Pump Sucking Air; Won't Prime - Needed to be primed

[elise1]

We just moved into a house with a pool and it's been a long while since I have dealt wih pools. We just replaced our pump, (Hayward, 1 1/2hp) and it's got a dream line sand filter (we did not replace the filter, looks to be older). We got everything hooked up and it worked fine for a few weeks...until yesterday. Went out to vacuum yuckiness out of the bottom of pool and backwashed, and pump would not prime when it was put back into filter position. There is a clear tube running from pump to filter and i can see it's full of air. I have no manual release on filter to release air, and pump will not prime. I noticed there's a tiny hairline crack above where my pressure gauge goes in my filter so we put some epoxy on it last night hoping it would hold...it didn't. My question is, is that tiny crack really causing all of that air in my pump? I have researched buying a whole new valve and everything for my filter, but after just buying a pump, I'm hestitant to do so. Any help at all would be appreciated!!

[aylad]

Hi Elise, and welcome to the forum!

I'm going to let the equipment experts chime in on your problem, they are usually around in the evenings, so hopefully will be here soon. However, I will say that it only takes a small crack to create a big enough air leak to cause you some problems. Sounds like there is another issue somewhere, though...hopefully they'll be by shortly to give you some more useable information. Just wanted to welcome you to the group...

Janet

[wsommariva]

I had something similiar when I opened last year. The pump wouldn't prime so I just added a gallon or so of water to the basket. That did it.

[madwil]

Sounds like you may have an air leak somewhere, or the gasket in the multiport valve may be worn...
if your pump basked is below waterline, try to slightly open the lid and let the air escape there- that will give you positive water on the suction side of pump and may prime for you. be sure to reclose the lid tight to prevent leaks later!

[Poconos]

Most likely you have an air leak on the suction side. Doesn't take much of a leak to not prime and if totally dry they may not prime either. I'm assuming this is an inground pool and the pump is above the pools water level. The crack at the valve wouldn't prevent priming as that's on the pressure side. Most likely place for an air leak is the pump basket lid. Make sure it's clean and no cracks or irregularities to prevent good seating. Also try adding a bucket of water right into the basket as suggested to 'start' the flow. If you have a total blockage on the pressure side, after the pump, there may be enough back pressure to prevent priming also but this is a long shot. If you throw your valve to 'waste' that is a direct path from the pump to the waste line bypassing the filter so you may try that position and see if it will prime.
Al

[fog80]

I had air getting in where the pvc goes into the hayward superpump, some caulking fixed that right up. Listen real close for any "hissing" that was what gave it away for me.

[Poconos]

Glad it was something simple. I'm surprised that you could hear any hissing with the pump running but I guess you have good selective ears, like a dogs sense of smell.
Al

[elise1]

Thank you for all of your advice. After scouring the Internet for hours, I finally just went out there and did some investigative work. After taking the basket from the pump and watching the water flow, it was obvious I was sucking air because of the lack of water in the actual pump basket.( I knew it wasn't o- ring or lid problems as the pump is only a few weeks old) So I narrowed it down to either my line was blocked with debris or I had a leak. No leak could be found so I literally took my plunger to my skimmer and sure enough I had acorns trapped in my line. I few minutes of plunging and rinsing my filter out fixed it. It's working beautifully now.

[wsommariva]

That's great. Sometime it's just common sence.