How to Prime your swimming pool pump

Sometime you'll find your swimming pool pump running and it's not pumping water...NOT GOOD! This can quickly damage the pump, motor and plastic pvc piping. Try my advice to make the whole priming process easier.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• garden hose

1. Turn off the motor, remove and clean the pump basket, turn off any valves in front of the motor ( Skimmer, main drain, etc.) Turn on the garden hose and fill the pump basket completely with water.

2. Set the hose down. Quickly put the top back on the pump. TURN ON THE PUMP...and then SLOWLY OPEN THE MAIN DRAIN VALVE. By turning on the pump first you are creating a suction vacuum that will give you the best chance of priming the pump. This won't hurt anything.

3. After the pump starts picking up water open all the valves to their regular position. If this problem persists get a service tech in there because there is some sort of suction problem with the pump.

Tips & Warnings

• If this doesn't work, go through all the same steps again but first also fill your automatic chlorinator with water. Sometimes these drain themselves empty when the pump has been off for a few hours. If this works get a tech in there to service the chlorinator. If all of this still doesn't work try everything above and then trickling the garden hose on the pipe connection coming INTO the front of the pump while the pump is running. If there's a suction leak the pump will suck in the hose water and pick up prime. If there's a suction leak the pool pump will also spit air bubbles out from the return jets. Get a tech in there!
• Do not get water on the motor of the pump! Shock danger!
• If all else fails get a service tech in there.
• Turn off the pool power so the pump doesn't run dry while you are waiting for him!