I tried priming it, and it did nothing. I poured about 7gal into the pump over the course of a few hours, gave up and tried the next day. When I was priming the pump it would bubble while running, but never started to pump. I think I need a new pump, but would a foot valve cause that too? How can I test the pump and the foot valve? The problem with that is I have no clue where the well is. The previous owner said it was "Over there in the woods somewhere", but it is buried and was put in maybe 1949-1979. I know the well has water because there is an artesian well that is still running a few hundred yards from my house. I do have water, but I have to walk a ways to get it, so I would like to get it fixed.