How To Prime Your Swimming Pool Pump

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How to Prime your Swimming Pool Pump Back

January 6, 2014 By Mike Hurlbatt

Those who own a swimming pool know that owning the right type of water pump is important to the pool’s efficiency and maintenance. However, aside from having the right equipment, you should also have the knowledge in taking care of these pumps and the pools they administer.

One important aspect of maintaining the pool’s pump is to prime it, when necessary, making sure that it is pumping water and not air.

When the Pump is Off

The first thing you need to do when priming or re-priming your pool pump is to turn the unit off and close any valve in the suction area. Open the lid on the pump’s strainer, if there is any build-up or debris in either the basket or in the pipe, clean them out. Then, fill the strainer using either a hose or a bucket.

When replacing the lid ensure the seal is clean and undamaged on the pump housing. Check any knobs or screws that you can see and tighten them if necessary. For this procedure, use your hands instead of some tools to prevent over-tightening, which can damage the unit.

Turning It Back On

At this stage, open the suction valves and turn the pump back on. If the procedure goes well, the pump should be primed again within minutes. If it does not prime, repeat the first steps, refill the strainer with water. It may take a few tries to remove all of the air from the pump but once it works, it should maintain its prime.

If you see an increasing amount of air bubbles building up under the see through lid of the strainer, it would indicate that you have an air leak. It would then be a matter of going through each step and checking that the seals are in good condition and are clean. If the lid is not closed properly it will have the same effect. So it would entail going through the priming procedure again, but paying particular attention to the above points.

For more information about our pool pumps and services, call us on 1300 922 973.

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