Well Pump Prime Procedure Q&A

Pump damaged during priming
Pump prime lost after power outage
Pump prime lost: test for leaks
Pump priming plug FAQs

Water Pump Priming Plug Q&A

Also see PUMP PRIMING PLUG NOT PRESENT Q&A

In which direction to I turn the prime plug to loosen it

It should be righty tighty, lefty loosy

In which direction to I turn the prime plug to loosen it On 2019-01-22 by Brian -

Reply by (mod) - DF - turn the priming plug counter-clockwise to loosen it

Yes Brian, well pump prime plugs use conventional pipe threads - in the U.S. we call it "NPT" for National Pipe Thread.

Turn the priming plug counterclockwise (to the left) to loosen it.

Watch out: take care not to drop parts or anything else into the pump chamber.

How do I fish out the strip nut from my pump's chamber?

My house pump has a strip nut where I prime it . How can I fish it . No tool I've tried will work . We have water now but I cant prime it at all . On 2022-06-04 by David -

by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - Retrieving magnet works well retrieving small ferrous objects including from a well

@David,

I don't understand the question - what's a "strip nut"?

From where do you need to retrieve it? Have you tried a mechanic's retrieval magnet?

Shown here is a retrieving magnet I've used for over 50 years, the Storch Products magnet.

If what you meant is that the nut that needs to be removed in order to prime the pump has been rounded or stripped so that the wrench will not turn it,

that's pretty easy to remove.

Simply got a pair of vice grips and clamp them on to the nut. Then you'll be able to turn it.

If the priming nut is also rusted in place, then before trying to remove it try using a bit of Liquid Wrench or similar product on the threads and let it soak for 5 or 10 minutes before trying to turn it.

Take the removed nut to your hardware store where you can purchase a replacement that is in better condition.

Also see our more extensive advice for fishing out stuff you've dropped down into inaccessible locations such as into the well at WELL PIPE RETRIEVAL TOOLS - home

When we remove the priming plug to add water it's already full but we don't have water

We just installed a new pump and tank on our well today it's a shallow well and we're having a hard time priming it.

When we take the plug off the pump to allegedly put more water in it the water line is full do you know what's going on and how we can fix it On 2017-04-07 by Kitty

by (mod) -

Kitty:

If the pump is full already then the problem is not getting water into the pump, it's somewhere else. Be sure that the shutoff valve (if there is one) between pump outlet and pressure tank water inlet is OPEN.

You didn't let the pump run "dry" did you? Some pumps will suffer impeller damage if run dry for a time.

Water squirts out of the top of the pump when I prime it

I have a old A.O. Smith Corp Well Pump, when i Prime it the water comes to the top of the pump where i install the water,but i have to hurry and put cap on and turn the pump on or it loses its prime,

And it got to where the pump would go off every two min.because it was losing pressure, so i change the pipe and foot valve.I tried to prime it but the water keeps going down

I took it apart and the pipe had water in it, so the foot valve is working.

There is a small opening under cap where pipe hooks up to. It looks like a air opening. I think water might be going though that and going down between pipe and outer pipe casing. (May 17, 2015) Dave

Reply:

Dave

When the pump is losing prime as you describe I think water is running back down a pipe into the well or possibly out through a piping leak.

I'm not sure what opening you are referring to - use our CONTACT link to send me some photos if you like and I can comment further.

Try following this PRIME the PUMP, HOW TO

Dave said:
I just emailed you the two pictures, from my wife's email.

Mod

Got em. This looks like an older model Sta-Rite jet pump with an adapter that perhaps mounted the pump atop the well casing or water tank. (If you can see a model number on the data tag that'd be helpful).

You can also get help from Pentair or direct from Sta-Rite - www.sta-rite.com/ResidentialContactUs_ContactUs.aspx

Dave when you say the water keeps going down - it's got to be going somewhere, right? That should tell us where the leak is.

When you fill the pump through the priming opening if the water is leaking out and it's not visibly leaking at the pump itself then it's either passing into the water tank or into the well.

Double check your piping and connections.

Lost Pump Prime: Test for Pump or Piping Leaks FAQs

Small leak between well and pump - how do I test to see if it was fixed?

In a double line system, can you prime the pump if there is a small leak in the line between the well seal and the pump? We suspected a leak before a power outage, but still had decent water pressure. We have not had water since.

