Pump Not Holding Prime? Check the Simple Things First

[BoDarville]

I recently had an issue with my pump not holding prime. Worked fine one day and the next...boom - wasn't holding prime! Checked the pump cover seal and it looked fine. Next, I took the lid off of the skimmers and found water gushing through one of them while the other was fine. Turned off the valve to the "gushing" skimmer and the pump began to hold prime. The culprit? A cracked skimmer weir on the "gushing" skimmer. Replaced the weir, turned the valve back on and problem solved. Just thought I would post this in case anyone else wakes up to this situation and as a reminder to make a few simple checks before making a service call.

 

[Texas Splash]

Any idea what may have caused the weir to crack like that? You would think tucked out of the way like that they are relatively safe.

 

[BoDarville]

Since we keep our pool open year-round, I would think the most likely suspect is a combination of the opening & closing of the weir (it does have a positive stop that it sometimes contacts) over many years, especially during the winter when the colder water makes most materials more brittle. I think it was just a matter of time taking its toll. Another factor may have been how the previous owners maintained water chemistry. I do know that they were regular puck users and perhaps the pH got a bit low at times. This was the first time I had to replace this weir. Not being the original owner of this house, it may have been the original weir that was installed when the house was built in 1992.