Jet Valve?

I could use some help.

I am on the fence weather I have discoved my problem or not.

Here is what I got : twin jet 3/4 Hp Flowtec house pump. Woke up Sunday to find it just running at 0 psi. Thought it lost prime so I pulled the top gauge and was going to fill it but there was water to the top. The water was just sitting there. It was not getting kicked out so I thought Impeller went bad.

I cut it out and took it to pump repair shop. They pulled it apart and said it looked good. I got to talking to one of the guys about my system setup and he said he thought it was Jet valve in the well was gummed up or the well needed to be drilled deeper.

My neighbors house is 25 years old where mine is 13 years and from what I been told his well would not have been drilled as deep as mine. His well is probably 50ft away and his pump has always had more pressure then mine.

So I think the problem is in the jet valve. My question is, How hard would this be for me to replace with the help of my neighbor and a come-along wench. Looking at 3" well with 1 1/4" galvanized pipe running guestimate of 30ft down.

I would pay to have it done but well is loacated in back yard with fence trees and shed there is no way a company could get there truck to back up to it and I was quoted 800 - 900 to get this thing out and replace w/ pvc and hanging jet valve. Money is a factor and time is a issue as well. I got a new kid due within a week.

Thanks in Advance for any help you can give.
Robert

 

I'm going to assume a couple of things here.
By saying twin jet, I'm assuming you're talking about a deep well jet pump which has two lines going into the well. I'm also assuming that a jet valve is a deep well ejector.
Since the pump itself checked out ok, your problem probably lies in the ejector or in the footvalve, which is installed below the ejector.
If it's only 30' deep, you and your friend should be able to pull the lines out. You'll want to check the piping for leaks, as well as inspecting the ejector and footvalve.
If there are any checkvalves above ground, especially on the suction side of the pump, you might want to check those before you pull anything.
Just out of curiosity, is your neighbor's pump some other brand than a Flotec?
Ron

 

Have had wells with pin holes in the pipe at a lot of the threaded ends. From electrolysis and couldnt pump water ???

My .02 cents

Ed

 

Ron - This would be a deep well ejector w/ foot valve it is a packer system.

I turned on pump this morning and it spiked up to around 20-25psi and was pushing water for awhile then droped to 0psi. I used shut off valve that goes into the airator and it climbed back up to 20psi but just kept running at this level.

Another thing is It seems like I got what sounds like air in the line. I can feel it 30ft out from pump where the well goes into the ground.

Questions at this point would be : Since I have this packard system do I need to stick to galvinized piping when replacing foot valve? Is this where the problem is or is there no way of telling until it's pulled up? What Can be the worst thing to go wrong?

Neighbors pump is Flowtec as well 3/4 hp

Thanks Agian Ron

Robert

 

Ed - If I got a pin hole in between 30ft section from pump to top of well would a puddle of water form even if it was pointing down?

Robert

 

Yes it would show up there above the well. But the pin holes Im talking about that we have had are all down in the well in the galv pipe thread down in the well water .

ED

 

There could be one of several things going on here. There could be a problem with the packer itself (they have leathers that have to seal to the well casing). The problem could be the footvalve. There could be a leak in the piping in the well. Or, and I hope not, the water level in the well is too low. I would suggest pulling the piping and having a look at the packer, footvalve and piping.
Once you remove everything from the well, use a string and weight and see where the water level is.
In any case, it sounds like the pump is starving for water.
Ron