Well Piping Repair Diagnostic FAQs

Well Piping and Submersible Pump Removal Procedure Q&A

How do I get my submersible pump out of the well for inspection or repair?

I have a Franklin submersible pump, 3 wire, 1/2 hp and lost all pressure. After checking determined most likely problem is pump. How do I lift pump out of casing past pitless adapter or remove adapter when it is 7-8 ft down casing?

Can I pull the pump by hand or do I need a winch or come-along? - Frank 5/23/12

Reply by (mod):

Frank,

In modern drilled well installations the well riser pipe (the vertical pipe rising inside the well casing from the well pump or foot valve upwards) has to make a right-turn at its top in order to exit the side of the well casing and thence to be connected to a horizontal well pipe that connects the well to the building.

This connection through the side of the steel well casing is made by the pitless adapter that you named.

Note: some well riser pipes exit straight up through the top of the well casing cap - without a pitless adapter. In that case the issue of releasing the well pipe riser from the pitless adapter doesn't pertain, but the risk of dropping components back into the well and the possible need for a winch or crane still apply.

If you stop by a plumbing supplier to take a look at pitless adapters you'll see that the fittings include both horizontal parts that bolt through and seal a hole cut in the side of the well casing and a slip-connector that marries a fitting atop the well pipe riser to the pitless adapter.

Using a Simple Rope to Pull Piping & Well Pump Out of a Well

To remove the well pump from the well the well driller or plumber ties a rope or wire around the top of the well pipe riser just below its slide-fitting that connects the top of the riser to the pitless adapter. The rope is then pulled vertically to lift the well pipe and of course the submersible pump attached to it up past the pitless adapter (that remains bolted through the side of the well casing) and out of the well.

For a shallow well - 25 feet or less - it's reasonable to pull the well pipe and foot valve or submersible pump by hand.

Our photo above illustrates a polypropylene rope someone left tied to the well piping for this purpose.

Watch out: Some experts advise removing the rope out of concern that it may wick contaminants into the well.

Using a Lift Winch & Clamp to Pull Piping & Submersible Pump Out of a Well

But for a deep well the weight of all of the piping and pump may be too great to lift by hand, not to mention the risk that you drop the whole shebang back down into the well - leading to an embarrassing call to a well professional.

So for deep wells and for wells with heavy steel piping, experts use a manual winch or a power winch attached to a tower or to a crane mounted on the well service truck.

In our photo above the Rasmussen Well Company (Two Harbors MN) is pulling the well pipe out of a deep well that uses a submersible pump.

Notice the red clamp affixed to the well pipe just at the top of the well casing?

The clamp holds the lower pipe against being dropped back into the well while the technician removes the upper pipe section being held by the lift crane.

Section by section the pipe is pulled up out of the well, clamped below the next joint, then removed.

Below is a closer look at the well pipe clamp

How do I get the well pump past the pitless adapter

Getting the well pump past the pitless adapter is not normally an issue:

Once we unhook the top of the well riser pipe from the pitless adapter assembly and begin to lift the well piping and pump out of the well (by hand or by winch or crane), the pump will have clearance to pass by the portion of the pitless adapter that is bolted to the side of the well casing.

Look at these details of this Merrill brand pitless adapter sold by AquaScience.net.

Once you've used the lift pipe to pull part No. 1 up and out of the well, only the thinner part No. 2 remains inside the casing.

Below, using an edited/enhanced version of a pitless adapter as installed in a well casing by Friesen Drillers, Ltd. cited in detail below, we've added details to illustrate just what portion of the pitless adapter remains attached to the well casing when you lift up and remove the well pipe by pulling the lift pipe up.

The green saddle fitting remains attached to the well casing. The tan drop pipe fitting lifts out when the lift pipe is raised, bringing with it the drop pipe and submersible pump. (These colors are ours added for clarification. The actual physical parts will be stainless or galvanized or brass.

