How does a pump go bad?

[New2Me]

I think that I actually used polyester twine instead of fishing line, but what-ever you use, keep it connected at both ends - the last thing that you want to happen is for the "snake" line to break, leaving your clog remover as a clog!
Good Luck!

 

[scubasteve]

I do believe that i have a clog.

I put enough string through the line to make it out the other end, the wet dry vac easily sucked it through the pipe.....it never made it. I also tried to wash the string to the other end....no good either. I pulled the string back out and it came out of the pipe in 3 tangled balls of MESS!

This is driving me crazy

sS

 

[New2Me]

I'm assuming that you have one line from your skimmer to the pump that is partially clogged. Do you have a separate line for the main drain, or is it connected to the skimmer? If it is connected to the skimmer, can you isolate (block it) the drain from the pump suction line? If you can seal off the skimmer opening from the pool, use the wet vac to suck the water out of the pump line from the skimmer end(after removing the pump strainer basket lid, of course, with the pump off.) If you can suck all of the water out, the vac should pull enough air to suck a candy wrapper(or wax paper. something NOT absorbent) through the line with monofilament or dental floss tied to it. if so use that to pull something a little stouter through. If not, try to push an electricians wire fish tape through from the pump side, or maybe a sewer drain cleaner snake. If that doesn't work, I'd try to find a plumber with a video inspection snake. Do you know if the line is rigid or flexible pipe? If it is flexible, you might have a compression problem, that would show up on the video, and require digging up.
Good Luck!

 

[New2Me]

If you still have that loaner pump, you could also connect the discharge up to the line and backflush it for a while, it will probably do a better job(volume/pressure) then garden hose/water weenie.
Good Luck!