Trying to clean filter first time, can't get it going again!

[louannabelle]

My hubs left for a couple weeks - far away fishing, of all the nerve, and out of contact. Before he left, I cleaned (hosed down with the hose sprayer) the filter cartridge to get the hang of it under his tutelage, and today I've done it by myself.
It's a Hayward C48D43A04 pump. I got everything unlatched, cleared the filter basket and then sprayed down the cartridge, put it all back together........but it won't 'prime' that I can tell.

my steps too restart............
replaced the drain plug
set the cover back in place
tightened the lock ring till it latched
replaced the cover over the filter basket and tightened.
opened the air valve
turned on the pump.
At this point, I think within several seconds the water should fill the filter basket and start rushing out of the air valve, at which time, I close the air valve and go on about my business. However, after about 30 seconds, I'm not seeing any water filling the filter basket, so I shut the pump off, afraid I'm gonna burn it up if no water is coming through. have done this several times. I released the drain cover from the filter cartridge tub and some water did come out, so I think it's filling but I'm afraid of letting that pump run for too long - it doesn't seem like it should take very long before I see water. What could I be doing wrong?

this is our 4th year with the pool, so I don't think anything's wrong with the system...just think I've done something wrong. he won't be back in phone contact for 4 days, and home for 6. I hope it's something simple and a duh moment, but I can't see it. I need to get it going before then! ugh!

 

[mikegmi2]

My understanding is, it can take up to 2-3 minutes sometimes before you get a prime going. 30 seconds is probably not enough in your case. As long as you have everything secured, let it go for another minute or two, it won't hurt the pump. Longer than that, shut it off and maybe these is an issue or something not connected properly...but my guess is you just have to let it prime a bit longer.

 

[louannabelle]

Thank you....I did run it for 3 minutes......and nothing changed - still not filling with water ?

 

[frogabog]

Is there a valve ahead of the filter that you turned prior to taking the filter apart so that you didn't have water rushing in? If so, open that valve

 

[Jimrahbe]

Louann,

Show us a couple of pics of your pump and filter... A pool pump should prime even with the filter completely missing, so the filter is not the problem..

What did you do to the pump? What valves did you turn?

Did you get the pump lid back on snug? If you took the pump lid off, could the O-ring have fallen out?

Is the water up to the middle of the skimmer mouth?

Thanks is all I can think of at the moment.. But this is a pump issue and not a filter issue..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Newdude]

Check the weir door(s) in the skimmer(s) If they're stuck closed, you'll suck nothing but air. Do you have a main drain ? And a valve to select drain/skimmers ? Sometimes one sucks itself further back than the other when i shut the pump off. If this happens i switch to all skimmer suction or all drain suction. Once one of the primes it has no problem priming the other.

 

[Lskul60]

try priming the pump basket by taking a huge bucket of water and pouring it in there before putting the pump lid on

 

[louannabelle]

thanks all - I called a local pool maintenance place and they talked me thru it by phone. I used a garden hose to fill the filter basket a lot, then closed it's lid and turned the pump on. It took about 5 minutes but it finally primed and is working fine now.

 

[louannabelle]

Check the weir door(s) in the skimmer(s) If they're stuck closed, you'll suck nothing but air. Do you have a main drain ? And a valve to select drain/skimmers ? Sometimes one sucks itself further back than the other when i shut the pump off. If this happens i switch to all skimmer suction or all drain suction. Once one of the primes it has no problem priming the other.

thanks, but my pool isn't that big. only 3300 gals. I don't know what a weir door is. I don't have a main drain. just one skimmer.

 

[frogabog]

The weir door is that floppy thing in your skimmer. 3300 gallons is pretty small for a inground pool. Sounds cute though. Got a pic?

 

[louannabelle]

The weir door is that floppy thing in your skimmer. 3300 gallons is pretty small for a inground pool. Sounds cute though. Got a pic?

Lol thanks, it IS cute.. holds 3 adults and 1 kid if everyone floats quietly. ??

 

[frogabog]

Darn right it's cute! I love it!

Float quietly... now that's a new one for me!

 

[MyAZPool]

Lol thanks, it IS cute.. holds 3 adults and 1 kid if everyone floats quietly. ??

louannabelle
Wow, cool little pool. I like it! How deep is it, if I may ask?
BTW, my wife just peeked over my shoulder and she said she really digs all of your plants etc.
Thanks for sharing!
r.