Shallow Well Pump Won't Hold It's Prime

[Groovy_Mountain]

I have a shallow well, I know that part. Just purchased the house in December. The well is across the road (dirt road) and down hill from the house. The pump was working till the floor guy decided to leave the water "dripping" one cold night when no one was here yet. We ended up with no water by the next day and when primed, the water was brown for a while. After that, the pump would pump water and fill the holding tank (blatterless)but it just won't hold it's prime for longer than 45 minutes. When I remove the pressure guage to reprime, if the pump has not been running, ie: first thing in the morning before anyone has used the water, the pump is full of water. There is a check valve before the pump, in the basement. It takes about 1/2 gallon of water to prime and we're up and running for the day as long as I set the timer and run the water till the pump turnes on every 45 minutes. Your thoughts?

 

[oilman]

At a guess, it sounds like dirt on a valve seat somewhere. I think you probably need to strip and clean everything in the line.

 

[Groovy_Mountain]

My father suggested that I go over to the pump house and pull up the line and check for another check valve on that end. Maybe there is some dirt holding it open. Not sure what I'll actually find over there. I'm a homemaker, not a plumber. LOL.

Thanks for your time and knowledge. Any thoughts on tools needed or what I might see over there would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

-Ange

 

[Groovy_Mountain]

Okay. I went over there. Here's what I saw. There's a small building over a hole in the ground that is covered with a screen. I lifted the screen and there was the water and maybe 2 feet down is the ground. There is one pipe coming out of the ground under the water with an elbow pointing it downward. That is about 1 foot below the water. There is a white plastic piece on the end with holes in it and above that is a blue piece of plastic with an arrow pointing up molded in it. So, there's nothing to lift out of the water. I suppose you would call that "spring fed"? Not sure what to do from here. I reached in an tried to unscrew that plastic blue part but my arms got REALLY cold so I stopped before I ruined anything. Your thoughts?

 

[breezer]

to be honest we havent got that much of an idea becuse this is a UK based forum, and we do not have wells and pumps like you do.

may i suugest you try here

 

[Groovy_Mountain]

8) Thanks. You're cool.