Another well question

fishhead · #1 02/07/10, 08:37 AM

I reconnected my old well using pvc pipe yesterday but in order to connect it I had to leave a 2' section of pipe higher than the pump. It primed within 3 minutes and pumps lots of water but the "high" section of pipe has air in it.

One time when the pump kicked in the water stopped running and it spit air. In 30 seconds it started pumping fine again.

That got me thinking that maybe that's what is wrong with my new well. The new well has a horizontal run of 6' that runs slightly downhill towards the pump and may be trapping air. It did gurgle a lot at times but I figured it would move the air out through the pump eventually.

Could that be causing the new pump to act like it's losing it's prime and maybe all I need to do is reprime it several times until it sucks all the air out?

**Cabin Fever** · #2 02/07/10, 08:52 AM

Agmantoo is our forum expert at this, but I'll give you my 2¢. I would think the first time your well/pump ran 100% of the air would have been flushed out of the line. When the pump turned off, air leaked back into the line possibly thru a poor connection or thru the pump's impeller.

fishhead · #3 02/07/10, 09:10 AM

That's what I expected but I did notice that my new hookup to the old well ran out of water and sputtered even after the pump had been allowed to run for several minutes when I first primed it and after it had kicked on and off several times during the day.

It looks like I'll be pulling the well when the ground thaws.

ET1 SS · #4 02/08/10, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Agmantoo is our forum expert at this, but I'll give you my 2¢. I would think the first time your well/pump ran 100% of the air would have been flushed out of the line. When the pump turned off, air leaked back into the line possibly thru a poor connection or thru the pump's impeller.

I agree.

I suspect air leaked in.

fishhead · #5 02/08/10, 09:05 AM

Yep. I'm resigned to pulling the new well and redoing all the joints with just teflon paste.

As luck would have it when I was removing the elbow of the old well I broke the seal on one of the couplers and now IT LEAKS TOO.

Sometimes you just can't catch a break.

I bought a roll of 1" polypipe last night so I'm going to shove that down the old well and hook it directly to the new pump. As long as I get the barb fitting tight enough I should be back in business.

What can you use on the the threads of PVC and gray polypipe connectors to seal them?

davel745 · #6 02/08/10, 09:12 AM

Needs a foot-valve

Dave

fishhead · #7 02/08/10, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davel745

Needs a foot-valve

Dave

These are both 1 1/4" sandpoint driven wells. Do they make foot valves that are small enough to fit in that pipe?

ET1 SS · #8 02/08/10, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishhead

These are both 1 1/4" sandpoint driven wells. Do they make foot valves that are small enough to fit in that pipe?

You can get a brass check-valve down to one inch