Doing some plumbing work and I want to re-reoute the supply line from my well. This would involve removing the check valve and losing the prime. How do I restart it? I know how to reprime the pump, it's not a submerged type. GRM knows all right?
Doing some plumbing work and I want to re-reoute the supply line from my well. This would involve removing the check valve and losing the prime. How do I restart it? I know how to reprime the pump, it's not a submerged type. GRM knows all right?
Reinstall all the lines and the tank.
Pump turned off. Close the valve between the pump and the pressure tank.
Remove the pressure gauge or plug from the top of the well pump. Pour in water until it fills. The quantity will vary with the length and size of the piping between the pump and the footer valve at the bottom of the well.
Replace plug or gauge.
Turn pump on. It should almost instantly build pressure, and shut off. It may start rapidly cycling, depending on how badly the footer valve leaks. If it just sloshes or sloshes and then whirrs, you lost prime, so repeat.
Slowly open the valve to the pressure tank. Don't just spin it open! If you just spin it open, you've a fair chance of loosing prime. You want to fill the tank with water. You'll hear the difference as the pump kicks on for longer periods of time, letting you open the valve more and more. This is much easier with modern bladder tanks, as opposed to the older air column tanks.
Done. Works the same for jet pumps rigged shallow or deep (single or double lines down the well).
There was not a valve between the tank and pump, guess I'll have to add one. Also I do not have a water source, plumbing is dis-assembled down to the check valve. Guess I'll have to bucket water from the lake, which is frozen over right now...
You don't have to add that valve, but it's a whole lot harder to get started and bled without it.
If you use buckets of water from the lake, be aware of the contaminants. A few cheap gallon jugs of water from the store may be a better alternative.
foxtrapper wrote: CORRECTED: Pee in the pump until it fills.
Don't use yellow snow
If you're re-piping from the foot valve, cut in a tee, close to the pump, with a short stand pipe that you can cap. Use that to refill the line in the future. It's a lot easier to do it now. If your hot water tank is there, you have at least 30 gallons available to use. If not get some 2 or 3 liter soda bottles filled at a friends or relatives and use them to refill the line .I always kept about 10-3liter bottles filled with water for emergency use. If the power went out you can't even flush the toilet more than once. I ran 1 1/2" PVC from the foot valve to the pump, with a test tee right before my pump. I could thread in a 6" nipple when I needed to(made filling and bleeding easy), and a PVC pipe plug when I didn't. I also put in a on valve either side of the pump, in cause the pump went bad, and either side of the pressure tank. If either one had to be replaced, I didn't have to drain everything. On my system I also had a UV filteration system that required changing the bulb every 18 months.Having a lot of valves to isolate each component paid for itself the first time I used it.
EDIT: I used 1 1/2" pipe to the pump to insure plenty of volume to the pump and reduced at each end.( no cavitation)
Good info guys, thanks. Some confusion as to the footer valve. Is that under the ground at the well point? I'm not working with that. The "valve" in question is just above the floor where the pipe comes up to the pump. Began to loosen it and stopped when I heard a hiss. Re-tightened. Yes, it's a bladder tank. What PSI should I charge it to?Currently set at 30 with no water. +1 for extra valves, Minimac. I plan to have many...and a 2 filter system. (1 sediment and 1 carbon) Sorry, but water heater is dry. Good thought though.
Carguy123 - Now I know where to put that used Mountain Dew.
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