• Friesen Drillers, Ltd., PITLESS ADAPTER for SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS, Installation Instructions [PDF] (Friessen Drillers Website, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) - Friesen Drillers Ltd., 307 PTH 12 N Steinbach, MB R5G 1T8 Phone: 204-326-2485 Toll Free: 1-888-794-WELL (9355) - retrieved 2026/07/29, local backup saved as

Watch out: On occasion however a pump or other components can become stuck in a well, particularly if piping has become bent, the well casing has collapsed or been damaged, or the pump has fallen off of the bottom of the well piping.

If you encounter that trouble, it's time to call a well drilling professional who has tools and experience for retrieving stuff that's been dropped into the well. Or if you want to try to recover from this SNAFU yourself,

at PUMP, SUBMERSIBLE

we discuss repair sleeves for damaged well casings, and

at WELL PIPE RETRIEVAL TOOLS describe Fishing Tools to Retrieve Stuff from Drilled Steel Casing or Other Water Wells.

 

Can I unlock my submersible well pump while it is still in the ground?

Can I unlock my submersible while it is still in the ground? - Jeff 5/20/12

Reply by (mod) - here's the proper diagnosis and repair procedure

Jeff, if by "unlock my submersible" you mean that your submersible pump motor has jammed and you want to try to fix it without pulling the well piping and pump out of the ground, I have read some (what I consider very goofy) attempts to free up stuck electric motors by messing with reversing leads or changing voltages - I would NOT try any such stunts.

Watch out: The process is inherently dangerous, risks burning up wiring, starting a fire in the building, shocking someone, and more. Besides we don't know why the pump is "locked" - could be a broken impeller, for example.

First, get help from an experienced well and pump installation and repair contractor. That person will know how to use a DMM or VOM to test the wiring leads to the pump and the pump motor. Those tests can tell you if the pump motor appears jammed or if the wiring is short-circuited.

Then, depending on those results, pull the pump pipes and submersible pump up out of the well for further repairs.

If you meant something else - just let me know. Daniel.

Well Pipe Corrosion, Blockage, Leaks, Damage Q&A

My well pump is losing flow capacity and pressure & the totalizer shows no water flow: is the problem the pump or pipe leaks?

My well pump starting to loose pressure and water supply capacity per gallon.

A week ago noticed that the gallons per minute dial was not moving and than suddenly the totalizer [sic - referring to a flow meter or water usage meter - Ed.] that reports water volume used stopped changing. It pumps but takes a long time to fill my storage tank.

The pump is 15yrs old. Has it seen its good days already? Or is it the pipes? On 2018-08-07 by victor

Photo: A Carlon model JLP Totalizing water meter sold by plumbing suppliers and online vendors.

by (mod) - pump lost pressure - why?

When your pump has lost pressure capacity you need some more on-site diagnostic help.

We don't know if the problem is a bad pump, low volts to the pump, low water in the well, or a leak and well piping, or perhaps something else.

But IF you're seeing absolutely NO water flow AND IF your pump is a submersible (in the well) pump and IF power to the pump is ON, THEN I suspect a pump failure.

Since we don't know what kind of pump and well you have, the best procedure is for you to start by stepping through the diagnostics at this WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE

I see water around my well casing and a fountain of water in the yard

I have a question. Yesterday I noticed that around my well there was a lot of water on the ground. My first thought was that the pipe either cracked or has a leak. I started to dig to see if I could find the culprit. Here in CT the zoning states that the pipe should be around 48 inches deep.

I dug to that amount, but still didn’t hit the pipe so I need to go deeper. When I run the water in the house, I can see a small fountain not far from the well casing.

The weird thing is when I turn off the water the fountain stops. I left it for a few hours and all of the water was gone. (Seeped into the soil because the ground is not frozen) I then turned the water on inside and the hole started to fill up again.

I was told if there was a crack or hole in the pipe that the water would constantly flow. I was told that the feed line going to the house is always charged. I also do not have any water flow drop or air coming from the faucets when I turn them on. I was told that you would have these issues if there was a cracked pipe.

