pump will only prime when basket is out.

[ScottsdaleSwim]

I have bubbles in the pump basket when the filter basket is in. I don't know what made me take it out and try it but I did and well, no bubbles.
The filter basket is free of clogs and little rocks..

I tried the hose dribble thing with all the the connections..no difference. This might be kind of interesting - or not...but if you look at the picture only the right side of the basket has bubbles. ???

I even tried the shaving cream trick last year, the saran wrap..you name it.

I'm getting trace amounts of DE back into the pool too. So slight that I'm not really sure...it's been windy and rainy here lately.








10,000 gallon in ground vinyl liner pool. 1 HP AO Smith Corp motor 3450 rpm, Nautilus Pac Fab Filter DE.

 

[JasonLion]

Removing the basket will increase the suction just a little. It sounds like you have a very small air leak, that becomes more significant when the intake suction is higher.

 

[ScottsdaleSwim]

UGH. I didn't want to hear that but I suspected it.
If the leak was on the suction side underground (please, NO!) would I be getting debris? Or is it likely that the dirt would 'seal' it?
Thank you for your response.

 

[duraleigh]

Another possibility is that the strainer basket may not be seating perfectly and protruding just enough for the pump basket lid not to screw on correctly.

 

[ScottsdaleSwim]

Okay-
We have three intake ports...one for the drain, one for the skimmer and one for a vacuum. We haven't used the vacuum line since we let a friend borrow our hose and we didn't get the joiner piece back. We've been vacuuming through the port in the skimmer line.

The vacuum line has been closed for.....probably 2 years. I dunno..a while.

We opened the vacuum line and closed the drain and skimmer line. No bubbles.

How is it that when the vacuum line is closed, it can suck air but when it's fully open it doesn't? Is it because of the force of the water?

We'll change that that vacuum valve out tomorrow. I'm starving and being eaten by mosquitos.

 

[JasonLion]

Try turning the vacuum line back off and see if the air leak comes back? Sometimes the seals on valves get a little worn and leak, but if you move them around the seal will reseat and work again for a while.