We have to draw water from a cistern at church. They let the cistern run dry, and the pump lost its prime. I have to figure out how to prime the pump.
I let it run for awhile, but it wouldn't "catch," it wouldn't deliver pressure to the pressure tank.
I am guessing that when the water ran out, the pressure tank pressurized the system until the water level in the tank went too low. Now there isn't enough water in the tank to "back flow" to fill the primary line (the line coming from the cistern).
Any suggestions? There's a point where I can put water into the secondary part of the pump but it just fills up until I turn on the pump, then it goes into the tank.
I'm thinking of taking a 5-gallon jug of water, and siphoning water into the pump and letting it go into the pressure tank.
Any other suggestions (that don't involve separating the water pipes)?