I called to plumbers and was told that it would be around 1200.00 to fix this. I am a handy person and can fix just about anything. Does anyone have any suggestions? If it just a cracked or broken pipe I could fix this. - Bill C 1/30/12

Reply by (mod):

Bill, it sounds as if you are describing a leaky well pipe between the well and the house. When your well pump runs it pressurizes the water line to the house, squirting water out of the point of leakage. Dig at that "fountain in the yard" first.

 

When we turn on a faucet air spits out

We have a bored 24 in. well dug in 1987. It has a submersible pump which was installed when the well was first dug and the tank was placed inside the well to protect it from freezing.

The original tank was replaced about 5 years ago.

We checked the water level in the well, and we have 18 feet of water. The pressure gauge on the tank indicates between 40-70. Other than replacing the tank, we have had virtually no problems with this well.

When we turn on the faucet, it spits and sputters from air in the lines.

What would be the causes (how many ways) for air in the lines? - Terry 3/24/12

Reply by (mod):

Terry, about air spitting out of faucets, see AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES - that's the diagnostic procedure you want to read.

How can I replace leaky well piping that runs under concrete?

I have a leaking well pipe, the one going from the house to the well casing, and its leaking right at the casing about 85% back into the well. That's the good part.

The bad is all this pipe is under concrete about 6' from the house and 48" + down in the ground.

Can this be replaced from inside the basement of the house without concrete removal.

Obviously the leak will only get worse over time. Current no pressure loss, etc. Please advise. It seems to me that a sleeve would have to driven around the current pipe to prevent dirt collapse, then exchange of the water pipe. On 2017-11-06 by CHRIS P.

by (mod) - Commercial pipe relining or horizontal boring can fix a bad well pipe but you still need to connect the repair at the well

There are commercial systems for relining fairly small diameter pipes, but I'm not sure if that's going to be cost reasonable for a residential property.

There are also are horizontal boring machines that can run a new pipe under concrete.

But I don't know how we would make the connection to the pitless adapter at the well casing without breaking up the concrete at the casing.

We have weak water pressure: could it be corroded PVC piping?

I have a new pump and wiring, have good pressure when I turn on the water, but while on it starts to lose pressure. It is mostly PVC pipe. Those can’t really get corroded? Could it be the bladder tank? I am at wits end with my process of elimination. Please help On 2020-09-28 by Brandy

by danjoefriedman (mod) - no, PVC pipe doesn't corrode

Brandy

No, PVC or other plastic piping doesn't corrode, though some defective plastic products have been known to crack, break, or even crumle.

Depending on the pressure control switch settings for your water pump, it's normal for water pressure to range between a low of 20 or 30 psi and a high of 40 or 50 psi when you're running water. Water pressure drops to the low CUT-IN pressure then the pump turns on and runs until pressure reaches the CUT-OUT or CUT-OFF pressure or high pressure.

If your pressure drops below the CUT-IN then the most common causes (there are others) are either the switch isn't responding (replace it) or the well is running out of water.

Landlord says well pipe is broken but he won't fix it - takes an hour to fill the washing machine

I rent land and own mobile home along with 10 other homes in Pa. For 6 months our water went from OK pressure to barely dripping out.. can't take a shower.

Washer takes an hour just to fill. Landlord has a well and said a pipe must be broken somewhere but He refuses to fix it. Anything we can do about this? On 2017-07-19 by Eileen

Suggestions by (mod) -

Eileen

I am sorry to say "call a lawyer" or perhaps "legal aid" but if the landlord isn't providing water you may have no other option. Most leases require that the landlord deliver certain very basic things - if yours does, then water may be one of them.

Do take a look at our advice at RENTERS & TENANTS ADVICE for UNSAFE or UNHEALTHY HOME

Keep us posted.

Daniel

Well Pipe Installation & Routing Q&A

Is there a health risk from water pipes running through an unsanitary cellar?

