Hello all- I am having some headscratching issues out at our inground pool and thought maybe someone could help. Our pool was built March of last year, since day one, after the pump kicked off, you could hear the water gurgling and leaving the pump basket. It always took a minute or so to prime up and function, but always has. The pump is a Pentair whisperflo 1.5 hp. I have also had issues with the pump since day one. So far 3 impeller bearings have been replaced and the motor has been replaced once. Most recently it lost prime and ran all day without ever getting enough water in it. I noticed a leak on the connection on the top of the pump that goes to the filter and have since replaced it. As of right now it is leaking an almost a steady stream from the bottom of the pump (also the impeller bearing again?) and wont prime on its own. I can get it to prime if I open the valve on the top of the filter system and let the air out most of the time. The gasket on the lid seems to be in good shape and sealed. The equipment pad is slightly higher than the pool. Will the leak from the bottom of the pump cause it to not prime? Also, any idea why it continues to leak from the pump? So far Ive been really disappointed in the continuous repairs being that its barely over a year old. I am very much a novice to plumping and all pool related wording but have learned quite a bit so far on here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
pump losing prime and other various issues
- Thread starter bull jr
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Wow, you have had quite a headache this past year huh? I'm initially surprised as to how a relatively new pool (barley a year old) could have so many equipment issues, and why the installer hasn't resolved them for you. I would think your pump should still be under warranty, even if they replaced it once already. In any case, losing prime and/or water draining from your pump basket typically indicates a compromise either with plumbing or a seal. I would first point you to this page: Pool School - Suction Side Air Leaks. With any luck, you might find that one of these items in a contributor to your problem.
Your pump problems are another issue all on its own. The pump should not be losing water like that. It has a drain plug, but if it's losing water from within the housing, that may indicate a bad seal. This might also be a root cause to your system problem (losing water/prime).
I would definitely contact the pool installer and advise them of the pump issue(s) and check to see if they can do a warranty swap for your - the whole pump. My installer did it for me. In addition, refer to the page/link above and see if that helps you as well.
Your pump problems are another issue all on its own. The pump should not be losing water like that. It has a drain plug, but if it's losing water from within the housing, that may indicate a bad seal. This might also be a root cause to your system problem (losing water/prime).
I would definitely contact the pool installer and advise them of the pump issue(s) and check to see if they can do a warranty swap for your - the whole pump. My installer did it for me. In addition, refer to the page/link above and see if that helps you as well.
thanks for the reply, it is greatly appreciated. Its good to know that I haven't lost my mind! Its very upsetting to save and spend so much money to build something only to be so let down. I finally tracked down the builder today. I politely let him know how frustrated I was figuring you always catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I told him I wanted an entire new pump and not this one fixed again. He called the licensed Pentair repair people he uses and they didn't want to warranty the pump entirely. He finally said he would have the pump replaced at his own cost and it should be done this week. I will definitely study up on the suction side leak as well just in case I have an issue there too. Thanks again for your insight!