New filter -- pump loses prime

[spcchap]

I have a 24' round AG pool. When I bought the house, the pool came with a 1.5hp pump and a 250lb sand filter. The pump developed leaking problems last summer and I replaced it. I bought a Hayward 3/4hp -- which I was told was more than adequate for my needs.

Anyways, this year my multi-port valve on my filter started leaking. It was a Waterco and I couldn't find replacement parts. The guy at the pool store told me that all I needed was a Hayward 150lb sand filter, and that my old filter was for an IG pool.

I installed this new pump and now I am constantly having to shut my pump off and on to get anything out of the jet into the pool. When I cycle the power I see the water sloshing in the pump's lint trap and the water from the filter is pumped through the pool via the jet. Everything looks fine.

I come back a few hours later (or the next day) and there is barely a trickle coming out of the jet into the pool. The skimmer basket is clear and the lint trap in the pump is clear. There are no visible leaks.

Also, I am frustrated with vacuuming. There is hardly any suction. When I used to vacuum to waste, the water would shoot out about 6 feet from the filter. Now is barely goes over a foot.

I thought a smaller filter would be better, as there is less for the pump to push through. This is a nightmare. I keep getting algae because I don't have adequate circulation. Thanks in advance!

Sam

[Poconos]

You have it backwards...the larger the filter the less flow resistance and the better filtering you have. This is because the water is going through the sand slower and you have more fiter surface area. It is always better to oversize the filter no matter what kind it is. As for the loss of flow, what are the pressure readings? That will give a clue as to whether the filter is plugging (pressure increase) or you're somehow sucking air after a while (pressure decrease).
Al

[hrsdennis]

It sounds like an air leak to me. If I understand you correctly shutting the pump off and on a few times will get the flow going again. If so a suction leak is causing you to loose that pressure. The usual cause for this is air getting in thru the hair and lint pot cover. You could grease the o ring to stop that, in most cases. It could also be a hole in the skimmer to lint pot hose or a leak in the fittings or hose clamps.

Most of the time a suction leak will leak water when the filter is off. As long as it is turned off when fully primed. That is not always the case with the lint pot cover.

Hope this helps some, Dennis

[JJ in Tx]

replace the o-ring gasket on the lint pot cover, I was experiencing the same thing and that is where the problem was.

[Eureeky]

Also check to see if your impeller is clogged. Once I unclogged mine, the filter suction returned to like-new.