Recently had a sediment filter placed on my cold water pipe running from the water tank to the rest of the house.

this is in the cellar - the pipes, adapters, tools ,etc. were placed on the cellar floor - a cellar floor that had had dead mice on it and filthy mouse traps. how much of a health risk is this ?

My drinking water is going through pipes and connections that have just been on a filthy cellar floor. On 2018-12-16 by lee

by (mod) - test your water for contamination

Lee

You ask a reasonable question but one that cannot be assessed by text.

If the interior of the water filter or the filter canister or not kept clean and were in contact with contaminated materials you would probably need to sanitize the filter and install a new Fresh filter cartridge.

Then have your water supply tested for at least bacteria.

Watch out: while of course plumbing parts, tools, pipes, etc. don't come from the supplier sanitized or in sanitary wraps, working on plumbing systems in an unsanitary area such as the basement you describe increases the risk of contamination and water borne illness. So after having any such plumbing work done you should consider having your pipes, water heater, etc. sanitized.

 

Well Pipe Size FAQs

Old 1" well pipes leak: Is it OK to run a new smaller 3/4" pipe from the pitless adapter to the house inside the old 1" pipe?

I have a 100' deep well and the well pump is at 80' depth. After recently replacing the old 1/2 horsepower pump, 1" piping and wiring a leak has emerged in the 75' pipe to the house.

The old pipe to the house is 1" ID. We are about to dig at the pump casing hoping that the leak is just outside the pitless adapter.

My question is, would it be OK to run a new 3/4" ID pipe from the pitless adapter to the house inside the old 1" ID pipe? The house has a kitchen sink, 2 full baths, clothes washer and dish washer. On 2018-07-26 by Lou C

Reply by (mod) - better to replace the old 1" pipe: else you face a 44% reduction in water flow rate

Lou

I understand the temptation as it avoids digging and routing a new pipe. I'm not clear how you'll make the connection or transition even if you could push a 3/4" pipe inside the 1" one, but beyond that you will be reducing the flow rate of your pump.

Using this seat of the pants calculation let's see how much the flow rate is restricted when changing from a 1" pipe to a 3/4" ID pipe.

Area of a 3/4" diameter circle is 0.44"
Area of a 1" diameter circle is 0.79"

.79-.44 = 0.35" reduction in area

.35 / .79 = .44 or 44% reduction in area which is not exactly flow rate but gives you an idea where the calculation is headed.

From WATER FLOW RATE CALCULATE or MEASURE

you'll read that the flow rate formula for given pipe diameter is Q = A x V where Q is flow rate, A is area, and V is water velocity in feet per second (or meters per second)

For a 1" pipe, if we ASSUME for this calculation, a simple water velocity of 1 foot per second

Q = .79 x 1 fps or 0.79 cubic feet per second.

For your 3/4" pipe using the same assumptions you can see that you'd have a 44% reduction in actual flow rate (because I cheated and chose 1 foot per second velocity to make the calculation easier).

The ratio of flow rate between the two lines will be constant as will the loss from going the the smaller line.

Can I use a 2-line jet pump on a single line well?

Can I use a pump with 2 inlet pipes on a single inlet line On 2017-03-15 by Chuck

by (mod) - in some cases, yes if it's convertible or yes on certain one line deep wells, but otherwise, no.

Chuck

You're probably talking about trying to install a 2-line jet pump - that is a jet pump set up for two lines - on a one line well - that is, just one pipe runs into the well.

Some jet pumps are convertible between 2-line and 1-line. Typically the conversion requires buying and bolting a different front-end onto the pump.

Here is an example of a convertible jet pump that can be set up to pump using a single suction line. The photo shows this Pentair Sta-Rite SLE convertible jet pump in it's 2-line setup.

And below we show how the 2-line jet pump above is converted to a one-line jet pump installation.

A 2-line jet pump can also work on a small 2-inch or 3-inch diameter well that has only a single pipe and ejector in the well itself IF your well piping is of the right design.

