Opened pool. Now pump won't prime.

[Thinkly]

I opened yesterday and everything went ok except I have been seeing small water bubbles in the pool. This led me to believe that I had some air getting in somewhere on the suction side. So i shut off the pump, lubed the basket lid o-ring, and tightened the fittings on the suction lines going into the pump.

Then after that, I started to try and fill the pump basket with water, and it seems like it never fills. I stick the garden hose down the suction line to fill the main drain and skimmer line with water but instead it just fills the pool and the basket/suction line never fills with water.

Is this normal? Should the water pressure from the pool force the suction lines to fill up all the way to the pump housing with the motor shut off? I can't decide if I have a leak in the suction lines or if I just need to replace the basket lid o-ring. It keeps falling off every time i take the lid off.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Try resealing the drain plug(s) in the pump basket.

It's normal for the water to run back to the pool. You can shut off the suction and discharge valves then fill it up and close the basket lid then open the valves and start the pump.

 

[Thinkly]

UPDATE: I was able to get the pump to prime by first closing the valves then quickly opening. So I am good there. The bad news is that I discovered the source of my air leak. In the picture you can see how my suction lines are designed to have a section of PVC that assists with winterization.

The pool builder did it this way presumably to make it easier to dump antifreeze into the suction lines at closing. It appears that when I had them close last fall they got a little aggressive screwing the cap in and there is now a slight crack, that I have now covered over with pipe dope. The crack is now sealed at least for the time being, but I need to replace the damaged section.

Does anyone know if the piece indicated will simply screw out and I can screw in a new fitting?

 

[Bama Rambler]

No it doesn't unscrew.. Bummer.
1) I'd call the company and see if they'd replace the bad section on their dime.
2) I'd just epoxy it up if they won't.

 

[Thinkly]

What would you suggest for epoxy? Currently just using pipe dope.

 

[Bama Rambler]

A+B or any pool epoxy.