We did take the opportunity to replace the reservoir (that has a bladder) and added several ball valves to the system, since the original installation never accounted for future repair or maintenance, but we can't seem to get any psi.

The pump runs and runs, but no psi.

I'd like to be able to prime the pump to see if the suspected leak issue was resolved or if we still have an issue to address. If there is a leak, even a small one, will it be possible to prime the pump? On 2020-04-25 by Brenda -

by danjoefriedman (mod) - Here's an easy way to check for small leak in well piping

A Leak in the foot valve in your well could cause you to lose prime.

It's also possible that the pump ran dry and is internally damaged.

As to the question of whether a small leak can prevent you from priming the pump, I can't answer that since we don't really know what is small.

We also don't know the volume of water that's needed. In a deep well you may need considerable water to complete the priming operation.

Start by priming the pump, get it working,

pump the system up to full CUT OUT pressure.

Turn OFF water into the house.

Wait and watch the pump and water tank pressure gauge.

If the pressure drops then there is still a leak between pump and bottom of the water line in your well.

How do we tell if our shallow well "no water" problem is a foot valve or a piping leak?

Hi there we are at our wits end 2 plumbers and no fixes we have a single line pressure system at our home well approx 25 ft deep newer flex lite pressure tank 22 gal @ 38 psi new pump put on I woke up from a nap in the afternoon

and no water but seemed fine in the morning although dogs water dish showed rust in it later on installed a new 1/2 horse pump all lines checked up top but will not take a prime water up to the top of the pipe from well but it will not fill the pressure tank. Jumps to 40 psi on pressure gauge then drops.

Could it be the foot valve or a leak in the well line? Any advice would be appreciated we are desperate thank you (Mar 7, 2014) Sandra kelly

Reply: here's the test.

Sandra,

Sounds like a well piping leak or a bad foot valve.

Here's an easy test: with power to the pump turned OFF, open the pump priming plug and slowly pour water into the pumping chamber. If you see water keeps going down out of the pump chamber then there's a piping or foot valve leak.

Reader follow-up: I love your site absolutely outstanding thanks for the advice. Greatly appreciated

Thank you I was going to take the line apart up top and try to put a snake down just to check for freezing at the point where the line exits.

The cabin but I will have to do that tomorrow. My tools have disappeared into someone else's told box.

Once I'll see if that is the issue the next step will be digging down to the well unit. It's a sealed non accessible unit which is now going to be changed for future access: we'll pull the line and replace it

I love your site absolutely outstanding thanks for the advice. Greatly appreciated

Reply:

Thanks for the follow-up and the kind words. Your questions or comments help us see where to work on the website.

DF

When the pump stops it squirts water out of the well

We installed the waterpump from Harbor Freight. No problem, everything's working. However when the pump shuts off it spews out about a gallon of water or so at the well.

What's wrong and how can i fix it? Thanlk you in advance. On 2019-03-27 by Ryan -

by (mod) - water hammer problem that is causing a relief valve to leak ?

Well as the Poughkeepsie police told Anna Bannana when she complained that the Metro North trains ought not be permitted to blow their horns at night because the noise bothered her the desk sergeant at the police building said:

"Well gee, that's one I've never heard before"

So thanks for an interesting problem.

Making a wild guess, I suspect there may be a water hammer problem that is causing a relief valve to leak, OR there is an artesian well whose well spool is leaky, causing water to spew out of a well casing vent.

We need first to be precise about exactly where the water is squirting from - what device or pipe.

Watch out: the same leak point that is squirting water "out at the well" also risks losing pump prime now or during a power outage.

Water Pump Loses Prime When Electrical Power is Off Q&A

A leaky foot valve lost pump prime during power outage

I just used your PRIME the PUMP, HOW TO method last night and we were lucky it worked.

An electrician had installed a new circuit breaker panel and power was off for several hours. They tried to re-prime it but no luck. We thought we were looking at a $3K bill to open the well and finally make the switch to an in-well pump.

One thing I did not see (or missed) -- I closed the valve between the pump and the tank, so all the water I poured in went into the well line. I did have to be nimble -- fill it fast, quickly screw the gauge back, and flip the switch.

When the pump luckily started pumping, I opened the valve [to the tank] slowly. Our well guy suspects that we do have a leaky check valve, but as long as we don't lose power, we seem to be OK for a while. - Bob Stewart 8/25/2012

Reply: effects of slow well pipe or foot valve leaks on losing prime - relation to power outages

Thanks for the helpful field report, Bob.

