i need help with my water well
#1
05-26-13, 08:07 AM
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i need help with my water well
I am having problems with my water well. it was working fine pumping water into the house and then one day just stopped. I have a 1/2 hp jet pump with around 400 feet of hose running to my above ground shallow water well, and a hydro-pneumatic pressure tank, the pressure switch is a 20/40 and their is about 40 psi in the pressure tank. the water in the well is full, its just not pumping water into the house. I thought maybe i had a clog somewhere but i barrowd a submerssible water pump and ran water from the well into the breather and it was pushing water out both sides of the hose. I have a check valve on a fitting that is connected to the jut pump. im guessing to keep the pressure in the pump. And their is also a foot valve in the water tank. The faucet sounds like it might be spitting air with the water so it their a way i can check to see if their is a leak somewhere in the pipes running from the well to the pump?
#2
05-26-13, 08:20 AM
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Welcome to the forums.
You have 400' of pipe (not hose) between your shallow well and jet pump ?
Why so much pipe ?
There is a very good chance there is a leak between the two. What kind of pipe is it ?
Is it like the 1-1/4" black poly type OR lots of pieces and couplers.
The check valve/foot valve is to keep the line full of water so the pump can pick up its prime almost immediately. It also holds the pressure in the system.
Does your pressure drop when you aren't using water ?
You said currently there is 40 psi on the gauge but no water in the house. You'll need to check from that location to the house. Could a valve gotten slightly closed. Is this problem at one faucet or throughout the entire house.
You have 400' of pipe (not hose) between your shallow well and jet pump ?
Why so much pipe ?
There is a very good chance there is a leak between the two. What kind of pipe is it ?
Is it like the 1-1/4" black poly type OR lots of pieces and couplers.
The check valve/foot valve is to keep the line full of water so the pump can pick up its prime almost immediately. It also holds the pressure in the system.
Does your pressure drop when you aren't using water ?
You said currently there is 40 psi on the gauge but no water in the house. You'll need to check from that location to the house. Could a valve gotten slightly closed. Is this problem at one faucet or throughout the entire house.
#3
05-26-13, 08:26 AM
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Welcome to the forums!
First off you should only have 2 psi less air pressure in your pressure tank than your cut in pressure. In your case your pressure switch is a 20/40, which is 20 psi on and 40 psi off. So you would need about 18 psi in your pressure tank. This can be checked with a standard pressure gauge like you use for a tire, and should be done with no water pressure on the system.
Your check valve is to prevent the water from draining back down the well. A foot valve would do the same thing, but that would be down in the well, at the end of your suction pipe.
If you are getting air in the water, you either have a leak in your suction line, or the pump has lost its prime.
First off you should only have 2 psi less air pressure in your pressure tank than your cut in pressure. In your case your pressure switch is a 20/40, which is 20 psi on and 40 psi off. So you would need about 18 psi in your pressure tank. This can be checked with a standard pressure gauge like you use for a tire, and should be done with no water pressure on the system.
Your check valve is to prevent the water from draining back down the well. A foot valve would do the same thing, but that would be down in the well, at the end of your suction pipe.
If you are getting air in the water, you either have a leak in your suction line, or the pump has lost its prime.
#4
05-26-13, 08:32 AM
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Thanks, Yes its 1 1/4 black hose (kind of like a hard plastic but can still bend) I just recently moved in so im guessing that it is that far away because their is no other clean water source that is closer. We do have a stream about 50 feet away but the neighbors have cows that go in a little up the road. Once i prime the pump the pressure switch kicks in at 40 psi and keeps the pressure when the water is not being used. Once the water stops coming to the pump i only get about 10 psi but if i unplug the pump the pressure still stays. the pressure will stay at 40 if i prime the hose and turn off water to the house. I dumped a few gallong of water into the breather that is about 50 ft from the well so about 350 ft from the pump and it sucks the water into the pump.
#5
05-26-13, 08:48 AM
Group Moderator
The hard black stuff is still called a pipe. Most cases it is irrigation pipe.
You have to do multiple of cycles to prime the pump. With the pump off, open the priming port and make sure it is full of water. Keep the water off to the house and open a valve at the pump (if you don't have one, it might be a good idea to install one) Your pressure tank should still be in the system with the pump or it will not run correctly. Keep priming until the pump keeps pumping water with little air. Then shut off the valve at the pump and let the system come up to pressure (this is why we need the pressure tank in the system.) Pump should shut off when it gets to 40 psi.
If you keep getting a lot if air out of the valve at the pump, you have a leak in your suction line.
You have to do multiple of cycles to prime the pump. With the pump off, open the priming port and make sure it is full of water. Keep the water off to the house and open a valve at the pump (if you don't have one, it might be a good idea to install one) Your pressure tank should still be in the system with the pump or it will not run correctly. Keep priming until the pump keeps pumping water with little air. Then shut off the valve at the pump and let the system come up to pressure (this is why we need the pressure tank in the system.) Pump should shut off when it gets to 40 psi.
If you keep getting a lot if air out of the valve at the pump, you have a leak in your suction line.