We describe this installation at TWO LINE JET PUMP 1-PIPE DEEP WELL OPERATION - as we illustrate just below

But NO 2-line jet pump (TWO LINE JET PUMPS) would not work on a basic one suction line well without converting the pump's front end impeller and pipe connection assembly from a 2-line to 1-line set-up.

Look at ONE LINE JET PUMPS and you'll see that the front end or impeller assembly of the pump contains an ejector that creates suction that lets that allows a shallow well one line jet pump to draw water up from a depth of about 25 ft.

Well Pipe Repair FAQs

Piping repairs in a 2-inch diameter well Pipe

I have a well with a 2 inch outer PVC pipe (white) inner 1 inch PVC pipe (pinkish or beige like) pump was missing when I got the place.

My neighbor chopped up the pipes to steal the wire. The outer pipe is now about 6 inches to 1 ft above ground severed at the top. Inner is little deeper.

My husband said there is a small metal pipe inside inner PVC pipe lower than the inner pipe. How do I fix this? On 2016-07-11 by Betty

Answer by (mod) -

Betty,

You need a well-plumber on-site to evaluate the well, piping, electrical wiring, type of pump needed, pressure tank, controls, and other components. You need to know the well capacity to deliver water and also the water potability. Start with a water bacteria test.

Need a Patch for Leaky Galvanized Well Pipe that Causes Water Pressure Loss

Why is galvanized steel pipe still used for well pipe?

Specifically, we have a submerged pump down 26 feet in a 200 foot artesian well that continuously flows out a drain pipe near the top, so a leak in the pipe as we had just makes the pump run continuously with no air in the system but very reduced pressure in the house.

The pitless connection we are told precludes the use of plastic pipe as it need the weight of the steel pipe and pump to seal.

But the galvanized pipe threads continue to fail every 4 or 5 years and the well driller replaces the pipe that fails with the same galvanized steel pipe. This time I insisted he use stainless steel but had to wait weeks for it to be made and delivered and it cost 3 times more.

But my question: The galvanized part of the pipe did not fail, the threading cut through the galvanized surface failed. Is pipe with precut threads that is then galvanized just not available? (does the galvanized surface preclude a good seal on threading?)

Why would he use the same thing that failed over and over? And he blames lower lead in the galvanizing for the failure but seems to not realize that it is not the galvanized surface that fails but the raw steel threaded portion that instead fails that is not dependent on the galvanizing with or without lead in the zinc hot dip.

So multiple questions. Why not just use stainless, or why not buy threaded pipe galvanized after threading and why is this well driller so stupid to keep doing the same failed thing?

Of course we lost the pump this time which dropped to the bottom of the well but in the old 4 inch casing it is a three inch pump so we will just leave it there.

But we have to buy a new pump now too due to his questionable judgment 4 years ago (and prior to that also where the pump was not lost and just the pipe replaced). Should we hold him responsible as should he have known better? On 2018-06-10 by John Harris

by (mod) -

John,

Few plumbers would today use galvanized iron water pipe to install a new well water pipe system. And it's no surprise that after probably decades of use your galvanized piping might rust through and begin to leak.

But I'm not shocked that a plumber might try to repair an old but small section of pipe damage using the original type of piping material.

Luckily there are better connectors that can be connected to the galvanized pipe that can then transition to plastic if you're only replacing a small piping section.

Where the threads on the old galvanized pipe are so worn as to be unreliable, rather than continuing to try taping and threading new pipe into the old union or elbow, I would cut off the necessary galvanized iron pipe area of damage including the old unreliable fitting, and then try a transition fitting to connect galvanized iron to PVC or other plastic pipe.

Fernco and other suppliers make transition fittings to connect galvanized iron pipe to PVC pipe. For a most secure fitting combination use a Schedule 80 PVC male (not female) adapter and a shielded rubber coupling. If you ask your plumbing supplier for a Plastic to Metal Transition Fitting they can provide what you need.

