Why does my well pump keep losing its prime?

Causes of loss of well pump prime include more than a bad foot valve. A leak anywhere in the water system from pump and pressure tank, through piping, down to the end of the pipe in the well (foot valve) that lets water out or air into the system can cause loss of pump prime and thus loss of water pressure.

How do you keep a jet pump primed?

To do this, shut the pump’s control valve after filling the pump casing and suction line with water. Run the pump, keeping its priming plug loose. This process gets rid of trapped air inside the pump. Repeat the process until smooth water flows around the prime plug, and precharge the pressure tank.

Why is my jet pump losing pressure?

Loose connections on suction line – If you winterize your pump, perhaps you have one or more loose connections that are allowing air into the pipe. Quick connect (Kamlock) fittings are notorious for leaking air IN if not installed properly on the suction side. Leak(s) in suction line.

How do you prime a vertical jet pump?

How to Prime a Deep Well Pump

Remove the rubber or plastic prime plug from the top side of the pump. Run a water hose to the exposed hole on the top of the pump.
Run water through the water hose and into the pump casing.
Remove the water hose from the pump.
Remove the plug and fill the casing with water once more.

What happens if your jet well pump loses Prime?

Running a pump that has lost prime can cause severe damage to the system. You can try to prime your jet well pump yourself, however, we recommend contacting a plumber because the suction line could have a leak, which a professional should replace. The pressure control switch regulates the pressure in your well pump.

How long does it take to Prime a jet pump?

The closer the check valve is to the well the easier the system will prime. Priming means filling the pump and suction pipe with water. Most shallow well jet pumps handle air well and will evacuate air from the suction line but it may take several minutes to prime depending on depth to water, and pipe size and length.

What to do if you lose prime on your water pump?

The pump motor will run but no water is delivered. If this happens it is possible to re-prime the pump with water from another source. Check valves installed at the proper location at the pump and perhaps elsewhere can help prevent loss of prime on this system.

What causes a jet pump to keep running?

If your well pump loses prime, then it will run constantly. Generally, jet pumps lose prime when there’s a leak in the suction line. Solution: First, turn off the pump immediately in order to avoid damage to your pump.

Why does my jet pump keep losing Prime?

If that has happened, the problem is lack of water in the well, not a pump priming problem. If your water pump keeps losing prime repeatedly, a shallow well jet pump well line could have a bad foot valve (in the well) and so be losing prime.

What to do if your well pump loses its prime?

If your water pump is in the building and the pump keeps losing its prime, a shallow well jet pump well line could have a bad foot valve (in the well) and so be losing prime. If the well pump is running continuously and not delivering water, shut it off immediately to avoid pump damage.

Can a submersible water pump lose its prime?

In this case if you have not got water pressure, the problem may be with the pump or the well itself, but it’s not a loss of prime – since they are normally always under-water, submersible water pumps are self-priming.

What happens when a water pump is off?

Clean and reseal them and the lid o-ring and see what happens. Losing prime AFTER the pump is off is not ideal, but common. An above-ground leak ANYWHERE in the system (suction- or pressure-side) will cause all the water to drain out of the above-ground plumbing when the pump is off.