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.

Well he isn't. Usually the primping port is a pipe plug on the OUTLET
of the pump. You 'dribble' water in there until air bubbles quit
coming out then, if possible, manually turn the pump a few revs to be
sure any trapped air is out of the impeller.

Harry K