When a pool pump is priming, it is purging the plumbing system of air to create a vacuum effect to pull water from the pool, push it through the filter and back through the return line. An inground pool pump should be able to prime itself under normal circumstances. But if you have had to de-pressurize the system for maintenance, i,e, pump motor replacement, cartridge cleaning, manual priming is helpful to give your pump a head start for priming.
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 9/16/2016
Dom Fiocco - I would shut off the valve to the solar system until the pump is primed than slowing open the solar valve.Reply
Dom Fiocco Posted: 9/14/2016
My pool pump won't prime if the valve to our rooftop solar system is open. Any ideas on how to resolve?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 8/15/2016
Rick - Thanks for the priming tip. It sounds like a great solution for anyone with a significantly elevated pump.Reply
Rick Posted: 8/14/2016
I tried everything and couldn't get mine primed and FINALLY found a trick that worked that I though worth sharing. Forcing water into the skimmer intake (the inlet from your main drain should probably be closed). I had stuck a hose in it before and still couldn't get it to work, so I wrapped cardboard and tape around the hose to make the hose fit tightly into the inlet from the skimmer, which was a little bigger than the hose. Cranked the water all the way, forcing it up to the pump, which in my case was about 4 feet above the water level. Turned on the pump and it caught within seconds. I am soooo glad to finally find a way that works.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 8/1/2016
confused - No, you should only add water to the strainer basket for a couple of minutes. It will not fill completely since you have an open system and some water is draining out to the pool. If you are having trouble priming the pool, close off all but one of the suction lines to the pool. Then open the others back up after the pump is primed. Check to make sure that you don't have leaks in the suction lines that are preventing your pump from priming. See our guide on "How to Identify and Correct Air Leaks".Reply
confused Posted: 7/31/2016
I am trying to prime my pump. Is it possible that it could take hours to fill the lines through the filter basket? Should the water lines be open or closed? I have them open.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/2/2016
WW - I have not seen a pump operate up and down like that. If it only happens on the Backwash and Rinse modes, the problem is probably in the Waste port of the filter. Make sure that port and the hose from it is not partially blocked. Check the spider gasket in the valve to make sure it is intact.Reply
WW Posted: 6/30/2016
I just hooked up an Intel 14" 2800 gph sand filter pump. Back washed, and rinsed fine. In the filter mode however the pump seems to rev up and down and the psi goes up and drops right along with it. It's not dramatic, maybe from 10 to 4 psi back and forth. Any reason why it would do this in filter mode but run smooth in backwash and rinse?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 5/24/2016
Scott72 - Concentrate first on what you changed. If you pulled the strainer cover off to clean the basket, make sure the cover O-ring is in place. Sometimes, if the O-ring is old and stretched out, it may poke out when you are closing the cover leaving a big air hole. If that is good, try filling the pump trap with water from a hose. You won't be able to fill it but you will put some water in the pipe to the pool. Leave the multiport valve in filter until the system is primed. Turn the pump off and switch to backwash, then switch the power back on.Reply
Scott72 Posted: 5/23/2016
I've got an older pool with a Heyward S200 sand filter. I don't have a diverter valve from the main line to the skimmers; just the pump selector lever (backwash, rinse, filter, etc.). According to the instructions on the pump, I am supposed to prime it, then run it on backwash until I had a steady flow of water, then rinse, then filter. I had this thing running great yesterday, opened the basket to empty it, and now can't get it to prime to save my life. Am I missing something? Please help! Thank you!Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 5/20/2016
check valve - The check valve should keep the water from flowing back into the pool after the pump is shut off. So priming would be faster.Reply
Anonymous Posted: 5/18/2016
How would this work if there is a check valve on the suction side of the pump?Reply
Anonymous Posted: 7/29/2015
Worked great. Thanks.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/24/2015
prime - Generally you will see a little water/air at the top of the pump basket while the pump is running. I have seen a perfectly smooth top where it looks like no water is flowing but this is an exception. The discharge from the pump would have to match the water coming in on the suction side of the pump. If you have a lot of air in the pump basket (Cavitation) you either have a suction air leak or your pump may be too large and it is discharging the water faster than it can pull it in.Reply
Anonymous Posted: 7/23/2015
should you see water in your pool pump when its runningReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 11/4/2014
creepy backwash - Sound like you don't have sufficient water flow in the filter setting. If you haven't replaced the sand in your filter in the last 5 years, I would do that first. See our guide on "How To Correct Low Water Pressure in Your Pool System" for other suggestions.Reply
Anonymous Posted: 10/30/2014
My creepy only sucks of backwash. How do I correct this pleaseReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/11/2014
Bigredthingy - Try placing Tupperware covers over the input and return holes on the inside of the pool. The pool water pressure should hold them against the holes.Reply
Bigredthingy Posted: 7/11/2014
We already have our pool full and a pump and cartridge filter hooked up, but old cartridge leaks in too many places! I have a new pump and cartridge filter system that we want to hook up and don't know how to stop all the water from pouring out on us while we exchange the equipment! Please, help!Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 6/17/2014
have know clue - Hard to say. Go back and look at everything you might have changed to make sure it is the same as it was - assuming your system was running well before you painted. Check the voltage connections and readings to make sure your voltage is correct. This problem is characteristic of low voltage to the pump.Reply
