Shallow Well Pump Losing Prime

[Seaspur]

I purchased a home 10 years ago in South Florida that had an unused non-working irrigation system running from a well. I replaced all the PVC, heads, pump relay, made a new manifold, added a timer, added a 1.5hp irrigation pump, etc. It has worked great for about 5 years now.

I noticed my lawn looked dry and didn't see any water on the driveway when I went to work one morning. I've checked the seals on the pump and they are in tact with no apparent damage. Impeller is free of debris. I replaced the suction side PVC into the pump as precaution from excessive unions, but no leaks detected (the photo is prior to me doing that, the SprinkleRite system is also not plumbed to eliminate it).

My setup does *not* have a check valve at all, which would seem concerning- except it has never had one (even prior to my refurb) and ran perfectly fine. I've dug a little further underground and didn't see one either...is it possible the check valve is much further down? Surely they would have made it serviceable if they did install one many years ago.

I have a T section coming off the discharge to prime with. I can fill it up but it will very slowly leak down. Over the course of the last month when I've been messing with it, I've been able to get it to prime a time or two. When I do, it will discharge water for as long as I want it to. When I shut it off, it refuses to auto prime and it's hit or miss until I can get it to manually prime again. Tried about 5 times yesterday though and nothing.

What do I check next? It's very hard to find a contractor to come out and check this- all irrigation contractors I have called only want to mess with valves, fittings, heads, timers, etc.

The water I had was super irony/rusty but at least it was "free". Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Definitely need a check valve on the suction side of the pump. Probably the water table has dropped just enough to pull down when the pump is not running. When the pump shut off, if you hear gurgling or a trickling sound of water, the water is going back down the well. I see an iron treatment injection system and the line is connected on the suction side of the pump just at grade. Not sure if that has anything to do with. Fill the tank with water and see if it helps any, regardless, a check valve is needed. When the pump has been off for awhile the water level in the tank should be dropping. The injection needs to be between the check valve and the pump. Have you dug down a but to see if a check valve is below grade? It's possible.

If Tampa area is like S. Florida, hydro static pressure brings the water up to about five feet below grade. Right now we have been pretty dry so the water table maybe dropping. Also, S. Florida wells of less than 50 feet has iron and with your iron treatment suggest you have a shallow well. Go deeper to about 70-80 ft it is sulfur water and and no iron staining with sulfur water, only a stinky odor.

 

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[Valveman]

Probably has a footvalve at the bottom of the well pipe. Most likely the footvalve is bad and leaking back.

 

[Reach4]

A foot valve is a combination check valve and input screen.