#6
05-26-13, 08:50 AM
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You've got a foot valve that is supposed to keep water in the pipe. Then you have a check valve that sounds like it's working since when the pump shuts off the system maintains the pressure. I'm not sure what the breather is you are talking about but if it lets air into the system it could be a problem
#7
05-26-13, 09:30 AM
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i have let pressure out of the pressure tank from 40 to 18-20 but now the problem is that the pressure gauge will not go about that in order to shut off. the pipe going into my pump is cold so my guess is that water is flowing, (it could also be the water i put in the breather) The breather is a pipe sticking out og the ground, it is about 50 ft from my well and it has a cap on it to keep air from getting in. So what could be keeping the guage from going pass 20psi to get to the shut off pressure?
#8
05-26-13, 09:48 AM
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Ok, lets go over the basics so that we know we are all on the same page. Let us know if any is not true.
Your pressure switch is a 20/40 (on at 20 psi, off at 40 psi)
Your pressure tank air pressure is at 18 psi with no water pressure on the system.
The pressure tank is connected with the pump.
The well pumps water on the ground without the house connected. You need to see the flow, not just "the pipe is cold"
Do we know the gauge is good? The gauge has nothing to do with the pressure switch and only shows the pressure in the system.
I also do not know what a breather is, and cannot find it on the internet. Can you post a picture of your whole setup? http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html It might save us some time.
Your pressure switch is a 20/40 (on at 20 psi, off at 40 psi)
Your pressure tank air pressure is at 18 psi with no water pressure on the system.
The pressure tank is connected with the pump.
The well pumps water on the ground without the house connected. You need to see the flow, not just "the pipe is cold"
Do we know the gauge is good? The gauge has nothing to do with the pressure switch and only shows the pressure in the system.
I also do not know what a breather is, and cannot find it on the internet. Can you post a picture of your whole setup? http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html It might save us some time.
#10
05-26-13, 10:55 AM
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#12
05-26-13, 01:50 PM
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So the black pipe with the brass check valve is going down the well? I thought you said that it runs to the house? 
I have no idea what that tank is for and have never seen one on a water system. Are you sure that is part of your water system and not your septic? There is no reason to have a tank like that on a normal water system.
The thing you call a breather does not look like anything that would be on a well system either. It looks to me like something that has been abandoned.
I'm sure by now you may have figured out that I am not a well guy.
I have worked on quite a few wells, an know how they are supposed to work, but your system is getting a little beyond my knowledge if everything you posted is part of your water system. I will keep trying to help you as best I can, but hopefully a well/water guy will have time to swing by.
BTW - what state are you from?
I have no idea what that tank is for and have never seen one on a water system. Are you sure that is part of your water system and not your septic? There is no reason to have a tank like that on a normal water system.
The thing you call a breather does not look like anything that would be on a well system either.
It looks to me like something that has been abandoned. I'm sure by now you may have figured out that I am not a well guy.
I have worked on quite a few wells, an know how they are supposed to work, but your system is getting a little beyond my knowledge if everything you posted is part of your water system. I will keep trying to help you as best I can, but hopefully a well/water guy will have time to swing by.BTW - what state are you from?
#13
05-26-13, 03:31 PM
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well thank you for helping. lol im from PA. The black pipe with the check valve, one side is connected to the pump as you can see, the other end in the well that the water fills up in.
The breather in the middle...i can pour water into it and turn my pump on, and the pump will suck the water i put in the breather.
Which tank do you mean? The pressure tank ( which is the blue one)? or the white tank( which is where the water gets filled, where the foot valve is?
Could it be a possibilty that my foot valve is bad?
The breather in the middle...i can pour water into it and turn my pump on, and the pump will suck the water i put in the breather.
Which tank do you mean? The pressure tank ( which is the blue one)? or the white tank( which is where the water gets filled, where the foot valve is?
Could it be a possibilty that my foot valve is bad?
#14
05-26-13, 03:43 PM
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my guess is that the previous owners have put this is themselves but either way it was working before but just stopped. lol And now i cant figure out how to get it working again
#15
05-26-13, 08:52 PM
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The black pipe with the check valve, one side is connected to the pump as you can see, the other end in the well that the water fills up in.
Which tank do you mean? The pressure tank ( which is the blue one)? or the white tank( which is where the water gets filled, where the foot valve is?
The breather in the middle...i can pour water into it and turn my pump on, and the pump will suck the water i put in the breather.
#16
05-26-13, 09:00 PM
Group Moderator
That capped pipe coming from the ground looks to be how they primed the system. Normally you would have that nearer to the pump. As Tolyn mentioned make sure that cap doesn't leak.
Technically with the system off..... you should be able to fill that pipe with water and it should stay full. If it doesn't appear that you can fill it then it may mean the foot valve is not sealing. That's not the end of the world since you have a check valve at the pump but any little tiny air leak in the system will allow the water to drain back down the well and your prime is gone.
Technically with the system off..... you should be able to fill that pipe with water and it should stay full. If it doesn't appear that you can fill it then it may mean the foot valve is not sealing. That's not the end of the world since you have a check valve at the pump but any little tiny air leak in the system will allow the water to drain back down the well and your prime is gone.
#17
05-27-13, 06:30 AM
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This is for a cabin or something?
Thats just a water tank in the ground? Thats what it looks like to me. Is that tank full?
That primer cap in the yard...What size is that? 1"? 1 1/4?
Let us know and we can take help further.
Thats just a water tank in the ground? Thats what it looks like to me. Is that tank full?
That primer cap in the yard...What size is that? 1"? 1 1/4?
Let us know and we can take help further.
