Photo attached. Also, I noticed that when the pump is on and pressure apparently builds up the psi guage on the filter doesnt even rise, stays at zero.
Hard to decode everything going on, especially curious about that long pipe on the wall above the electrical boxes.. Can you remove some of the leaves on the other side of the filter, so we can see what is happening with that pipe, plus the one that comes out of the filter.
All that noted - time to take a few things apart. If the filter pressure gauge does not register any change at all...
1. Does the filter have a small air release valve on it? Usually at or very near the top, sometimes as part of the pressure gauge (I couldn't see in the picture, but unusual to not have one). [If no valve, skip the test in the next sentences about testing, but continue on with opening/inspecting the insides of the filter].
Open that valve, and prime the pump, and listen for air hissing out. If lucky, the pump will continue to work, and after the filter fills water will start coming out of the release valve.
If that happens, you may have a blockage in the filter itself, or in the output/line going out of the filter.
With the pump off, and the lid off (so there is no pressure at all), take the filter apart. It appears to be a cartridge filter - how dirty/plugged are the cartridges? Take them out and inspect for any other blockages in the internals. If you don't find something obvious (extremely plugged cartridges, etc.) take pictures and report back for next steps.
2. If no air hiss, and the filter looks clean inside, take the pump apart. It appears to be a Pac-Fab Challenger. Again with the motor off, lid off, undo the big metal band using the big twist knob on it. The motor/impeller section will pull out from the main body. Check in the main body for any obvious blockage coming from the basket area, or into the pipe on top. If your filter is still apart, you can run a plumbers snake from the pump to the filter intake to verify the pipe is all clear. VERY unlikely that there would be anything, so feel free to skip doing this. While the pump is open, check the impeller on the motor side for any debris - you may have to take off the plastic ring held with three screws to pick out any worms, leaves, hair, that have accumulated. Any significant amount would make the pump unable to pump with any pressure. Reassemble - note the large o-ring between the motor side and the main body. Make sure to relube it, and have both that and the mating area on the motor side be 100% clean - no sand, dirt, grass, etc. that would interfere with sealing. Make sure the band clamp and the area it clamps to all aound the housing is also 100% clean. Replace the band clamp and tighten. As you are tightening, pull up on the clamp knob periodically to snug the clamp down well.
'Tis always good to once in a while do the above to both items. Frequency depends on the amount of "stuff" that comes from the pool. Filters once or twice a season (unless undersized, then more often). Pumps once a year. When I had huge white pines next to my pool, I had to strip down the pump almost monthly to get all the pine needles out of the impeller....but I cut those trees down after too many years, so now only have to do it once a year.
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