Pump to sprinkler mystery.


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Old 04-08-14, 05:35 PM
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Pump to sprinkler mystery.

Hi,

In the process of troubleshooting a pump that can't maintain prime, a new situation came up.

Typically, I would test the pump by running an outdoor faucet (at the end of a white pipe similar to the pipe at the outlet of the pressure tank). When I run this faucet (even moderately), the pressure in the pump pressure gauge starts dropping and the pump kicks in at the cut in point.

The sprinkler system is supposed to be attached to the pump, but when I run the sprinkler no pressure drop is noticed at the pump. What's the best way to validate if the sprinkler is attached to be pump and if it is, then why is there no pressure change in the pump?

I am putting all this effort to fix this pump, in the hopes that my sprinkler would run off of it, so if something is wrong with the pump to sprinkler connection, that fundamentally changes a lot.

Thanks
 
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Old 04-09-14, 06:04 AM
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You say you're trying to fix the pump but by your description it sounds like it works? What exactly are you fixing?

Is it possible there is another well or source of water like city water? It's not unusual for a irrigation system to have a different water source than the rest of the house.
 
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Old 04-09-14, 11:23 AM
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The pump works but it is leaking.

"What I am trying to ascertain is if it is connected to the sprinkler system"

Here is the layout.

Backyard (where the pump is ) has a faucet that is apparently drawing water from the pump, I know this because when I turn the faucet on, the pump pressure goes down and pump kicks in. Backyard also has 4 sprinkler zones (that should be drawing water from the pump, but I can't tell for sure, since when the sprinkler come on then pump pressure does not go down.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps34c92ecb.jpg


Frontyard - Also, has 4 sprinkler zones and a faucet that seems to be fed by a white pvc looking pipe as well as regular metal pipes. There is a valve of some sort on the pvc pipe to the faucet. If I close this valve the sprinklers in the front don't draw any water (from whatever source they are drawing water from). When I turn on the sprinkler with this valve open or closed, the pump pressure does not go down either. Regardless of whether this valve is open or closed, the backyard sprinklers come on just fine, again not appearing to draw water from the pump/well.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps6a854dcd.jpg



Is there anything I need to do to set the sprinklers draw water from the pump? or Is it just not plumbed for that?

Thanks
 
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Old 04-09-14, 08:10 PM
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Didn't I respond to this question in another thread ????

You want to determine if something is connected to the pump..... right.
Turn the pump off. If what you are testing still works then it isn't connected to the pump.
 
 

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