If I can still see a good amount of air in the basket when it's done priming should I try priming it longer? It clears up eventually, but it probably wouldn't hurt to just bump it up right? It's adjustable up to eight minutes. Maybe I'll add a minute and see how it goes.
I wish mine was that quick! It gulps down A LOT of air when I open those baskets. I've only done it 3 times and the amount of air that spews into the pool is alarming. At least for a newb like moi.
As RPMs increase, so does the pressure in your plumbing (just observe the pressure gauge on your filter as the pump ramps down from priming mode to normal mode). Modern PVC-plumbed systems are pretty tough, but less is more in this case. Your plumbing is never under more stress than during the priming cycle. The shorter and gentler the cycle, the better. Increasing the priming RPMs, and/or the amount of time at priming RPMs, will increase the stress on your plumbing and filter and other components some amount. Enough to harm them? Maybe not. But maybe so, over time. If you have a legitimate reason to increase the priming cycle, then so be it. But if you don't, then why do it? I actually decreased my pump's setting for priming RPMs just for this reason. If your pump primes 100% of the time, even if it takes longer than you think it should, leave it alone.
Because of the reinforcement ridges just under my pump's lid, the last air bubbles never clear out. Ideally, your pump should be clear of bubbles, but if some remain, especially if they eventually clear, then they probably aren't causing any issue. Now if you're talking about enough air to effect the pump's impeller, like starving it of water for a protracted amount of time, then that
is something to address. In that case, yes, you would increase the time.
That all said, if you want to fool around with the priming settings, have at it. Just be prudent about it: the lower the RPMs required, for the least amount of time required, is best. Conversely, you don't want to go overboard with that notion, because you need the priming to be 100% reliable. You don't want the priming to fail when you're not around, as that could cost you a pump.
The amount of "gulping" is just a matter of how long the suction-side pipes are. Which is just a matter of how far from the pool your equipment pad is located. It really isn't a problem.
If it makes you feel better, when my solar heater kicks on each morning, you should see my pool. It looks like a jacuzzi there are so many bubbles. It's all the air in my suction-side pipes, plus all the air in my solar panels, plus all the air in the very long pipes that run from my pump to the roof. It's never bothered me. I can hear it from my bedroom each morning, and let's me know the sun is up, the birds are chirping, flowers are blooming and the heater just kicked on, getting my pool ready for a comfy swim later in the day!
It's just a matter of how you perceive it: bubbles in the pool means your stuff is working!! Life is good!!
