Pump runs constent

Help !! Homeowner with little knowledge of pumps and such. Our pump runs constently when turned on. We have a convertible 1/2 hp shallow jet well pump. Cut-in is 20 PSI, cut-off is 40 PSI, and I would estimate the the pump is 5+ years old.

The pump won't reach 40 PSI anymore when running. Only reaches 38 PSI and keeps running. I have to flip the circuit breaker off and back on. Last night we adjusted the Bladder Tank thinking there was some sort of problem there, but that wasn't it. While the pump was running last night my Hubby adjusted the cut-off pressure to about 38 psi and then the pump kicked off. We thought that might have taken care of the problem, then about and hour later the pump kicked on with no water usage anywhere in the house and ran for about 2 minutes then kicked off. It continued to do this throughout the evening, kicking on about once and hour with no water being used and then shutting back off. Just to be on the safe side, we killed the power overnight to the pump and this morning when I went down to the basement to turn the pump back on I noticed that the pump had lost its prime and there was no pressure on the gauge on the pump. I let the pump run for a few minutes to see if it would pick back up pressure and it did not so I've turned the pump off for now until we can figure out what's going on. It appears that all the water has drained back out to the well. This is an older home with a shallow well. The pump / bladder tank are located in the basement and I would estimate that the well is approx. 40 feet from the pump. Any suggestions on what the problem might be? Newbie homeowners in need of any assistance.

You will have to find the well and check the foot valve, pipes in the well and also the pipe leading from the well to the house if the in well parts aren't the problem. The leak is obviously on the suction side of the pump since it lost it's prime.

This is not the reason the pump can't build pressure however. You didn't mention getting air in the lines, so I will assume the leak in under water which would suggest the footvalve. Either your water level has dropped to the point that the pump isn't able to make 40+ lbs. anymore or there is trash in the impeller.

bob...

Bob....I don't mean to sound like a goof, but can I assume that the foot valve is on the "end" of the pipe in the well? When you say "the pipe leading from the well to the house", does that mean I need to dig up all the pipe leading from the house to the well, to try and see if I can spot a leak?

Is there an easier way?

Thank you SOOO much for your help on this. We really appreciate it.

Marti

Find the well first Marti, check the footvalve which is on the end of the droppipe in the well. It should be at 30 feet or so. If your not getting air in the lines, I don't think the pipe from the house to the well is an issue. More than likely you will find the footvalve is bad or there is a hole in the pipe under water in the droppipe.

bob...