This guide will explain how to troubleshoot a pool pump that is not priming. The most common causes of pool pump priming issues are sucking air leaks in your pump housing or plumbing and debris clogs. For this guide, we’ll focus mainly on the suction side of your pool equipment. The suction side includes all equipment and plumbing, from your skimmers and main drains to your pool pump’s impeller. Priming a pool pump is crucial for the efficiency of the entire pool system, especially at the beginning of the pool season or after any maintenance that introduces air into the system, to ensure optimal performance and prevent damage. Click Here to View Replacement Pool Pump Parts
Step 1
Low Water Level - The pool water level should be kept about halfway up the skimmer weir door; maintaining this water level allows enough water through during ebbs and flows to prevent the skimmer from gulping air.
How to Identify and Correct Air Leaks
Step 2
Missing Skimmer Basket - A missing skimmer basket will introduce any debris captured by the skimmer into your pool's plumbing line. The debris can build up to become a clog.
Related Article - How to Unclog a Pool Skimmer
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Step 3
Clogged Pump and/or Skimmer Baskets - An overfilled strainer basket restricts water flow, which makes priming more difficult. Cleaning your strainer baskets regularly, or at least make a habit of inspecting them weekly.
Related Articles - How To Clean Out the Pool Pump Strainer
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Step 4
Air Leak - Pump Lid and Pump Lid Gasket - Remove the pump lid from the strainer housing to check for warping, cracks, or issues with its thread (for screw-on lids only.)
Remove the lid gasket from its groove and check for signs of aging (cracking rubber) or pinches. An easy way to determine if your gasket is past its usefulness is to rub your fingers along it; if a black rubber streak rubs off on your hand, it’s time to replace the gasket. Additionally, inspect the pump housing or motor basket for air bubbles, as their presence can indicate an air leak, which is a common issue when the pump is not fully primed.
Quick Tip: Check for gasket deterioration by running your fingers along its length. If your gasket’s rubber has started to degrade, you’ll see heavy black smudges on your hand.
Related Articles - How to Identify and Correct Air Leaks
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Step 5
Adjust Diverter Valve Settings - Make sure that at least one suction and one pressure (return) line are open to allow water to pass through your system freely.
Quick Tip: if not already, take this time to label your diverter valve ports; labeling will help prevent diverter issues in the future. Valves can be marked using homemade laminated labels.
Related Articles - How To Install a Diverter Valve on the Suction Side of a Pool
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Step 6
Air Leaks - Glued Joints - Small air channels can form in glued plumbing joints; these cracks can form due to age or soon after initial installation if glue is not thoroughly applied.
To identify problem joints, look for water spouts that pop up when the pump is turned off. Backpressure will force the water to backwash to the pool when the pump is turned off. The backflushing water will force its way through the cracked glue, indicating where to inspect next.
Related Articles - How to Test for Suction Side Air Leaks
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Step 7
Threaded Fittings - Use any techniques mentioned in the "How to Test for Suction Side Air leaks guides to find the leak. Once found, disassemble the joint union or adapter, and then apply 2 to 3 turns of Teflon tape to the threads. Before applying new tape, remove any bits of old tape or dirt from the threads.
Related Articles - How to Test for Suction Side Air Leaks
Step 8
Clogged Impeller - Impeller vanes can become clogged with mud, pine needles, or bulky debris. As the impeller gets more congested, the lower the pump's flow rate will drop. A precursor to priming issues is a drop in return jet flow rate.
Related Articles - How To Clean Out a Pool Pump Impeller
Step 9
Pump Speed Set Too Low - If your priming issue started after installing a dual-speed or variable-speed pump, the priming speed may be set too low for your system. Reference your pump's owner manual for instructions on how to reset the initial priming speed.
Related Articles - Best Setup For Variable Speed Pool Pumps
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