I wouldn't expect such a cheap little pump to self prime. I'm not expecting professional grade performance from a pump included with a $300 pool set. However I do like to tinker and I've got a perfect site for the pump and SWG, directly behind a detached garage about 20-25 feet away from the pool. The electric hookups would be a little less cumbersome there, and yes, I'd rather extend the plumbing away from the pool than extend electric towards the pool. I want the equipment out of the way of Swimmers' Feet (tm).

I'm envisioning a pair of hard PVC lines for the bulk of the run, and some sort of flex at the pool end, since Intex pools tend to have a bit of play to them when swimmers are moving around inside and I don't want to put undue stress on the liner. Maybe a couple of valves since my pool set came with the stupid caps instead of the plunger valves.

Thanks for the tips. Any suggestions on what kind of flex I should use that will withstand the weather and the pool water?