Hayward Super Pump starting but not pulling water from skimmer (posting for friend)

[sambot]

- - Posting for a friend - - not my pump

These are new pool owners BTW. Of course I am trying to teach them the ways of TFP

Their pool pump will not draw from the skimmer. It is a Hayward Super Pump pictured here:

Info my friend's pool: 24,000 gallon oval pool with a deep end, Hayward Sand Filter
Not sure if they have a drain in the deep end - I would assume so? I have no experience with a deep end pool, mine is all the same depth across

I was told they tried turning on the pump without removing the skimmer/jet plugs (!!!) so I'm not sure if that messed up their pump.

We did try where you fill the pump up with hose water while it was running on recirculate and it did get water out of at least one of the jets. No action from the skimmer though.
They are trying to contact the previous owner of the house for more info on how he opened- no luck
They also reached out to a couple of pool companies to come look at the pump, one said $300 just to diagnose the problem, the other company said "we're too busy try another place"

One theory is that there is some kind of blockage in the line going into the pump from the skimmer.

Anyhow, what do you think? What kind of troubleshooting should we try? Is the pump dead from trying to start it with all the pipes plugged up?

Happy to clarify any of the language - I'm sure I'm miss-named some things lol

 

[Texas Splash]

That pump looks a bit old, but let's keep some troubleshooting simple for now:
1 - Pool water level high enough about halfway up the skimmer?
2 - Poolside skimmer weir door moves freely and not stuck?
3 - All winter plugs removed?
4 - Pump strainer pot O-ring (under the clear lid) lubed well with silicone? Drain plug(s) at bottom of pump too?
5 - Check all hose from the pool that go "to" the pump. That is the suction line. ANY air leak from the pool to the pump intake is like trying to drink from a broken straw. It just doesn't work.
6 - All valves in OPEN position?

 

[sambot]

That pump looks a bit old, but let's keep some troubleshooting simple for now:
1 - Pool water level high enough about halfway up the skimmer?
2 - Poolside skimmer weir door moves freely and not stuck?
3 - All winter plugs removed?
4 - Pump strainer pot O-ring (under the clear lid) lubed well with silicone? Drain plug(s) at bottom of pump too?
5 - Check all hose from the pool that go "to" the pump. That is the suction line. ANY air leak from the pool to the pump intake is like trying to drink from a broken straw. It just doesn't work.
6 - All valves in OPEN position?

THANK YOU so much for your advice!

1- Yes!
2- No weir door so we're good!
3 - All winter plugs removed.... they found 3 plugs: one in the skimmer (gizmo) and 2 along the side of the pool. Is there anywhere else they should look? I only have 2 jets in my pool but maybe theirs has more?
4 - I lubed it up myself for them haha, I'll have to check the drain plugs - but wouldn't the water drain from the pump (see 2nd pic) if the drain plugs weren't sealed?
5 - Will check
6 - We weren't able to see any valves anywhere around the filter so I am guessing they either do not exist or?? The one valve they have is the waste line

 

[Texas Splash]

Hopefully they didn't damage the pump's ability to pull when it was run dry. But I would be concerned about that suction hose to the pump with the black tape on it. That would imply someone tried to do a quick fix. Maybe if someone has another hose they could do a quick swap and try that? Sounds like you got all the plugs everywhere else, and if there are no other visible valves that's about it.

 

[Texas Splash]

One other check - try pushing water with a garden hose from the pump inlet "backwards" to the pool. Watch to see if there is good water flow to make sure nothing got stuck in the line.

 

[1poolman1]

- - Posting for a friend - - not my pump

These are new pool owners BTW. Of course I am trying to teach them the ways of TFP

Their pool pump will not draw from the skimmer. It is a Hayward Super Pump pictured here:

Info my friend's pool: 24,000 gallon oval pool with a deep end, Hayward Sand Filter
Not sure if they have a drain in the deep end - I would assume so? I have no experience with a deep end pool, mine is all the same depth across

I was told they tried turning on the pump without removing the skimmer/jet plugs (!!!) so I'm not sure if that messed up their pump.

We did try where you fill the pump up with hose water while it was running on recirculate and it did get water out of at least one of the jets. No action from the skimmer though.
They are trying to contact the previous owner of the house for more info on how he opened- no luck
They also reached out to a couple of pool companies to come look at the pump, one said $300 just to diagnose the problem, the other company said "we're too busy try another place"

One theory is that there is some kind of blockage in the line going into the pump from the skimmer.

Anyhow, what do you think? What kind of troubleshooting should we try? Is the pump dead from trying to start it with all the pipes plugged up?

Happy to clarify any of the language - I'm sure I'm miss-named some things lol

First thing to suspect is that tape on the pump inlet. Apparently someone knows that there is a leak there. That flex pipe, which is a terrible thing to use in an application like this, is very distorted, you should not be able to see the corrugations. It looks like the pipe used for an above-ground pool.

 

[sambot]

They ended up flooding the intake and ran the pump and got it running. Still not sure about that plumbing set up but we'll see if it keeps up!