Pump kicks on at 40psi but does not move higher

[mikeandteri]

The pump kicks on at 40psi but it takes an hour to reach 60psi. We have water and can run little things like toilet and faucet but not shower. What precipitated this was water conditioner ran last night and must have run well dry as this morning when I turned faucet on I got a burst of air before water came out. Things were fine before that. Is it possible to have some air-lock caused by well running dry?

 

[Reach4]

1. Jet pump or submersible (submersible means it is underground in the well)?
2. If Jet pump, one pipe into the well or two?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[mikeandteri]

submersible pump, 1/2hp 7gpm.

 

[Valveman]

Air lock in the pump will go away by simply turning off the pump for a minute and then turning it back on. But if it ran very long without water, the impellers probably melted enough that it can't produce the pressure it once did.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

If the pump runs without building additional pressure, there is a good chance that there is a leak inside the well or in the lateral.