I live in North East Ohio. All the houses around me are on Wells. Mine is approximately 40' deep and has worked well for the 3 years I have lived here up until 2 days ago. I have read articles and done every thing I know or can find to do and can't seem to get the pump to prime. The original Pump was a Water Ace RC5 1/2 HP made by Pentair (Myers) Pumps in Ashland Ohio.Since I thought it was a pump problem and I wasn't satisfied with the water flow and pressure and I decided I needed to replace it anyway I decided to go with the 1 HP version of the same name brand Model RC10 which is supposed to do approx 10 GPM@30-50PSI on a 40' deep well application versus the RC5's approx 7GPM @30-50 PSI on a 40' deep well application.
I installed the new pump and turned it on and it is acting the same way as the old pump. I have checked the venturi in the ejector assembly to assure it is not plugged. I have pulled the well head and pipe and checked the foot valve for easy and proper operation and I also screwed a 10" long 1-1/4" Nipple to the foot valve and filled it with water and it holds. I am at my witt's end with this.
I have primed the pump every way possible I even added a hose bib valve while installing the new pump to the outlet plumbing and have a garden hose hooked to the neighbors water and have tried pressure priming it. When I do this I can get it to build up to the pressure switch setting and shut off but without it it just sits there and runs to the point of the impellar housing and the suction plumbing getting hot. I also have Saran wrap around all the joints except for the PVC coupling down in the well casing. I also have a "T" in the suction line with a 1-1/4" Ball Valve and I have fill it with water 20 times or more trying to prime.

Question: Should there be water system pressure in the suction line? I seem to be getting back pressure on the suction side and this seems to me to counter act the suction capabilities of the pump. If I leave the discharge vale to the house plumbing on and open the 1-1/4" Ball valve I have in the suction side I am getting system pressure there. Is there something built into the pump that is supposed to prevent this or is this normal?

Really appreciate any input anyone can give. Thanks in advance.

 

All I can do is parrot what I have heard since I am a big fan of submersibles and don't know why people fiddle with the double pipe rigs at all. They are not any cheaper and they are way less reliable.

When you changed the pump, did you buy a new jet that matched it? More specifically from the same pump company designed for the new pump?

That seems to be a common problem. We have many people write in here that didn't, and then wonder what is wrong.

 

The pump that I installed is the same brand that was already there just 1 HP versus 1/2 HP. The ejector part # for both pumps is the same. Thanks,