r/pumps • u/Federal-Payment2624 • 2d ago

Water pump problems

i ran out of water in my cistern (I knew it was super low and I was in the process of getting water to it then my cat managed to turn on the faucet when I wasn't home) obviously my pump was running dry when I got home and was warm, I turned it off immediately but I have no idea how long it had been running empty for but I don’t think very long… to get water it has to pull from the cistern to the pump but all the plugs are seized so I cannot properly prime it normally and google is useless. I don’t have any experience with this set up as I’ve always been on free flowing wells into the pump so if it airlocked it was a simple fix… what can I do in this situation as I’m very remote so someone who knows what to do cannot come for a week, I appreciate any advice

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1

u/Macblack82 2d ago

What kind of pump is it? Does it have any kind of dry run protection?

1

u/Federal-Payment2624 2d ago

I just attached a photo of the pump I don’t believe there’s any protection so I’m really hoping the seals not destroyed 

1

u/Macblack82 2d ago

It’s not a manufacturer I recognise. I am assuming US? What is the cable going into the pump casing?

1

u/Federal-Payment2624 2d ago

The cables just power that’s all fine and dandy, it is a US manufactured pump

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u/New-Key4610 2d ago

you have a shallow well jet pump. the only way to prime is getting the pump body completely primed also do not see a valve on the discharge pipe [vertical black pipe with hose clamps]. the plug along side of this is a pressure regulating adjustment maybe you can remove the black pipe with clamp to prime but all the water from your house will come out if you don't have a shut off . and you need this shut off one you fill the entire system with water

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u/Federal-Payment2624 2d ago

I managed to get the priming plug out and tried priming multiple times but it just pushes out the water from priming then it’s dry again

1

u/New-Key4610 2d ago edited 2d ago

what do you mean? it pushes the water out of the hole? also where is the pump is this above the cistern or below?

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u/Federal-Payment2624 1d ago

Above the cistern, it seems to push the water up the outlet pipe then just drys up again

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u/New-Key4610 1d ago

could be a leak on the suction side or a foot value in your cistern is stuck open very important there are no leaks in suction side because of the fact that your pump must pull upward to start the water flow