Indeed a leaky check valve or foot valve means that whenever the pump stops water drains from the above-ground 2-line jet pump back into the well.

The reason you don't lose prime immediately is that water stored in the pressure tank is feeding backwards into the well as pressure drops due to the leak. As pressure drops to the cut-in, the pump cycles on, repressurizing the water pressure tank and piping, and so prime is preserved for now.

This is the classic situation in which people observe

1. First that the pump seems to run occasionally for no reason but otherwise water pressure is not being lost - see WATER PUMP INTERMITTENT CYCLING
2. Second, the first time that electrical power is left off for some time the pump completely loses prime. Just how long the system can tolerate a power outage without losing prime depends on
   • the size of the water pressure tank and how full it was when power was turned off or lost
   • the size of the leak in the well piping or foot valve and how fast it is leaking back into the well (or into the ground depending on where the leak is found

Wayne CSW50 2-line jet pump, lost water pressure.

I'm absolutely confounded by my system. While we were away on vacation, the folks taking care of our animals called to tell us there was no water in the house. This is only to say I have no idea what's happened during the last 7 days to get to the point of having no water.

When I got to looking, the pressure switch did not appear to be working because the pump would run when I bypassed the switch applied current directly to the pump.

So I replaced the pressure switch, and the pump seemed to work fine. However, priming has been a problem. This pump is less than a year old, and I didn't have trouble priming it the first time (using the 2nd, or plug method) when I replaced the old one.

But this time - no dice. I do have a shutoff between the pump and pressure tank. When I close the valve, prime the pump, and run, enough pressure builds to trip the pressure switch and shut the pump off.

But as soon as I open the valve to fill the house (or if I prime with the valve to the house open), it won't prime. I also filled the pressure tank with some air and noticed a slow leak. This system predates me, and I don't think it's a bladder type.

My pump is a two line jet pump, Wayne CSW50. There are no markings on the pressure tank, so not much there.

One odd thing I did notice when I added air to the system was that I got air coming up from around the area where the lines go through the surface into the well. I didn't expect to see air escaping there.

I didn't think much of it since I could get the pump to pressure up when shut off from the house - but in the interest of full disclosure in case it sparks a thought.

I would appreciate ANY help, advice, suggestions on where to go next. I have no idea what's down the well. Predates me and the previous owner.

But I figure there are only 2 other parts to look at: either the pressure tank or the pipe down the hole. Just not sure which direction to head first and/or best practices for overcoming a pump that suddenly won't prime.

Thanks in advance,

Kevin - KMC Kurdy 6/27/11

Reply:

Mr. McCurdy: you might get somewhere in diagnosing this well water loss problem by starting with the diagnostics at the article WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE - I'd start there rather than looking at pump priming (the article series here).

However, your clue that you got air coming up through the ground around the well piping near the pipe entry into the well suggests that there is one or there may be two issues:

1. a leak in well piping near the well - dig there and investigate the pipe condition, or look for a leak at the pitless adapter

2. an air leak into the well piping or low water in the well allowing air into the system

Will a pump keep prime while electrical power is turned off?

I have a jet pump inside my house. I will be going away for several months during the winter and will be turning my main water valve off and leaving the pump power on. Will the pump be able to maintain its prime or do I need to periodically have someone run the water? (Oct 12, 2015) RG

Reply: yes if there are no leaks

Perhaps if there is no leaky check valve or foot valve you'll be OK.

Search InspectApedia for FREEZEPROOFING to read some important suggestions.

Pump Damage During Priming Q&A

Goulds 2-line deep well jet pump, worried about warm pump motor during priming

I just finished installing a Goulds 2 line deep well pump. I am currently priming the system, but I'm concerned about the electric motor housing getting warm. Is this a normal occurrence? I'm worried that the motor will burn out and my pump will be no more than a paperweight.

Also, after installing a new pump, how many times should the pump be manually filled with water? How will I know when full priming has been achieved? - Brian Scholtes 9/9/11

Reply:

Brian, it's normal for the pump motor to get warm but not red hot - usually you can find temperature numbers on the data tag. Don't run the pump dry however as you may damage the impeller. Usually I can get the pump working with just 1-3 fill-ups of prime, but it could be more depending on the depth of your well piping.

Provided the pump and piping are working properly and not damaged or leaking, you'll know when the pump is primed because it will begin delivering water into the home.