pump cycling too frequently

Hi there! Hope someone can help.
My pump cycles every 14 mins. I have replaced the foot valve inside my dug well. Water is turned off upstream of holding tank. Pump has no trouble reaching 50 psi but then slowly drains (with no water consumption) down to 30 psi and the pump begins again. Pump runs for about a minute indicating to me it is indeed filling up the holding tank which when tapped was empty. The pump isn't leaking (1/2 hp jet pump) and my plumber tells me the leak in the line is between the house and well. Is there anything else I can check?
How do I checkout the checkvalve in the jetpump? This was not even mentioned in discussion or could it even be that? The old footvalve was faulty by the way.
Thanks...help me before I dig

ECK said:

The old footvalve was faulty by the way.

Click to expand...

Did you replace the old drop pipe at the same time, it could have some pin hole leaks.

Rancher

There is no check valve 'in' a jet pump.

He's already replaced the foot valve and wish as you may that the leak is not in the (underground) plumbing from the well, it ain't gonna change the location. And there is no other place it could be leaking except the drop pipe itself; or the new foot valve. It's probably easier and less hassel to dug in a new line using PE tubing than to attempt to find the leak but... usually they are at the pitless connection just outside the casing. So check there first and if it isn't there, I'd trench a new line in.

pump cycles too frequently

thanks guys....
I assume the drop line is the line inside the well connected to the foot valve.
Hoping it was as easy as the foot valve, when I replaced it I took it out of the well from the elbow of the horizontal (or to jet pump) line and down. From the top of this 7ft line with foot valve attatched the plumber leak checked the valve by blowing in it. I called him in to double check my work after. If this tests against loss of air pressure at footvalve it would've been noticed if there was a pinhole leak here?And since only a couple of feet of this line are underwater in the well (very dry conditions) would I even be able to reprime the line in case of a leak in this line? Also', how come when I turn the pump on it regains pressure (seems to start around 20-25 psi jumping up from zero when I turn power back on) and fills tank. With a leak that empties my tank quick enough but still maintains its prime? Is that a function of location of leak?
Is there any other way I'm losing pressure from the pump besides water loss? Would a pinhole leak drain my holding tank in 13-14 minutes?
Anymore help is appreciated...but why do I feel as though I'm digging in the am.

Shut the water off on the house side of the pressure tank and watch the guage. If it falls the leak is on the well side of the tank. If not, the leak is on the house side of the tank.

It could be any pipe threads or insert fitting using hose clamp; or the foot valve could have a piece of dirt in it. You can test a foot/check valve by filling the piupe with water and watching if the level holds or falls. You can test the pipe and valve by using an air compressor, air pressure and a guage.

Thanks Gary,

Finished digging up half the line between house and well. Wouldn't ya know - found the split in the line just past a buckle or compressed "dent" in the pipe. Split was almost an inch long. It's all rock under a couple inches of topsoil around here. However they did seem to bury it in a good channel. Something must have shifted and put pressure on line, although I found no rocks against or on top of line.
I'm going to patch the line tomorrow and re-bury. What would you recommend as the best pipe insulator?
I'm familiar with pipe insulation and heated lines. How do you use styrofoam? And is it possible they used sawdust packed around the line? It seems we are digging this up.
Thanks a million. We can't wait to have steady water back in house tomorrow. Got two really muddy boys having fun but needing to bath!

EastCoastKid

Sawdust would seem to attract termintes...sand would seem a better choice.

Does anyone know the proper way to insulate with styrofoam? Do you use styro chips to pack around the pipe?
I'm going to use pipe insulation but I want to pack the trench line with another insulator? Any ideas?
Thanks

Put the line down 6-12" below the frost line and you don't need insulation; which is the only right way to do it.