Some mornings my pump isn't primed. Plenty of water in the pool, no or minimal debris in skimmer and pump baskets. I run the hose into the pump basket for a couple minutes, still won't prime. My pressure is not up, but I backwashed and that seemed to solve it. About a week later, it's happened again. Earlier in the season I took the pump apart and removed some Bradford Pear pits from the impeller. But that tree has been cut down. Plus, it primes fine running backwash or rinse (and I assume waste). I'm stumped. I'm not a repair guy, but if I call one I'll need to speak intelligently to him/her. Why would it prime one direction and not the other?
Pump only primes for backwash
- Thread starter Tyrone Shuz
- Start date
Not sure what the issue is. Does the pump not move water in the "Filter" position or just not completely fill the pot?
The only difference between "Rinse" and "Filter" is where the water goes after it gets through the filter media (grids). "Rinse" is not something used on a DE filter, though the position is on the valve.
In the Filter position it doesn't move enough water for it to prime. It never "WHOOSH" es, and there's flow, but not enough for my salt cell. The pump basket area never fills up.
Open the filter, remove the grid assembly, close the filter and try it. If the problem goes away, your grids either need a good cleaning with a solution of real TSP or commercial filter cleaner, soaked over night, or they were acid washed without doing that first and will need to be replaced.
Ugh. That's unfortunately above my pay grade. Yesterday it wouldn't prime in backwash mode, though I may have not waited long enough, but it did prime in waste mode. Then I reversed it to filter and it's fine but I'm afraid to put the timer back on. It clearly isn't a weak motor or impeller. I'm worried about plumbing problems.
Tyrone,
Show us a pic of your Equipment pad and a pic of your pool as it is right now.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Show us a pic of your Equipment pad and a pic of your pool as it is right now.
Thanks,
Jim R.
The guys above are correct. The only position you presently have open in the filter is backwash, which means that the other position(s) are clogged. It is not that your pump won't prime but rather your pump can't discharge due to an obstruction.
Opening the filter is easy, watch youtube for your particular model.
Opening the filter is easy, watch youtube for your particular model.
Pool and equipment. Getting dark, but should be visible. Water's still great, everything works, I'm just afraid to let the timer turn it off.
Tyrone,
Thanks for the pics.. I was thinking your water might have been solid green, but it is not..
When was the last time that you, or anyone else, opened and cleaned your DE filter???
After you backwash, how much DE do you normally add to the filter??
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks for the pics.. I was thinking your water might have been solid green, but it is not..
When was the last time that you, or anyone else, opened and cleaned your DE filter???
After you backwash, how much DE do you normally add to the filter??
Thanks,
Jim R.
Water is perfect, but it won't be if I can't run the pump. I think the grids get inspected every year, cleaned every other year. I don't do this. When I backwash I usually add 3 lbs of DE. Without the records handy, I'm not sure when the last time the grids were cleaned.
So you're saying when the pump powers off at night, gook and shmutz collect in the filter by the exits which is why I have to run it backwards (backwash or waste) to clear it? I'll run it 24/7 till I get new grids I guess.
What i am saying is that you need to take your valve apart and see why your valve is not working in any position other than backwash.
I'm sorry I misspoke. Once I run it backwards (waste or backwash) it will prime. I then set it forward (filter) and it works. But when the timer is running, sometimes in the morning it doesn't prime, and won't prime till I run it backwards. My guess is that there's a lot of gunk in there that settles overnight and prevents priming. The pressure is normal. I usually don't backwash till the pressure is 10+ lb above normal (which is 9 or 10 lb). If the valve ports are clogged, it's gotta come from the filter right? My water is fine and the only tree that put significant leaves in my skimmer basket has been cut down. I ordered a grid assembly kit.