Skimmer isn't sucking took for ever to prime too

[Chris2861]

I opened pool and it took hours to prime over and over trying. Finally got it running but only the jets. Nothing is going into the skimmer ? Example leaves on the top are not being sucked in and I can't vaccume.
Than I went to test back wash and nothing ! Nothing is pulling from pool ?
Now I go to run and nothing I'm back to priming it ??

Add this is a brand new pump out in August 2016

 

[Jimrahbe]

Chris,

Welcome to TFP... a Great resource for all hour long priming issues...

The number one reason for a pump not to prime is an air leak at the pump basket O-Ring.

I would take it out and lube it with pool-lube and reinstall it.

A pool pump should prime in less than a minute in most cases.

If not the O-Ring, you need to tell us more about your pool, and your pump..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[Razorhog]

No suction at the skimmer even when primed? Hmmm my pool doesn't have this, but does yours have some sort of diverter so that it only pulls water from the main drain? If so, maybe it is set to that and the main drain is clogged. Need to know more.

 

[raynesci]

Once pump is primed, does it run fine until it is shut off? You may be manually priming the pump and just forcing water into the filter and returns. Have you made sure you have all valves on suction side open?