First Time Pool Owner - Pump Question

[prescottsports]

Big thanks to everyone on this site for all their knowledge..I've been going solo on the pool maintenance for 2 months thanks to all the information I've found here and have had a trouble free pool...

That said my experience with my pool pump has been anything but trouble free and as such am trying to decide what the best plan is going forward.
Pool Stats:
15,000 gallons
Pebble Tech
Hayward pump - No clue model as that's worn off
Emerson motor 1 HP - 3450 RPM
Hayward DE-4800 Filter

The former home owner leased a salt cell, which I replaced with a Pentair IC 40 SWG.

My issue is that anytime I do any cleaning to the pump filter I can never get the pump to prime correctly. The sticker on it says that it's self priming but still doesn't work. I've also opened the air release on the filter to no avail.

Thus I have a couple questions, what am I missing or forgetting to do? And perhaps more importantly is it worth it to replace the pump with a variable speed pump? The local utility will pay $100 towards the cost of a new variable speed pump. If I get a new pump do I need a control box at all (I have an old school one with the dial and arrows). It looks to me like I can just program the pump itself?

Thanks everyone for all your knowledge on pools, it's greatly appreciated from those of us who have no clue what we're doing.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum.

A pump's failure to prime is most likely because you have a suction side air leak. There is an article in Pool School that will help you on how to find and fix them.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Please add your location (City, State or City, Country) to your profile and pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.

Here is the article Dave mentioned: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/151-suction-side-air-leaks

Unless your electrical costs are very high, a 2-speed pump is generally more cost effective than a VS pump, even with a $100 rebate. You would have a switch to select between the 2 speeds, generally running on low except for vacuuming or backwashing. Some VS pumps have a timer and controller built it. Others would still require an external timer for on/off control and the speeds and durations are programmed into the pump.