The example connector that we show above as an example is a Ferncon 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" Strong Back PVC Shielded Coupling (Connects Cast Iron, PVC, Copper, Steel or Lead). The comparatively soft rubber or PVC will, when the hose clamps are tightened, seal against the rough surface of the exterior of your old, cut-off end of galvanized iron piping and in my OPINION will make a more reliable connection than attempting to re-use rusted worn old threaded pipe ends.

Other manufacturers produce similar couplings such as PlumbQwik, Spears, ProFlo, Malco-Norca.

Watch out: notice that we're relying on a mechanical connection between these two different pipe types. You can glue plastic to plastic, but you won't have success trying to glue galvanized iron to plastic through a fitting.

So it sounds to me as if you should change the pitiless adapter and go to plastic pipe, in the very least, to replace the section of pipe that's presently leaking.

Watch out: for a system as old and in the condition as the one you describe, you'll want to be financially prepared to replace more or all of that old well water galvanized iron supply pipe. Daniel F.

Copper well line split and kept leaking; Can I use black pipe from HomeDepot?

I have a two line jet pump and a 35 foot shallow well. I had a suspected bad check valve when attempting to fix that I found the copper lines to the venturi had split and was constantly leaking.

I managed to fix that with black plastic pipe that came in 100 foot lengths. however the copper tubing that runs though the well casing to the pump in the basement is in need of replacement now as well.

I have dug up the lawn between the house and the well and want advise on the best pipe to use so I do not have to change again. My lines are at 56 inches below the ground so I hope it is under the frost line for CT.

Can I use some more of the same black pipe they sold me at the Home depot? Or please advise the best choice so I do not need to redo again in a short time - Jim 7/7/12

Reply:

Jim why not black ABS plastic well piping?

It's quite durable and if properly mounted and secured against movement (and thus leaks from abrasion) is often good for decades.

How to Choose the a Well Pipe Repair Contractor

Hi. How do you know if a certain repair company can do the job? I mean does it important to have licenses, etc.? I am in Indiana and I've heard of Indy Water Solutions. Any feedback? Thanks. On 2016-06-28 by Anon in Indiana

by (mod) - Well piping repair contractor selection tips

Anon in Indiana:

You are darn right, it is very difficult to know if a repair company can do the job [properly]. The most incompetent are often also the worst fibbers. Luckily most building contractors and plumbers are, in my experience, decent folks, especially so for people who have been in business for a long time.

Typically people say "check with the better business bureau or similar sources for complaint records"
but that's never enough; even a good contractor with a good rep can send an idiot to your job.

Here are some suggestions:

Look for referrals from people you know who had good results

Contractor is licensed, insured, has been in business for some time

Contractor claims to have specific experience with your specific area of need

When asked any question about the job that requires some actual content in a cogent reply (you don't have to know the "right" answer) listen for this:

- "Don't worry about it honey, we'll take care of it" - fire that one immediately

- "Don't worry we do it all" - seriously doubtful

- Any answer that is obviously arm-waving random blathering baloney - seriously doubtful though some good contractors are not good communicators

- A thoughtful answer that has content and replies to you directly: well in that case we typically do this, at about that cost, but of course what we see at your specific job might change that ... - sounds promising

- What are the warranty terms for the job?

"Guaranteed until my truck reaches the end of your driveway" - ?

Watch out: Do not pay more than 50% of the job before the job is completed satisfactorily.

Water pressure problems after replacing the well lines, pump doesn't seem to deliver water

I have a plumbing problem that I cannot seem to solve. I have a shallow well (41 ft. to the water line) with a 1 hp. jet pump with 1 1/4" and 1" black plastic supply lines leading to a jet assembly and a 1 1/4" foot valve but I cannot get the system to draw water from the well continuously.

The system was working fine until last winter when the PVC supply lines leading from the pump head to the water pressure tank froze and busted.

So, I replaced the PVC and primed the pump but when I turned it on, it would not draw water from the well. So, thinking that the freeze might have damaged the impellers, I replaced the pump.

