Pump, checkvalve, priming - Help me think

[HumbleDeer]

Hi!

A long time ago, we had a DAB pump with a vat on it that started leaking. The motor's pump housing seals were broken and this caused the motor to get drowned and burn out. This pump was self priming, though took a long while to do so.

My mum (who's house it is) bought a new pump that has automatic dry run shutoff. This is a huge plus, except for when you want the pump to self prime. The well's source pipe is about six meters below the pump's entrance. This means the pump's self-protection kicks in before it can prime. The pump used to be hooked up to the house's failoversystem, but due to neglect this is no longer an option. The pump is meant to be used as a garden watering pump now.

My idea: A checkvalve!

My problem: I cannot get to the pump line's end.

My proposed solution: Add a T, a fill spout, and a check valve at the upper end of the pump source line. The check valve will stop air from getting in, the fill spout will allow me to prime the line with water from elsewhere.

My question: Is this generally frowned upon? How good can the check valve work when it's so far up? Will it adequately stop air from getting in even if the pump isn't used daily? Do you have any better ideas?

Please do keep in mind, I am just a 19 year old, rather weak girl doing these things. I like tinkering, but I'm not a huge daredevil or strong person.

As an extra, I am intending to add a four amp breaker and RCD inside the house where the power goes to outside, as this pump's sockets had issues with leaking water in the past. This should be fixed, but I want to be sure!

 

[Valveman]

You really need a foot valve at the bottom of the well pipe to keep the pump and pipe primed. Do you not have a check valve in the suction line now? What kind of pump do you have? A 4 amp breaker doesn't sound large enough for most pumps.

 

[HumbleDeer]

I cannot access the end of the pipe, sadly. It's inside the well and can't be taken out. There was no check valve in the system because the pump that was installed previously did not require it. The previous pump was in service for almost twenty years, so the pump of its kind is long gone now.

I also researched the requirements for the series of this pump. An eight amp breaker is required at minimum (on 240v.)

The pump is a DAB pump is not unlike the Jetcom series, though I cannot assess what model the pump is given I'm remote from the location. It has automatic pump control built in with the electronic protection system. It was bought like that.

 

[Valveman]

You should be able to access the well and the pipe with foot valve should not be very heavy. Placing a foot valve at the bottom of the well pipe is your best option. You can add a check valve on the suction side of the pump, closer to the well the better. But you still may lose prime below that check valve.

Your biggest problem is you went for one of those complicated pumps with electronic protections and probably variable speed control. Those pumps will not self prime, and give lots of other nuisance problems as well. You would be much better off with a standard dumb jet pump and a pressure switch.

 

[HumbleDeer]

I cannot reach the end of the suction line.

The Control-D ( the name of the electronic control) has a priming feature that will allow the pump to run dry a little longer. I did not buy this pump myself, I am simply trying to install it instead of sitting there. The well needs to be emptied some day to clean anyway, and maybe THEN there can be a check valve at the foot. But until then, there is no one around to install it.

I do think that if necessary, I can bypass the pump control system temporarily.

The reason we went for the electronic control is that when I am not there, there is no one to take maintenance of it. We previously had a pump catch on fire because it ran dry in the well and no one had any idea that it was happening.