# Well pump problems.



## Guest (May 4, 2009)

I have recently realized my well pump is running continuously. It's hot and dry requiring me to irrigate a lot so the sound of the pump running didn't cause any concern. Until this morning when I wasn't running any water anywhere. The pump ran and ran and never shut off. After doing a fast check to make sure I didn't have a pipe break anywere I figured the problem was in the pump or tank.

It's a jet pump on a not-very-deep well. My pressure is good and right where it ought to be. When I manually trip the pump off the pressure plummets almost instantly. Turn it back on and the pump runs it back up to where it's supposed to be, but once I shut it off again I lose all pressure.

I'm thinking I've got a valve gone bad somewhere. Maybe the foot valve in the bottom of the well? What do you all think?

.....Alan.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

The odds are you got a bad check valve. If the well is fairly shallow you can put one right at the pump and not have to pull any pipe.


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## JayandTanya (May 2, 2009)

I Agree with Watcher, sounds to me to be a bad foot valve.

Hope that helps


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

There is trash on the jet.


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## Guest (May 5, 2009)

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

.....Alan.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

agmantoo said:


> There is trash on the jet.


Don't think so. If the jet was clogged it either wouldn't pump or pump at a lower volume.

It could be a screwed up pressure switch but I'm still betting on a bad check valve.


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## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

Just a thought, if you have a well tank, could it be possible that the bladder in the tank is bad, so when the pump shuts down it automaticlly calls for it again as the pressure drops...


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

watcher,
If the problem was the checkvalve he would have lost his prime when the unit was manually shutdown IMO. It is a common occurrence for a jet pump to pump pressure and low volume when the jet is restricted. However, the pressure that is achieved can be right under the amount to trip the pressure switch. I will stick with my original statement in that the jet is partially clogged. There could be a major leak down line also. Hopefully the original poster has shut the outgoing line to eliminate that possibility. If the tank was waterlogged the pump would eventually cutout but could restart immediately but nothing was stated about the pump tripping off momentarily.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

agmantoo said:


> watcher,
> If the problem was the checkvalve he would have lost his prime when the unit was manually shutdown IMO. It is a common occurrence for a jet pump to pump pressure and low volume when the jet is restricted. However, the pressure that is achieved can be right under the amount to trip the pressure switch. I will stick with my original statement in that the jet is partially clogged. There could be a major leak down line also. Hopefully the original poster has shut the outgoing line to eliminate that possibility. If the tank was waterlogged the pump would eventually cutout but could restart immediately but nothing was stated about the pump tripping off momentarily.


Good catch. First time through I missed the fact the pump was running continuously. If the check valve was bad the pump would be kicking off and on as the tank gets full then drains back past the valve.

I stand corrected.


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## Guest (May 6, 2009)

I probably should have mentioned that if I leave the pump off for longer than about four or five minutes it does lose prime. But once reprimed it pumps like a champ. Full pressure. But it then won't shut off. Runs continuously. If I shut it off manually the pressure plummets instantly.

Trash in the valve or a bad valve it sounds like either way I've got to pull the pipe.

.....Alan.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

A.T. Hagan said:


> I probably should have mentioned that if I leave the pump off for longer than about four or five minutes it does lose prime. But once reprimed it pumps like a champ. Full pressure. But it then won't shut off. Runs continuously. If I shut it off manually the pressure plummets instantly.
> 
> Trash in the valve or a bad valve it sounds like either way I've got to pull the pipe.
> 
> .....Alan.


I typed in all the stuff below then I got to thinking. Have you checked the pressure with a gauge to see if the problem might be the pressure switch? If the pressure switch is bad it can refuse to break contact which means the pump will run and run. 

As pointed out a bad check/foot valve should not prevent the pump from kicking off. If the check valve was bad what would happen is the pump would run until the pressure tank was charged then it would kick off. It would stay off until the water in the tank drained back through the pump and the pressure drop to the kick on point. This means the pump should repeatedly kick on, kick off for a while (a few seconds) then kick back on.

You should be able to do a 'gross' check of the check valve by running the pump until it builds up pressure then turn the pump off and open a hose bib. Wait until the water stops coming out and listen. If the check valve has failed completely you'll be able to hear air being sucked into the system. If the valve is just leaking a bit you probably won't be able to hear it.

