How pump in well works

[coccinelle]

Can anybody tell me how to use a pump which is immersed into a well? I have tried filling the tube with water which goes into the well and screw it to the pump but this doesn't bring water into the housepipe. Is there an easy way or is it a case of hit and miss as I saw my neighbour do last weekend?

[ChuckFickens]

You may have to describe exactly what you mean! the obvious answer, is... pump the handle up and down!

[AlBags]

You need a lift valve incorporated in it.
My old well pump has an iron drop rod down to the valve body from a linkage at the handle. This valve body used to be made of oak or similar. It had a cut-away in it incorporating a flap of heavy leather hide. This enabled the pump body to fill when handle lifted .. then pump up the water and eject when handle lowered.
What type of pump is it? A two-way handle on a crank .. or a standard handle?

[AlBags]

On many pumps, the leather dried up and dropped off .. or the linkage corroded and came off .. falling into the shaft. Either way, the pump packs up.

[coccinelle]

OK chuckfickens. It isn't a manual pump it's an electric one. On the side there's a tube which goes down into the well and on the top the hosepipe is attached. You have to 'prime' the pump (this mightn't be the right word) so the pump can suck up the water from the well.

[AlBags]

Righ .. I'll bugger off then.
I had a nice tecky page on the web I would have posted (about real pumps)

[coccinelle]

Thanks Albags but it's an electric one. Mind you it might be easier with a proper one

[coccinelle]

Albags, hadn't seen your answer before I answered to chuckfickens.

[AlBags]

Submerse the whole pump (if waterproof) and connected pipe to fill it first. Keep your thumb on end and connect up. There's an airlock in it. Fluid pumps don't like pumping air.
If it still wont pump .. strip and check it .. it might be busted.

[ChuckFickens]

Does the pump have any details on it, such as make or model number? or if your neighbour got it working last weekend how about asking them how they done it.

[sddsddean]

Don't forget to check the specification of the pump. What is the maximum head it can pump? No pump will work if it is only rated at, say, a 10ft head and you are trying to pump 20ft.

[coccinelle]

Thank you for your answers. Will give it another go albags but I'm not quite sure if what I'm doing is right. The pump isn't waterproof. Chuckfickens the neighbour did it while I was there but it took a few tries and he put water into the pump which didn't work then all of a sudden it did. I can't go tripping to see the neighbour every time I want to water the garden. sddsddean the pump worked last week.

[AlBags]

Just priming it correctly then is the key.
You could try a siphon action .. if the pump allows it .. which I doubt.