2650 Sandfilter. Pump losing prime...

[gtnos]

I was out vacuuming earlier, everything went fine. I putting up vac and hose. I reach over and kill the power to the pump via the timer override switch like I always do when im done vacuuming. I notice immediately that the pump filter basket goes empty. I check all connections, everything is tight, no leaks anywhere. I restart pump with override switch, and loosen the pump basket cover a bit to free up all the air in the basket, and once its nearly all gone I tightened the cover back down. I let the pump run for a few minutes until all bubbles are gone. Pool circulating fine, all valves open. (I have one underwater inlet, one for the Hayward skimmer, and the return.)

I kill the pump power again... water drains out, pump lost prime again....

1. Where is the water going? Because I cant find a leak or any water anywhere outside the pool.

2. What the ####### happened and how do I fix it?

 

[jblizzle]

Is there an air release valve on the top of that sand filter?

 

[gtnos]

not that I know of. Just the drain at the bottom and a 6 way valve on top. what would the valve look like?

 

[jblizzle]

If there is a 6-way on top, then you would not have an air valve ... the air would be pushing into the pool. Which eliminates my thought that air had accumulated in the filter, and then pushed the water backward when the pump turned off.

 

[gtnos]

looking again, after it sits for an hour or so, the pump basket fills back up about 1/2 way. Once started it primes immediately to about 3/4 but then it takes awhile to get to 100%.

weird. i dont know if maybe there is a seal in the pump somewhere thats going out or what causing it to not hold pressure, but with a new doughboy with all new hayward equipment coming in, hopefully about 2 weeks, Ill tell about how much more I am willing to spend on this intex:

$0.

i guess im not gonna worry about it, if I have to go out in the morning when it auto starts and loosen the basket cover to prime it every day, then so be it. we still are hardly swimming anyway since Oklahoma cant decide hot or cold. At this point im just trying to save the water for the new pool.