Replies

1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Apr 03, 2009 04:09pm | #1

   Is there a tank?

   Mine has a tank - a small one - with a bladder in it. When the bladder went bad, I got the same problem.

1. 
   MikeT2 | Apr 03, 2009 04:14pm | #2

   hi,

   bladder tank is new less than a year old..I am assuming this isn't the issue..

    

1. 
   MikeT2 | Apr 03, 2009 06:15pm | #7

   Thanks for all the good advice..I believe I will start with the check valve..

    

   Mike

    

    

2. 
   JerryPacMan | Apr 03, 2009 04:42pm | #3

   Sounds like a bad check valve to me.  If you shut off the valve feeding the house lines and you have no water leaks replace the check valve.

    

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans.

   When your ship comes in... make sure you are not at the airport.

3. 
   jabe | Apr 03, 2009 04:52pm | #4

   Mike,

   I had the same problem for years. the first time I had to replace the check valve at the bottom of the well. This proccess was repeated several times over the course of 40 years. In between ,I had to replace the pump since the first one reached its life span. When the second pump failed after  some years, I wised up and replaced the jet pump with one down in the well. Now we never have a problem. The pump never loses pressure or prime. I think its the way to go. Good luck

                                                  Jabe

    

4. 
   gofigure57 | Apr 03, 2009 05:03pm | #5

     Mike ,

     I am with the bladder answere as well or a leak in the suppy line to the house under ground.

              Tom.

5. 
   Walnutz | Apr 03, 2009 05:34pm | #6

   I had this same problem 5 years ago.  The problem for me was the supply line to the house, from the well, sprung a leak.  I had to dig it up, and repair it.  It turned out that a rock was under the line, in the original trench, and worked its way through the copper.

6. 
   derekborne | Apr 03, 2009 06:47pm | #8

   Assuming that the pressure tank is fine, I would move on to check the Foot Valve.  A foot valve is a form of a check valve that is attached to the end of the suction line.   It is spring loaded and has a conical screen on the end of it.  If you replace that you should be back in business. 

    

   Derek Borne

1. 
   davcefai | Apr 04, 2009 02:26pm | #9

   It's usually the check valve or the strainer built into it.

7. 
   Lapun | Apr 04, 2009 02:40pm | #10

   Another source of foot valve failure is the lack of height between the well floor and the foot valve. Unless there is eight to ten inches of vertical space, debris may be entering the foot valve, and lodging in the seat - causing pressure leakage. If you are going to pull the riser, check both the pipe length and well depth. A close inspection of the valve flap and seat will tell the story.

   Lapun.

1. 
   MikeT2 | Apr 17, 2009 08:17pm | #11

   Thanks for the comment on my shallow well pump issue.

   I have determined the best thing to do is pull the riser and replace the foot valve. I was told by a plummber friend to replace the steel pipe with black PVC pipe. The foot valve being steel/Brass. How do I transition from the steel foot valve to the black PVC? What do I use to insure a good seal.

   Thanks,

   Mike

1. 
   Lapun | Apr 18, 2009 12:53am | #12

   Teetoo,Surely the agribusiness where you buy the black tube will stock a range of adapter fittings if it is flexible (sold in rolls), or if it is rigid, that is sold in straight lengths, threaded and socketed, you will need to cut a new thread where you cutit to length.My point is that you should shorten the length to raisen the foot valve to ensure that debris present in any turbulence at the intake does not deposit any hard material in the sealing surfaces of the flap valve.Better luck with length of service after the replacement.Lapun.

8. 
   kreuzie | Apr 18, 2009 05:34am | #13

   If you have a pressure tank with a bladder, and the pressure drop still occurs when the valve between the pump and pressure tank is closed, then your problem lies on the pressure tank side of the valve, not with the pump or foot valve (assuming the pressure gauge is downstream of the valve).

   It could be caused by a few things:  Check valve is bad; pressure tank bladder is leaking; limit switch is bad or out of adjustment; pressure in bladder is incorrect. (When the pressure tank is installed, add air via the fill valve  (looks like a tire valve) to within 2 or 3 pounds less than the lower setting of the limit switch.)

   kreuzie

       

        

       

    

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   Edited 4/17/2009 10:38 pm ET by kreuzie

   
   

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   Edited 4/17/2009 11:06 pm ET by kreuzie