Pumps that are down and sometimes out

We have two wells, both with pumps; one outside for garden water and car washing, the other is in the cellar and its purpose is to keep the cellar free from water.

Yesterday I noticed the pump had stopped working and the well was getting to the top and in danger of overflowing and filling the cellar !! I moved the pump in an effort to lift it and it started running and emptied. Great !! I thought, problem solved.

No..  too premature!

Next day I heard the pump running as you sometimes do when in the garage. However it did not stop running as it should do. On checking the well was half full of water and the pump running but NOT pumping. Investigation discovered the outlet pipe was blocked by a stone it had obviously sucked in after I had moved the pump.

Removing the pipe to check for a blockage.

The culprit !!!

The pump was restored to its position and worked fine. Job done!!

A happy chappy !!

NO!! at 05:00 in the morning the pump was running and running and running.  Yes; it had picked up another stone. So it was unblocked, replaced and this time left dangling 10cm from the base of the well.

We now have the question, do we leave it dangling or do we attempt to clean out the well of small stones?? We will have to think about that one and get some sleep!!