will a well tank drain down if you turn the power off?

[Bruce Wrenn]

Drain tank completely, then shut off valve to house. Next turn on pump, and let it pressurize the tank to cut off point. Turn off electricity, and wait 15 minutes, then check pressure. If it's fallen, you have a leak between pump and foot valve. If it hasn't fallen, then your leak is between pump and house.

[Jerry Bruette]

Drain tank completely, then shut off valve to house. Next turn on pump, and let it pressurize the tank to cut off point. Turn off electricity, and wait 15 minutes, then check pressure. If it's fallen, you have a leak between pump and foot valve. If it hasn't fallen, then your leak is between pump and house.

Won't work if the foot valve/check valve is leaking and pump lost it's prime.

Won't work if there's a leak between pump and water level in well casing. The pump will suck air instead of water.

[Ole Anderson]

Wait!!! You said you had the pump off for weeks, then turned it on because you had to use the toilet??? Wow!

[Lee Schierer]

You need to supply more information. How big is your tank? Does your pump have one pipe or two going to the well?

I will say this for sure. If you turned off the power for as long as you said and no one used any water while the power was off, you have a leak in your system. The fact that your pump runs every 15 minutes when no water is used would confirm that.

Your first step should be to replace the air control valve if you are sure your tank is waterlogged. When you replace it drain at least half the water out of your tank. Then put everything back together. Let the pump run until it shuts off on it's own or at least as long as it would tank to fill the tank. A pressure gauge on the tank will tell you if the tank pressure is rising. If the pressure is going up the pump is working. Once the pump shuts off on it's own note the pressure. Go do something for 5-10 minutes, then check the pressure again. If it has dropped and there is no puddle anywhere in the house, your foot valve is leaking.

[Ronald Blue]

It sounds like a jet pump that has lost it's prime. It will not self prime. It's been a while since I messed with one but I believe that there should be a plug that you remove and pour water in to prime it. A jet pump is an alternative to a submersible. It allows you to draw water at much deeper depths than a regular pump. It works by circulating water and the water passing back up the return draws water in. A submersible would not be an issue losing prime. Is there not a Schrader valve on the pressure tank? If there is you can just add air to it after you get the pump primed again. It sounds like you have more than one problem. Leaking foot valves aren't unusual. Here is an illustration of what you likely have.

[Travis Conner]

They drained it out and put a new air volume control valve on. It's been working fine now.