Pump will not hold prime. Help

[james1210]

2 inch, plastic casing, 80 feet deep, 40 foot water level ,60 foot single drop pipe with jet package . New foot valve and leathers. Will not hold prime. Prime water drops to water level in well overnight. Observation of prime water is with pump off. Packer looked good no cracks or holes noted. Water hose in drop pipe no leaks noted but water was flowing opening above leathers through jet package?? Could I have a cracked well casing? Any ideas what to try?

 

[Valveman]

Try raising the packer a little and set it in a new spot. If the casing is cracked or bad, just move up to a good spot.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Texas Wellman]

Sometimes you get a bad footvalve. Had to pull and change many new ones.

 

[james1210]

The leathers I used were 5 years old could they have been bad they looked ok to me and were stored in a plastic bag. Also what keeps the drive pipe full? I can see the suction part (area between drive pipe and casing} is sealed by the foot valve and leathers? Will try pulling up 2 or 3 feet and prime again. I think foot valve I took off was good but I changed it anyway getting to old to be pulling pipe out and getting it threaded up in a tree.

 

[Texas Wellman]

You've got it backwards. Suction pipe is the middle pipe drive pipe is space between suction and casing. Leathers seal the pipe under the jet. The leathers may need time to swell and seat seeing how old they are. They may not be the right size. The size I use is slightly larger than the 2" casing (think it's 2.25 x 1) but I need to look.

 

[james1210]

You've got it backwards. Suction pipe is the middle pipe drive pipe is space between suction and casing. Leathers seal the pipe under the jet. The leathers may need time to swell and seat seeing how old they are. They may not be the right size. The size I use is slightly larger than the 2" casing (think it's 2.25 x 1) but I need to look.

 

[james1210]

Let me know the size of the leathers you use. That could be it. I just cant see pvc pipe cracking I still have pipe pulled up a couple feet and its still not holding water. In your experience how many cracked plastic casings have you had. Thanks

 

[Texas Wellman]

Let me know the size of the leathers you use. That could be it. I just cant see pvc pipe cracking I still have pipe pulled up a couple feet and its still not holding water. In your experience how many cracked plastic casings have you had. Thanks

Very very rare. Have seen it once or twice in 20+ years.

Leathers can be flared on the install. Generally speaking all jets will pass a little water through if you let it set. Usually takes 7-12 gallons to prime and not unusual to lose a few gallons if left to sit overnight.

 

[james1210]

Very very rare. Have seen it once or twice in 20+ years.

Leathers can be flared on the install. Generally speaking all jets will pass a little water through if you let it set. Usually takes 7-12 gallons to prime and not unusual to lose a few gallons if left to sit overnight.

I am going to try and find some 2 1/4 inch leathers. I never measured the new ones I installed. the ID was the same and they were a little bigger than the jet body but maybe not enough OD. Another question... I have another well and I could remove pressure gage from old pump and let water in from other well to prime. The new pump will not do this it must have a check valve the pump will not prime the same as the old. and it cant use water in tank to maintain prime. Both pumps are Myers 1 hp the old was installed in 1977 and I kept it going till 2012 when I bought a new pump. The pressure gage on new pump reads the tank pressure but the pressure switch senses well pressure? and will run and not pump due to loss of prime and tank still has water pressure. Thanks for letting me pick your brain on this subject, if I can keep a helicopter flying I should be able to keep a pump pumping and if I am becoming a pest let me know. ok

 

[Texas Wellman]

Most jet pumps (vertical ones like I am familar with) have a little orifice in the regulator that will allow some water to pass. Goulds has an actual "thingie" and Sta Rite has a notch. They quit making the real myers jet pumps about 5-6 years back. They were junk anyways.

if the pump has a regulator when it's running it should read "jet pressure" and when it shuts off it should read tank pressure.

 

[james1210]

Decided to install pump back on well before I pulled it out again. Even though it was taking about 4 gallons of water to fill pipe back up after sitting 24 hours. After reinstalling pump and topping off prime it started and filled tank, It was still holding prime 11 hours later when I drained tank to cut in pressure and pump refilled tank. Did it take that long (10 days) for new but old leathers to swell or did using pump cause leathers to seal better? Thanks for your help if you don't hear from me again its working.