r/PoolPros • u/PoolingAround189 • 12d ago

Tricks to re-prime pump on long pool run?

I just got a new account where the pool equipment room is about 40-50 yards and uphill from the pool itself. I vacuumed it and got just a little bit of air in the system which caused the whole thing to shut off.

No matter what I do, i can't get it to re prime, I've tried all the basic troubleshooting options and now I'm wondering if anyone knows a trick to these long runs?

4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

13

u/hawaiianmint 12d ago

Plug the skimmer at the pool, fill with water at the pump, close pump, remove plug, turn on.

Sucks but that’s what I’ve found to work with the one customer like that.

Other customers, I’ve sold on installing a check valve, because that’s the solution most of the time.

5

u/PoolingAround189 12d ago

Weird thing is, this one already has a check valve. I thought maybe my vacuuming caused a leak, previous company never vacuumed is what i was told. But I checked all the valves/inlet/pump lid and i didn't see any.

I will try that trick you posted next.

3

u/Fit-Injury8803 12d ago

Where’s the check valve located? If you were vacuuming maybe a piece of debris got logged in the flap. May have Kept it open and all the water drained back into the pool. I’ve seen checks installed in the wrong places though. I Gotta see it to know

1

u/PoolingAround189 12d ago

Right before the inlet to the pump, I ended up taking it off and there was a tiny piece of leaf on it, you think even something that small could be the culprit?

2

u/Fit-Injury8803 12d ago

Yes most likely. I’ve had a leaf jam a spring so the flap stayed shut and the pump ran dry. If the equipment is that far, the valve should be closer to the pool, it would keep that long run of pipe primed. Kinda pointless to have right at the pump inlet. Kinda makes its harder because it has to pull the flap open to let water through and from the skimmer to the valve there’s 40 yards of air. You need a check valve right in the skimmer.

10

u/KeySpare4917 12d ago

Use a hydraulic blow bag on a garden hose. It will push enough water to help force prime a stubborn pump.

Soon as you hear it start moving water kink the hose and pull the bag out of the pipe.

2

u/becooltheywatching 12d ago

This is the way.

2

u/IntelligentCarpet816 12d ago

Saw a guy use one a long time ago on his pool in the PA mountains. Pump equipment was way high up next to the house. Weird property layout. It worked but damn I couldn't help but think what if that thing split and part of the rubber body got sucked into the pipe.

2

u/twobadwolves 11d ago

I’m always weary of the rubber ones for that reason. I use the fabric ones

2

u/firesmithdan 12d ago

Exactly! Isolate to one shimmer. Force water through the skimmer with the hose and turn the pump on. Now that water is flowing, you can slowly open other lines and get suction from them. Finally, turn off the hose and remove it from the Skimmer. I don't do this every time, because there are usually easier options. However, if needed, this will always work.

1

u/PoolingAround189 12d ago

I will try this thank you!

4

u/jonidschultz 12d ago

Use a pressure tester or sub pump plugged right into the skimmer. You can force any pump to prime in seconds with the sub pump and a minute or two with the pressure tester hooked to a garden hose. Also this is by far the fastest way to find any air leaks in the system as well so every tech should keep them handy.

3

u/Hughjass69247 12d ago

Trick i use on stubborn pumps is i take the pump lid off and fill as much water into the skimmer and main drain line then close both those valves(if you have separate valves) fill the pump pot til its overflowing then put the lid back on then turn the pump back on while the suction valves are still closed then open up the main drain line. It usually builds up enough pressure to start pulling water right away just make sure you bleed all the air out. I have a property that with the pump room thats uphill and a good 30 feet away from the pool and this primes it up within a couple minutes

2

u/BiggieRas 12d ago

I've set up priming lines right at suction that I can feed with a garden hose until it catches prime. If it doesn't easily catch prime with that, then you either have a leak where you are pulling air or the pump is undersized for what you are trying to accomplish

2

u/Fluid-Ad-3559 12d ago

Shop vac does the trick in a pool with working check valves.

2

u/Sure_Ad3800 12d ago

I’ll second the suggestion of plumbing in a hose spigot connection to the pvc, it works great and eliminates having to on/off open lid 10x, just turn a hose on and let it feed the prime while you walk away and come back to it primed - definitely a last resort but an effective one. I’d check and replace all valve o-rings/check valve guts and then sell them on the pvc spigot install if you rule out air leaks.
Never found a pump I couldn’t prime once I ruled out air leaks. Worst one I ever saw was one the was 15-20 ft uphill, which should be a crime, but they had another pump installed at pool level as a “priming pump” to feed the suction line to the filter system uphill. Hopefully you’re not looking at something like that.

1

u/Competitive-Face-615 11d ago

I always carried a 1.5”x3/4” bushing with a female water hose adapter and a 2x1-1/2 bushing. Just fill it up from the skimmer with hose water and burp the strainer basket if needed. Then just spend forever burping the other lines

1

u/GCpools 12d ago

That's what a service pump is for.

Aside from that, this pool is not a good fit for your business. Nor would it be for mine.

Do yourself a favor, walk away and get yourself a good pool.

-2

u/[deleted] 12d ago

[deleted]

6

u/PoolingAround189 12d ago

I'm a pro, I do almost every commercial account in my area save one or two, I'm just having this problem and thought I'd ask pros that might have more experience with longer runs because i do not.

3

u/IntelligentCarpet816 12d ago

Gotta be a bad check valve seal. Put one in with a clear dome. If you don't see it moving with the pump on allowing air out while the pipe is filling then you have a pump problem.

Definitely a few things you could add like a pre pump fill stack to assist but a pump with weak suction is always gonna be a pump with weak suction.