Pump working wont prime

[jonmar]

My pool just opened for the season and the pump wouldn't work. I have never opened my pool myself. I got the pump working and it will not suck water into the basket regardless if I have it on main drain or skimmer. I can't recall if the main drain is the falve handle parallel or perpendicular although I've tried both. I've tried the auto clean and the skimmer as I said. I've had the returns to the jets as well.

Is there a plug or something in the heater or salt cell or filter that could not have been removed? Thanks everyone.

 

[Texas Splash]

Lots of possibilities if you opened the pool yourself:
- Gizmo/plugs removed from inside skimmer/drains
- Pump basket lid O-ring intact and lubed?
- Fill pump basket with water THEN close the lid back on to help
- Water level on pool mid-way up poolside skimmer
- Valves in open position (usually the low/flat side is "open"; handle end is closed)

In the end, you may want to post a picture of your equipment.

 

[jonmar]

Lots of possibilities if you opened the pool yourself:
- Gizmo/plugs removed from inside skimmer/drains
- Pump basket lid O-ring intact and lubed?
- Fill pump basket with water THEN close the lid back on to help
- Water level on pool mid-way up poolside skimmer
- Valves in open position (usually the low/flat side is "open"; handle end is closed)

In the end, you may want to post a picture of your equipment.

The pool people opened it and stopped when the pump just hummed. I got the pump working myself by getting the shaft freed up.

Pool is full. Pump basket full of water. Jet return eyes in. Tried it with the pump basket lid closed the whole time.

Valves on vacuum hole and jet return. Switched main drain settings and felt the vaccuum hole in the side of the pool in both settings and no suction.

I'll try to post a pic.

 

[jonmar]

Okay here is a pic. The red handle is for main drain suction or regular. I've tried both

 

[Texas Splash]

The pic is twisted so it's messing with my eyes (ha), and I can't quite make-out all the equipment. Is that the pump at the bottom by your left foot? If so, then suction should be coming from where it splits-off into the ground at the top of the pic by your right foot. I can't read the label, but it's showing "open" to the pipe going into the ground that has that tiny white cord wrapped around it. I'm guessing that's your filter housing at the bottom, but I can't tell what that is to the top left (white). SWG?

 

[Richard320]

Okay here is a pic. The red handle is for main drain suction or regular. I've tried bothView attachment 48925

We need some different angles. Is that red handle valve teed into the pipe or is it an optical illusion?

If it's teed, then somebody hooked up some kind of flow reversal system, it looks like. But at the moment, the skimmer is off and the cleaner is the suction side water source.

 

[jonmar]

Don't know what I did but I got it. Tried three things at once so I can't tell