have know clue Posted: 6/16/2014
my pool was drained five month . was repainted and filled up, primed the pump, and flipped the switch pump came on for twentyfive sec,then cutoff.help me somebodyReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 6/13/2014
Tavo - If you tried opening the main drain after you had the system running with the skimmers, and you lost prime, it sounds like you have a leak in the pipe coming from the main drain to the pump. Try soaping up any visible connections between the diverter valve and the main drain to see if any bubbles are sucked into a leak. If not, your leak may be underground.Reply
Tavo Posted: 6/12/2014
I have not been able to prime my pump using the main drain. I let the water run inside the pump basket for at least 20 min but if never filled up. I gave up on the main drain and the pump it's running once I changed to skimmers only. I have try opening the slowly to the main drain but have not have success. My concern is that I ran the water to the main drain for a long time and no luck.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 4/23/2014
Golden-Hawk - We only sell the rubber flapper as a kit with this valve.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 4/23/2014
Golden-Hawk - No, it will not hurt the pump to prime for 5 minutes.Reply
Golden-Hawk Posted: 4/21/2014
I am using 2" Jandy Check valves to prevent back flow< Is it possible to buy just the rubber flapper instead of the $30.00 kit?Reply
Golden-Hawk Posted: 4/21/2014
Hello, I have a 30k pool with dual mains and dual skimmers. The pump is app. 6' above the water line.Both Mains and skimmers have Jandy ck valves to slow run back. The pump is on a auto timer and after several hours of off time, its takes about 5 min to prime the pump. Is this going to damage the pump? Thx,KenReply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 4/21/2014
HH - Most pool systems will drain back into the pool when the pump is shut off. If your pump is higher than normal above the pool surface it will drain more. One way to stop this backflow is to put a check valve in your system after the pump.Reply
HH Posted: 4/18/2014
help!my filter set up always loses the water when shut off, i have to reprime every day.
I can hear buble noise inside the filter, that means some air is entering it and some water goes to the pool.
I suspect there's a leak that the air gets in - but i see no leak at all when the system is running?
Thankss.
Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 3/27/2014
Larry - We generally recommend a pump size of 1 HP for your pool size and configuration. I would not install a pump less than 3/4 HP.Reply
Anonymous Posted: 3/23/2014
Larry I am replacing my old 3/4 hp pool pump to a pentair whisperflow ee 1/2 hp can the new pentair handle my 20,000 gal pool and pump water to my solar panels on my 2 story house?Reply
Stephen Posted: 3/19/2014
It worked. I really appreciate the help. I know where I will be purchasing all my pool needs now.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 3/18/2014
Stephen - I talked to the Hayward rep and he suggests changing the prime setting in your Ecostar pump from "auto prime" to "3 minutes". Please let me know if this works. ThanksReply
Stephen Posted: 3/16/2014
I have a Hayward Ecostar pump and a Hayward filter. For some reason the pump will not prime in filter mode. It will prime in backwash, rinse, recirculate...just not in filter. Any suggestions?Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 11/6/2013
Ed - Depending on the height of you pump relative to your pool level, you may have drained most of the water from your suction pipes. Fill the strainer basket with your hose for 5 minutes. Secure the strainer cover and try running your pump again. It might take 5 minutes to prime fully.Reply
Ed Posted: 11/3/2013
I just drained and cleaned out my De filter. Does it take longer to prime the pump after that? I've tried several times but can't get water to flow.Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 10/29/2013
Kelly B - Sounds like you may have shorted out the motor. See "How To Use a Multimeter to Test a Pool Pump Motor - Winding Resistance" to test the windings or take the motor into a pool shop to be tested.Reply
Kelly B Posted: 10/27/2013
My top filter housing cracked causing the water to possibly spray on my motor and lose a lot of water from my system. My motor was trying to start because of the timer without having enough water in the basket attached to the motor. Now I try to prime the pump but the motor turns over for a couple seconds and then turns off. It will continue trying to start if I don't turn the pump off. I tried stuffing a hose and rag in the skimmer basket at the pool to fill the line enough for the pump, with this I had to divert from the main drain to the skimmer a little for the water to fill the pump line enough to get the water to over flow the priming basket to try to get the pump to stay on. I need advise on what to try next. Do I need to make sure the pressure from the filter is zero before trying this again? The impeller spins and seems free of debris. The pump wants to start but something is making the motor shut off for a few minutes until it tries to start again and again. Thanks!Reply
InyoPools Product Specialist Dennis R. Posted: 7/18/2013
Kelly - Consistent bubbles in the return jets is an indication that you have a suction leak somewhere ahead of the pump. I would look at any new connections you made in installing your new pump. As long as you have good flow you should be all right now. If your pressure gauge is showing 0, you either have a bad gauge or your flow isn't as good as you think it is - probably due to the suction leak. See our guide on "How to Identify and Correct Air Leaks" for more information.Reply
Kelly Posted: 7/17/2013
We have an in ground pool and just purchased a new pump and filter this year. We hooked everything up and were reading around 9 psi with great suction and return. We vacuumed, then cleaned pump basket, backwashed and rinsed then returned to filter and have 0 psi now. Weird thing is we still have suction and good pressure of water returning to the pool. But there is a lot of air bubbles coming from our jets. I'm at a lost. Our main drain is closed...we never have used it. I don't want to ruin our new pump or filter. Please help!!! ThanksReply