Hayward Pump, not priming fully

[cubbybeave08]

I have a Hayward Pump and this year when I put everything together for opening I did so with my FAFCO solar panels in place. For the first couple of days the pump primed fully, no air bubles in the pump basket. Now it won't fill all the way to the top. There is like half of the clear top to the pump basket is air bubble. It happens whether I have the heater turned on or not. Where am I getting air from. Is the strainer assembly itself drawing in air, or is it at the connection to the front of the pump. I have a valve in front of the basket so I can shut it off to clean the strainer out. Could it be possible that I have to pull that off and re thread it with plumbers tape and put it back on. I noticed also a little drip from time to time in the conection between the pump and the filter. Could that be causing the pump to not prime fully?

 

[JohnT]

I have a valve in front of the basket so I can shut it off to clean the strainer out. Could it be possible that I have to pull that off and re thread it with plumbers tape and put it back on. I noticed also a little drip from time to time in the conection between the pump and the filter. Could that be causing the pump to not prime fully?

Take a garden hose and really douse any suspect areas while watching the basket. The flow of water can block the air leak and show you where it's at.

A leak after the pump won't affect the basket.

 

[cubbybeave08]

I have a valve in front of the basket so I can shut it off to clean the strainer out. Could it be possible that I have to pull that off and re thread it with plumbers tape and put it back on. I noticed also a little drip from time to time in the conection between the pump and the filter. Could that be causing the pump to not prime fully?

Take a garden hose and really douse any suspect areas while watching the basket. The flow of water can block the air leak and show you where it's at.

A leak after the pump won't affect the basket.

John...question: The glass (plastic) in the basket cover is loose, is it supposed to be lose and kind of wobbly or shaky in the cover? It seems tight when I put the lid on. I have throughouly greased the gasket. I do each time I remove the lid. If not, what about the basket housing. If it is loose, would that cause a problem. It kind moves (twists a little bit) when I remove the cover.

 

[cubbybeave08]

Found out that old filter 4 years old to be exact was so dirty and not able to be cleaned and really was starting to fall apart. It was not allowing water to flow as well as it had in the past. The return pressure was very low. Bought a new filter...and man it was like magic. The pump basket primed right away, and all was good again...including my return pressure...which kept me floating in circles all summer long.