Usually at the beginning of your swim season your pump may need to be primed.
What is priming?
Priming is the act of giving your pump enough water to enable it to start sucking water from the skimmer in your pool and channel it through your filter where it can be cleaned.
Why do I need to prime my pump?
The main reasons for a pump to require priming is if the pool water level is allowed to fall too low and the system gets air in it. Running a pump without water is not good for it so it is important to maintain the correct water level in your pool.
How do I prime my pump?
The first thing to do when priming your pump is to ensure it has an unimpeded opportunity to suck water from the pool to the pump i.e. we need to make sure there is nothing in the way to prevent water flowing.
Check the skimmer basket…
Ensure that the skimmer basket in the pool is clear from any debris such as leaves or toys.
Check the pool water level…
Make sure there is enough water in the pool to be able to load the skimmer with water. Usually this will mean your pool water level is halfway up the skimmer mouth.
Ensuring the skimmer has enough water and is free from debris will allow the pump to suck water from the pool back to the pumpshed. If the water level is too low the skimmer can suck air and this will prevent it from priming and running properly.
A common mistake by pool owners is to leave a vacuum plate in the skimmer which makes it harder to prime.
Check the pump debris basket…
Now the pathway to the pump is clear it is time to check the pump itself is ready to suck water.
Open the site glass on the pump and check the pump basket is free from debris for the same reason as you checked the skimmer basket.
Fill the pump housing with water…
If the pump chamber is dry and or has only a little water in it then we recommend filling the pump housing with water from the tap. If the tap is not close by and you don’t have a hose then get a bucket of pool water to fill the housing.
Filling the chamber with water will fill the pipes and area where the pump impeller spins. In some situations this may take up to 2 minutes to fill the pipes.
Check the filter valve…
The next thing that you need to do is turn your filter valve (multiport valve) to recirculate. This way water will go into the filter head and then straight back out. It will not pass through your filter media. It is the path of least resistance.
Once the housing is filled with water, put the lid back on the pump. Ensure that the filter is turned to recirculate and you can turn the pump on. It might make a number of different noises including gurgling.
How do I know it is working properly?
You’ll know when the system is properly primed as you will be able to look inside the pump housing through the clear pump lid. You are wanting to see the pump housing full of water with no visible air bubbles.
What do I do once the pump is primed?
Usually your next action is to turn the pump off, move the valve on the filter to the filter setting and turn the pump back on. This will then allow the pump to push the water trough the filter media to be cleaned.
If you have any questions regarding priming your pool then please contact us at MORGAN+STONE anytime.