In article , Mikepier wrote:
On Apr 24, 9:36=A0am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article =
om, Mikepier wrote:

UPDATE: This morning I removed the well cap, and filled up to the top
with water, then tried the pump again, still water only coming out in
spurts, and not consistent.

I understand I need a check valve, but for the purpose of testing the
pump right now, shouldn't the pump work even without a check valve?

Why would you think that it should? Think about what the check valve is for:
to keep water from draining out of the pump back into the well. If you don't
have a check valve somewhere, the pump _cannot_ stay primed.

Like I said, I filled up the well pipe to the top,

And since you have no check valve, it all drained back into the well...

and I poured water
in the outlet pipe, so I'm sure the pump is primed.

And I'm even more sure that you're wrong about that.

I'm not familiar with pump operations, so please excuse my lack of
knowledge. If you say I need a check valve, can I put it on the inlet
pipe before the union?

The union should be between the check valve and the pump -- that way, you can
open the union to remove the pump for servicing without losing the water in
the inlet pipe.