However, after priming the new pump, it would not draw water from the well either.

So, I then pulled the supply lines out of the well and replaced the jet assembly (which was badly corroded) and the foot valve as well.

Now, when I prime the system, close the pressure regulator valve, turn the pump on, wait for the pressure to come up, and then open the pressure regulator valve a bit, water will exit from the side of the pressure regulator valve and out of the supply line but the volume of the flow fluctuates back and forth from a trickle to a jet for a little while and then suddenly ceases to flow altogether.

In addition, my spotter tells me that he can hear water rising up the pipes until just before it reaches the elbows where the supply lines make the turn from vertical to horizontal and then it suddenly falls back down the pipes. So, could you please tell me what you think the problem is? - Thanks, Bill Bernhardt

Reply: Check for well piping leaks first

Bill,

I don't fully understand the details in your message but I'm wondering from your description of fluctuating pressure if the pump is not picking up water at the foot valve. It sounds as if you're looking for water flow BEFORE the water reaches the pressure tank, right?

If not, I'd look for a water logged pressure tank or a tank with a stuck bladder.

From your description I wonder if there is a bad connection made during your well line replacement, possibly leaking water back into the well.

 

New plastic water line from pump to tank, but now water flow is stopped and water pressure lost

I have a 60' water well which I am sure has water due to the rain. I installed a new 1" x 20' plastic water line from the pump to the bladder tank. When I started it back up the water flows out of the spigots for approximately 1 minute and then stops flowing.

The pump is still trying to build but takes a while. If I shut the spigots off and let the pump build it eventually builds back up. How do I trouble shoot this?

By the way I have a submersible pump. When checking water I have an outlet prior to the bladder tank and the same thing happens. - Gary

Reply by (mod):

Gary if you are sure the pump itself is OK I'd start looking for a well piping leak.

Turn off water into the building at the end of a pump cycle and watch the pressure gauge. If pressure drops there is probably a piping leak or a bad foot valve or check valve. Also be sure that the water pump itself is undamaged and working properly.

Follow-Up: improper pump electrical wiring connections can cause well water pump to lose power

Everything is fixed now but I wanted to share my experience which caused me to replace a steel 1" water line with a plastic 1" line.

That's only the beginning. I replaced that plastic line as I thought I had a kink in it.

After each of these changes disappointment set in as nothing changed the results of 30 secs of water and then nothing for 5 minutes or so. Next was the pressure switch and all new piping from the pressure tank.

Next was pulling the 65' deep pump and changing it out. Pump went back down in and I was certain things would be looking up. Disappointment...disappointment....frustration on and on. I'll prep you here a little.

Early on like a couple of weeks ago when I replaced the line the first time I disconnected the pump connections and since this is a lake house from the mid 60's the wiring is not up to my type of wiring although it is sound.

Anyway the 3 wire connection was marked with colored tape so I could get back to the correct hook up. I made an assumption that one of the wires was the ground since later it was untaped the first time that it was a ground wire.

When I replace the line the first time and re-connected it I must have gotten the wiring backwards by using the ground as one of the voltage legs. Yes. I have done all of this work taking 2 weekends because I had the wiring wrong.

On a good note I have learned and I have shared this experience. Look at the wiring if the pump turns on and shuts off. Thanks Dan for your attempt to help. It is much appreciated.
Gary

Comment:

Gary, thanks so much for the follow-up on your loss of water pressure diagnosis and repair process.

We learn an important diagnostic clue from your description: a well pump might be improperly wired electrically but still "run" only it may not run normally and its power may be cut and thus water pressure may be low to nil.

Ruling out piping leaks and pressure switch problems helps focus in on another item to check out: the pump wiring connections. A similar problem can occur in older fused wiring systems - the fuse on one leg of the 240V circuit can blow, leaving the other side hot or live.

A too-quick check for electrical power can miss that problem.

See WATER PUMP WIRING REPAIR