Even if the check valve is the problem you may not need to pull the pipe. In a lot of cases you can put a check valve at ground level and have it work just fine.

The trash talked about in the other post is in the pump not down the well. You'll have to take the pump apart, the pump not the motor, to clean it. It USUALLY isn't that big of a problem. You unhook the pump and remove 6 or 8 bolts and take the face plate off of the pump. Clean off the impeller and put it back on. The problem comes in getting things physically apart. Pipes and bolts don't want to come lose after being in place in a wet environment for a while.


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## sebastes (Jan 6, 2009)

I would install a check valve between the pump and the pressure tank. That will prevent the tank from emptyng, and losing pressure, once you turn off the pump. You can also do this above ground without pulling anything.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

The trash that I am referencing is in the jet. The jet can be above ground in a shallow system and it will be down the well in a deeper application.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

Do a google search on disassembling or disassembly of a jet pump and look at how they are put together. You'll see they are quite simple. There is a motor which turns an impeller inside a housing sealed with a gasket. That's about it. You remove a few bolts or nuts and the housing comes off. Clean out any junk you see and put it back together. 

If you wish while you have it out of battery you can put a check valve in. You should be able to do it for $20 to $50 depending on if you go with PVC or brass.


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## WayneR (Mar 26, 2007)

If it is a two pipe deep well pump, check for a leak between the foot valve and the venturi attachment. That could also account for the symptoms you describe.

As for the pump-use anti sieze and teflon tape on ALL bolts and threaded parts. This is best done when the unit is new, before corrosion can occur. Also tape the fittings in the well. Future maintenence is easier.

Stainless cable is one time investment, but much better than plastic rope, which may not survive prolonged immersion.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

If when you prime the pump and the prime water should fill and remain filled. If the prime water is leaving the area rapidly then you have a leak somewhere in the plumbing from the pump to the footvalve. All this is predicated on having no path for water to get into the delivery piping from the pump to the point of delivery.


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## raymilosh (Jan 12, 2005)

Based on what you have said, it sounds to me like the exact symptoms of a stuck open foot valve. Putting a check valve in line will stop the expansion tank from emptying back down the well, but it won't stop the pump from losing prime. I'm thinkng you're going to have to fix the foot valve by replacing it.
You may get it unstuck, at least temporarily, with compressed air. Unhook the 2 hoses from the pump. Plug one with something, even if its your hand. Wrap a plastic bag around an air gun and stick it in the other pipe and pull the trigger. It will FORCE water out of the foot valve and there may be enough movement to unstick it. If it doesn't work and you hear air bubbling up from outside the pipe, stop and wait for it to refill with water and try again. 
Should you decide to replace the foot valve, know that it's not that big of a deal. They pipes usually aren't all that deep and can be pulled by hand. 
Remember, you will be introducing bacteria to the well when you open it, so consider disinfecting the well with chlorine before using it for potable use again. Your health department has information on how to do it. 
If this all scares you, jut hire a driller or well installer to do the work.


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## garymunson (Apr 20, 2009)

Is this a jet pump that sits on top of the casing? If so, foot valves are pretty fool-proof. My take on your problem depends on the age of the well. 20 yrs + you may be looking at a rusted-out casing that prevents the jet system from working properly. If you haven't pulled a jet before, you'll find it has a threaded collar with a rubber sleeve that once you get the pump off, the drop pipe will need to be turned CCW to loosen the rubber sleeve and allow the drop pipe to be pulled up. Be sure to support the pipe first by building a 4x4 tripod and using a small chain hoist. The jet system works by the pump forcing water down the casing while simultaneously 'sucking' up the drop pipe. A small hole in the casing interrupts this 'circuit' and at first lessens the pump output than as it gets bigger, causes the pump to stop pumping. A quick and dirty fix is to shorten the drop pipe by one length, the hope is you move the jet above the hole. You do run the risk of worse water quality as you may end up drawing some water from a different 'underground stream' but usually not a problem. Most of the time, the rust out occurs at the jet where the rubber sleeve is against the pipe...sometimes the brass in the foot valve sets up some galvanic action that eats at the casing. Remove one length of drop pipe, install a new rubber on the jet, drop it back in, tighten CW, and replace pump...will probably work again. Good luck!


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