- The water pump started short cycling on monday night... it wasn't very often though (a few seconds every 45 mins of so) ... it was late, I was tired, figured I'd check it out in the morning... so I fell asleep quick.
- when I woke up the next morning at 7 am the pump was short cycling turning on for 15 seconds at a time and then off for only 2 seconds before it'd start back up again.
- I switched it off and rushed out to check well cap...
- the well was dry except for half a foot of water and I could see the foot valve at the bottom. (the well is very shallow, only 15 foot deep)
- within three or four hours the water was back up near normal levels (5 feet)
- I began to try and prime the pump to get the water back in...
- only, the water wouldn't prime and stay in the pump... I must of poured 20 gallons of water into the pump that first night but nothing...
- although I figured the pump short cycling and the well running dry was due to a leaky toilet somewhere... I began to worry that there was a foot valve issue... how else to explain the water rushing back into the well?
- so I phoned around, multiple people told me to try to a 'line check' by sticking a check valve on the line to well-line (about 6 six feet from the pump) just before the well-line goes back into the ground
- I guess the idea is that the check line will bypass any possible foot valve issues by keeping the suction up in the well-line? (like a thumb on the end of drinking straw)
- I was advised I'd have to prime and reprime dozen of times in order to get the water to move up out of the well to the line check...
- I did this... and I was able to prime the pump...
- When I leave it run with the plug loose, the air bubbles gurgle up around the plug as I believe they should... but the bubbles never stop..
-i even let it run for 40 minutes last night and in the end nothing... just more compressed air to let out.
- when I run the pump, after an initial spike of of a second or so the pressure never gets past 15psi.
- I've tried releasing air on the house side by opening taps
- I've tried draining the air bladder in the tank to kill the back flow.
...At this point is seems like there's water coming but I can never get enough pressure...it will dance up to 20psi and then dip back to 15psi
It's a single line jet pump... there is now a 'line check' about 8 feet on down the well-line from the pump... after the 'line check' the well-line runs horizontal for 70 feet were it drops 10 feet into the well... where there may or may not be a faulty foot valve.
should I
- put air back into the tank?
- just keep at it? It will come?
- close off the house system?
going on 3 days... getting desperate... put a call out to some professionals but they're all busy until the weekend.
Thanks in advance
Nate
- when I woke up the next morning at 7 am the pump was short cycling turning on for 15 seconds at a time and then off for only 2 seconds before it'd start back up again.
- I switched it off and rushed out to check well cap...
- the well was dry except for half a foot of water and I could see the foot valve at the bottom. (the well is very shallow, only 15 foot deep)
- within three or four hours the water was back up near normal levels (5 feet)
- I began to try and prime the pump to get the water back in...
- only, the water wouldn't prime and stay in the pump... I must of poured 20 gallons of water into the pump that first night but nothing...
- although I figured the pump short cycling and the well running dry was due to a leaky toilet somewhere... I began to worry that there was a foot valve issue... how else to explain the water rushing back into the well?
- so I phoned around, multiple people told me to try to a 'line check' by sticking a check valve on the line to well-line (about 6 six feet from the pump) just before the well-line goes back into the ground
- I guess the idea is that the check line will bypass any possible foot valve issues by keeping the suction up in the well-line? (like a thumb on the end of drinking straw)
- I was advised I'd have to prime and reprime dozen of times in order to get the water to move up out of the well to the line check...
- I did this... and I was able to prime the pump...
- When I leave it run with the plug loose, the air bubbles gurgle up around the plug as I believe they should... but the bubbles never stop..
-i even let it run for 40 minutes last night and in the end nothing... just more compressed air to let out.
- when I run the pump, after an initial spike of of a second or so the pressure never gets past 15psi.
- I've tried releasing air on the house side by opening taps
- I've tried draining the air bladder in the tank to kill the back flow.
...At this point is seems like there's water coming but I can never get enough pressure...it will dance up to 20psi and then dip back to 15psi
It's a single line jet pump... there is now a 'line check' about 8 feet on down the well-line from the pump... after the 'line check' the well-line runs horizontal for 70 feet were it drops 10 feet into the well... where there may or may not be a faulty foot valve.
should I
- put air back into the tank?
- just keep at it? It will come?
- close off the house system?
going on 3 days... getting desperate... put a call out to some professionals but they're all busy until the weekend.
Thanks in advance
Nate
