Well Pump Replacement, Check Valve or Not?

[Themus]

My first pump lasted 15 years and I installed a brass check valve a few feet from the tank. I have an 85' well and 20 gallon tank. My second pump just failed after 3.5 years and sometime ago (for reasons I cannot remember) I removed the check valve.

This third time, I am letting a professional well driller replace it. One well driller said he will add a brass check valve, the other said he would but does not normally. I've read at length on this forum a few threads on what seems to be the pro's can con's. The guy who recommends the second check valve said the pump's check valve is just a piece of plastic.

I read about the water hammer problems with a second check valve.

Not to beat this subject to death, but for someone not greatly educated in this particular subject, and in light of the above, should I or not have one installed. IE. a second check valve?

 

[Sarg]

It was also common practice to have a "check valve" installed before the pressure tank ....... "above ground " ...... that's the way mine was for many years until I learned better and replaced it with a CSV.
The only advantage to that layout was it held pressure in the tank and disguised the fact the check valve at the pump was faulty.
Putting the brass "better" check valve just above the pump might be viable.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[freturetechno]

Thank you for the insightful article on check valves. The detailed description of their functionality and applications was very helpful.

 

[WorthFlorida]

You only need one check valve within a few feet of the pump intake.

 

[Themus]

Well, no pun intended, but the well driller just left (I am at work) and to my surprise, he told me he put a check valve in (same as the first well driller said he would).

My wife sent me a picture of it done and I didn't see the check valve. Then she sent me a picture of it. He installed it precisely above the new pump.

That surprised me as well. I thought it would be a bit higher. Is that ok being right above the pump?

I guess I learned something else. I thought the well cap held the pump. He told me the bolts were too tight. One was stripped. He said the elbow will hold the pump and the flange kept contamination out.

My lack of knowledge can make me OCD about what is right. Is he correct in what he says and did?

 

[LLigetfa]

He installed it precisely above the new pump.

That surprised me as well. I thought it would be a bit higher. Is that ok being right above the pump?

That is the right place to install it.