On Apr 24, 6:36*am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article , 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 repeat, again and again and again. NO CHECK VALVE is used in such
installationjs. What is needed (and he must already have one) is a
FOOTVALVE. It goes on the bottom end of the suction pipe.
Essentially it is a "checkvalve" but from the people insisting on
using 'checkvalve' they all seem to talking about one at the top end
of the suction pipe. Any valve, shut off or check, at the top between
the suction pipe and the pump will only add uneeded restriction.

Harry K