Wells, Sump Pumps and Septic Sewage Systems - cant prime craftsman 82203 pump
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JohnSam
06-18-08, 08:14 PM
Hello
We just replaced our cistern. The installer connected the new cistern to the pump. Everything was working well with the old cistern. Now the pressure won't go back up to normal. The pressure was staying around 30 but would not move. I let some air out from the pressure tank to make sure it was still holding and the pressure now is 15 and it won't go higher.
The new cistern is 100 feet from the pump. The installer said he filled the pipe with water but ill bet it probably flowed back out to the cistern. I don't know how I can restore the prime?
Suggestions will be appreciated.
thanks
John
We just replaced our cistern. The installer connected the new cistern to the pump. Everything was working well with the old cistern. Now the pressure won't go back up to normal. The pressure was staying around 30 but would not move. I let some air out from the pressure tank to make sure it was still holding and the pressure now is 15 and it won't go higher.
The new cistern is 100 feet from the pump. The installer said he filled the pipe with water but ill bet it probably flowed back out to the cistern. I don't know how I can restore the prime?
Suggestions will be appreciated.
thanks
John
justwater
06-18-08, 08:59 PM
sounds like you need a check valve between that cistern and the pump. then prime it up and go from there. might have to try priming it several times before it catches if its that far away.
JohnSam
06-19-08, 05:16 AM
This may be a silly question but I am not sure how to prime this pump.
The plumbing system still has water in the holding tank so if I open the plug on the pump it will squirt out. The Crfatsman pump has a prime screw on it that says to close it run pump 10 seconds and then slowly open. I have tried this several times to no avail. The pressure is holding at 15 lbs now but won't increase.
Should I drain let all the water out of the system first and then try priming?
thanks Again
John
The plumbing system still has water in the holding tank so if I open the plug on the pump it will squirt out. The Crfatsman pump has a prime screw on it that says to close it run pump 10 seconds and then slowly open. I have tried this several times to no avail. The pressure is holding at 15 lbs now but won't increase.
Should I drain let all the water out of the system first and then try priming?
thanks Again
John
Vey
06-19-08, 06:47 AM
If you don't have a valve between the pump and the tank, you will have to drain the tank of water (not air if there is a bladder or diaphragm). Then you have to get water into the pump and pipe back to the check or foot valve. For a cistern, I would think that a foot valve would be best. A foot valve works the same way that a check valve works except it is at the end down inside the cistern. A check valve would be located close to the pump.
You can use the plug in the pump, or you can remove something from the output side to get the water in there, but it must go all the way back to the check or foot valve. Filling the pump isn't enough. When the water is in there (hopefully several gallons), you run the pump and the water you put in gets pushed out, but it also sucks some new water up the pipe. Wrap your hand around the body of the pump and when it starts getting warm, stop the pump and repeat.
Something to check and that is that the pump must be the highest point in the piping between the cistern and the pump. For example, if you have a hose and that hose bends up higher than the pump, then a bubble will develop it the high point and hardly any water will flow. Same with piping, so use a level to make sure that the intake piping slopes upward.
I think that there is a clever way to plumb this, so that's why I am describing it:
Around here, many people put a "T" on top of the pump output standing upright rather than an elbow. One side goes off to the side and goes to the tank. On the upright side, they glue in an adapter to size the 1 1/4" (or whatever the size is) to 1/2" or 3/4" threaded. This allows a "bibcock" or faucet to be threaded in. Then they put a double female hose connector on the bibcock so that a hose can be hooked up and they use a different source of water (neighbors perhaps) to prime the pump and pipe. This also allows the pump to run "free" of the tank which is a handy thing to have if something goes wrong. Plus they have an extra faucet by the pump if they need water there.
You can use the plug in the pump, or you can remove something from the output side to get the water in there, but it must go all the way back to the check or foot valve. Filling the pump isn't enough. When the water is in there (hopefully several gallons), you run the pump and the water you put in gets pushed out, but it also sucks some new water up the pipe. Wrap your hand around the body of the pump and when it starts getting warm, stop the pump and repeat.
Something to check and that is that the pump must be the highest point in the piping between the cistern and the pump. For example, if you have a hose and that hose bends up higher than the pump, then a bubble will develop it the high point and hardly any water will flow. Same with piping, so use a level to make sure that the intake piping slopes upward.
I think that there is a clever way to plumb this, so that's why I am describing it:
Around here, many people put a "T" on top of the pump output standing upright rather than an elbow. One side goes off to the side and goes to the tank. On the upright side, they glue in an adapter to size the 1 1/4" (or whatever the size is) to 1/2" or 3/4" threaded. This allows a "bibcock" or faucet to be threaded in. Then they put a double female hose connector on the bibcock so that a hose can be hooked up and they use a different source of water (neighbors perhaps) to prime the pump and pipe. This also allows the pump to run "free" of the tank which is a handy thing to have if something goes wrong. Plus they have an extra faucet by the pump if they need water there.
Pumpman
06-19-08, 07:54 AM
The fact that the pump is 100' from the cistern could be the problem, too.
Many people don't realize that Sears' pumps are downsized. That is, while it may say it's a 1 hp, it's actually sized to work like a 3/4 hp.
There are friction losses that have to be accounted for when a pump is moved away from the source of water. If the size of the suction line isn't increased, the friction losses may be too great for the pump to overcome and it is unable to "lift" the water.
What Vey said about the suction line sloping up to the pump is very correct. If it's not, coupled with the distance from cistern to pump, you'll have priming problems.
Ron
Many people don't realize that Sears' pumps are downsized. That is, while it may say it's a 1 hp, it's actually sized to work like a 3/4 hp.
There are friction losses that have to be accounted for when a pump is moved away from the source of water. If the size of the suction line isn't increased, the friction losses may be too great for the pump to overcome and it is unable to "lift" the water.
What Vey said about the suction line sloping up to the pump is very correct. If it's not, coupled with the distance from cistern to pump, you'll have priming problems.
Ron
JohnSam
06-19-08, 08:01 PM
Thanks Vey I folloed your advice! I checked and the cistern has a check valve so I drained the tank and then primed again and after a few trys it worked.
This a great forum!!
John
This a great forum!!
John