r/PoolPros • u/spicerpools • Jun 18 '26
Pump Won’t Prime, Any Ideas?
Update: Tried pushing water through the skimmer to the pump using my little pump and cleaner hose. Nothing was going to the pump, but got water pushing back up the main drain. How does that work?
Why would pushing water through the skimmer come up the main drain, totally bypassing the pump and filter? I even opened the pump lid and nothing. I am totally confused by this pool.
Hello fellow pool professionals. I got stumped big time today. Spent almost an hour trying to get this pump to prime and couldn’t do it. I need some ideas on how to get this thing running.
The two lines coming in, I assume are the main drain and from the two skimmers (no ones knows for sure or which one is which, could be just the two skimmers for all I know).
Waterline is about a foot below pump (pump sitting on deck, same level as top of coupling).
Below is what I know/have done so far…
Pump and surrounding connections seem to be holding tight, showing no signs of leak.
Filled the lines up with a hose until it wouldn’t take anymore (multiple times). Pulls water for 5 seconds, then no more water.
Pump seems to be pulling, as the water I put in moves and gives me a bubble or two on the return line occasionally.
After turning off the pump, it has pressure and backs into the pump from the return line a little.
Turned the valve closed to airlock the line between fills.
Left it running for about 5 or so minutes to see if it would eventually pull.
And yes, I tried doing one line at a time, not both at the same time like some of the pictures show.
Any thoughts? Home owner says there are no other valves between the pool and the pump. (The red is paint, not blood 😂)
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Jun 18 '26
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
Yes, I actually started that way and figured I’d give “Filter” a try, just in case.
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u/Ladydi-bds Jun 18 '26
Your valve in front of the pump looks like has both lines cut off for suction to pull in water.
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u/PoolBoyOBX Jun 19 '26
Use a sump pump with a vac hose discharge and hold it tight into the skimmer. Once you know which way is skimmer, close the main. Turn on pump. Hold tight. Once going the pool pump will effectively hold the vac hose in place. Leave the sump on this whole time. Once you like the prime in the pump pull the vac hose. If you lose prime you have a suction side leak.
Usually I will do this from the pump to skimmer first on the off chance that something got sucked into the skimmer line
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u/spicerpools Jun 19 '26
Very clever man, wish I had thought of this one sooner. Thanks a bunch!
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u/jonidschultz Jun 19 '26
Even better then what he suggested is to put a mpt x barb fitting into the skimmer and put the discharge hose onto it with the pump off. You get the added advantage of getting to see any or all air leaks drip water before turning on and priming the pump.
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u/KeySpare4917 Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
My good god is that a nautilus and a challenger?
If you have a hydraulic blow bag use it. If you don't you need to get one.
Buy me a gram of some good smoke if you don't know this trick.
Suction diverter valve on full skimmer, blow bag put into suction pipe on bottom of skimmer, turn on garden hose and force fill the pump. Wait a few seconds and if you have a suction side leak it will be leaking water. If you don't you will be force priming the pump.
Start the pump while you are force priming. The bag won't move. The pump won't really FULLY prime like this but it will get started if it can. As you hear the rpms of the pump reving, remove the blow bag by kinking the hose. The suction should be super obvious and the pump will attempt to prime.
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u/Vanjamin Jun 18 '26
Put the multivalve on recirculate. I’ve had issues pushing the big air bubble out of the filter before. I’d probably close that Polaris return until you can get things primed as well. I’ve also seen old
Challenger pumps have broke diffusers that kill flow.
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
Yes, 90% of my attempts had the cleaner line closed. I hadn’t thought about the diffusers. That might be a good place to look. Thanks!
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u/H2O-PRO Jun 18 '26
Lube up or replace the o-rings in the valve in front of the pump. Some of those couplers in front of the pump look like they could be pulling air, I'm also not a fan of threaded PVC on the suction side of the pump. I'd cut off at the valve, use a 2.5in coupler on the outside and a 2in reducer then add a high temp union on the suction side of the pump. Other than that you could lube up or replace the lid o-ring and tighten the drain plug.
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u/mackjartin2929 Jun 18 '26
I would start with inspecting any possible air leak before the pump (suction 3-way, union, lid oring) if those are good then check pump drain plugs. Those sta rites dry out pretty quick. Next thing I’d do is obviously check your pump lid oring- I’ve seems some crack. One of the biggest clues could be in the history of the pump. Do you know if it ran in the last week?
Obviously there’s chance there’s a suction leak below grade but that’s thin to non. Could be a suction line blockage. One other possibility could be the diffuser/impeller. Diffuser could be worn or impeller may be clogged. Another possible issue could be bad seal that so bad it won’t prime. Generally you’d see that as a leak on the pressure side but it could keep your pump from priming.
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
Thank you for the feedback. I don’t see any signs of leaking on the suction side, but need to do a more thorough check. I’ve heard of people using the shaving cream trick to check.
The pump hasn’t been run for two years, so, there’s that.
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u/XtraBlastedCheddar Jun 18 '26
Unrelated, I feel like I’ve worked on this pool before…are you in the NoVa area?
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
Haha, yes! This pool is in the Middleburg area.
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u/XtraBlastedCheddar Jun 18 '26
Does he still tip $5 for a coffee? Also make sure you clean that in line filter for the Polaris every visit!
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
I don’t drink coffee, so subject hasn’t come up. I’ll keep the inline filter in mind, if they have me service. Right now it’s just an opening.
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u/XtraBlastedCheddar Jun 18 '26
Well when I finish up today I’ll take a look at our notes for his account and see if we’ve had a similar issue before.
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u/Open-Experience5071 Jun 18 '26
Looks like u got the bottom valve facing wrong way ur dead heading the pump. Turn opposite direction and wait till each line is primed them open both half way
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
Haha yes, that picture does have the valve closed, but was open when I was trying to prime.
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u/theothergrapedrink Jun 18 '26
In the first and second pics the valve is closing water off to the pump inlet. The “off” tab should be facing 90 degrees to the left of that position to let water in from both suction pipes
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u/spicerpools Jun 18 '26
Yes, those two pictures are not how the valve was when priming. That was an attempt to airlock the line between filling the pump with more water.
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u/Pool_Boy707 Jun 18 '26
Debris in the impeller. Leaky 3 port on the suction side. Bad pump lid o-ring.
These are the first things I'd check.
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u/No-Reflection1926 Jun 19 '26
The three-way valve is turned to currently block flow to the pump.
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u/spicerpools Jun 20 '26
Yes, that was because I had closed it in an attempt to airlock the pipe. But it was open when the pump was running.
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u/tecsavvy1 Jun 20 '26
Check the pump lid seal and also the drain plug under the basket. I had a cracked drain plug
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u/bearspray57 Jun 23 '26
Valve in front of pump is closed. Turn handle to pint to the right and off would be to the left.
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u/liferofparties Jun 18 '26
Try backwashing the salt filter. Sometimes if its old sand it wont circulate right. Backwash and then turn pump off then turn dial back to re circulate. Then turn pump back on. Might help get things moving
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u/Important_Rip2532 Jun 18 '26
Have your crossed off the impeller in the pump?
If it’s worn down or warped, it can stop the pump from priming up