| Those of you that have a lawn sprinkler system | | | | and well setup you have. |
| connected to a pump and well setup may have | | | | If you have a shallow well and horizontal pump, |
| experienced a problem with your pump losing its' | | | | then you will need to replace the check valve, |
| prime. What this means is that the pump has lost | | | | which is either a brass or PVC fitting that is |
| the suction of water and now the pump is running | | | | usually installed directly before the inlet or suction |
| dry. | | | | side of the pump. To remove and replace, you |
| If this problem is not caught quickly, your pump | | | | need to cut the PVC pipe free and use a big pipe |
| may continue to run dry and burn out the motor | | | | wrench to loosen the check valve. To replace, |
| or spin off one of the impellers. | | | | simply install back in and glue the pipe back |
| Re-priming most pumps is fairly easy. With the | | | | together. Make sure you have the flow the |
| pump off, you take a water hose connected to | | | | correct way; there are arrows on the check |
| an outside bib and fill up the volute (part of pump | | | | valve which point the direction for the flow of |
| that holds water). Then turn the pump back on | | | | water. |
| while continuing to run water into the pump until | | | | If you have a jet pump, then your foot valve |
| you hear the sound of the motor starting to | | | | may need to be replaced. This is not as easy as |
| smooth out, which usually means the pump is | | | | replacing a check valve because it is located on a |
| primed back up and lifting water again. | | | | drop pipe, which is a separate pipe inside and near |
| If you take the water off and then the pump | | | | the bottom of the well. This requires you to |
| does not spit out water within a minute, continue | | | | remove the casing adapter and then lift up the |
| to force water back into the pump until it is lifting | | | | pipe, which can be 30 Ft to over 100 feet deep! |
| water from the well. After your sprinklers have | | | | Depending on the particular setup of your drop |
| run for a few minutes, turn the pump off and | | | | pipe and foot valve, it may require a few extra |
| wait a few minutes before turning on again. | | | | steps prior to just pulling the pipe up. This is not |
| What we're doing is checking to see if the pump | | | | an easy task if you are inexperienced. The |
| will hold its' prime. If you can turn the pump back | | | | actually removal and replacement of the foot |
| on and it continues to deliver water, then you | | | | valve is similar to the check valve, the hardest |
| should be fine. You should check it the next day | | | | part is usually getting the drop pipe up. |
| to see if it is holding the prime for a long period | | | | For homeowners with horizontal pumps and check |
| of time. | | | | valves, I encourage you to do it yourself! For |
| If after it has sat for several hours, or even just | | | | those with irrigation system pump and well setups |
| a few minutes and it has lost the prime again, | | | | that have foot valves, I would highly recommend |
| then most likely you have a bad check valve or | | | | hiring an experienced well driller or pump technician |
| bad foot valve, depending on what kind of pump | | | | from an irrigation company in your area. |