How To Prime a Pool Pump

Things You’ll Need

• pump parts
• o-rings, covers

Step 1

Turn off power to your pool pump at the circuit breaker.

Step 2

Make sure your pool’s water level is at least halfway up the skimmer face. Also, remove debris from the skimmer’s strainer basket.

Step 3

A suction side diverter valve allows you to select whether the pump will pull from either the skimmer, main drain or both. Use the valve to close either the main drain or skimmer line to that the pump is only pulling from the other line. We do this to concentrate pump’s suction, to increase the efficiency of the priming cycle.

Step 4

Open your filter’s air relief valve to allow air to escape as we manually prime the pump. You may hear the noticeable hiss of air passing through the valve when you open it, and after the pump is turned on, this is normal. Sand filters may not have an air relief valve, but rather an internal air relief tube which releases pressure automatically.

Step 5

Remove your pump’s strainer lid. To open up the strainer box, 1-turn the two knobs on top of the strainer lid counter-clockwise and 2- swivel the knobs down away from the lid. Note: Some strainer lids screw on instead of having knobs. In these cases twist the lid counter-clockwise to remove the lid off the top of the strainer box.

Step 6

Remove any debris from your pump ’s strainer basket to improve the pump’s suction during the priming process.

Step 7

Fill your pump’s strainer with a hose or bucket until the water sits above the pump strainer’s intake port. Filling to this point ensure the suction pipe is purged of air.

Step 8

Reattach the pump’s strainer lid. You may want to add a new coat of lube to the pump lid’s o-ring to increase the o-ring’s longevity and prevent any future sucking air leaks.

Step 9

Make certain that any valves on the main return line are open. This will allow the pool pump to discharge water to the pool. If this is not open, excessive water pressure that builds up during pump operation may damage parts of the pumping system and may be dangerous.

Step 10

Turn on the pool pump breaker, then turn on the pump.

Step 11

Keep an eye on the pump’s strainer lid to ensure water is flowing. After the initial water, we used to prime the pump flushes through the system, water should begin to freely flow and fill the pump’s strainer basket. If after a minute, water still has not begun to fill your pump, restart from step one in this guide, and if the problem persists, read this guide: How To Determine Why a Pool Pump Won't Prime

Step 12

The air relief valve should still be open. As the pressure builds, air will be released through the relief valve. When water starts to spray out of the valve, turn the valve clockwise to close it.

Step 13

After the pump has primed itself, reset the suction side diverter to pull from both the main drain and the skimmer.

Step 14

If water isn't flowing freely in 30-60 seconds, repeat steps: turn off the pump, bleed off the pressure, reopen the strainer, refill the strainer, and close the lid. Then turn on the pump. You may have to repeat these steps several times to purge the air from the line.

Step 15

When water is flowing through the pool skimmer lines, slowly open the main drain line at the diverter valve. Open the relief valve to allow air in the main drain line to escape. Again water should flow freely in 30-60 seconds. Close the relief valve. If you don't see pressure building on the pressure gauge and a full strainer box, repeat steps 1 -10.

Step 16

As stated earlier, if  after a minute or attempting to prime water still has not begun to fill your pump, or after your reset the suction diverter valve the pump loses prime, restart from step one in this guide, and if the problem persists, read this guide: How To Determine Why a Pool Pump Won't Prime and How to Identify and Correct Air Leaks