I've been driving myself crazy for 2 days trying to prime my pump... bought that black tool to attach the hose to and it worked within 2 minutes... YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
You just saved me! I used that white plumbing thread seal wrap around the end of the hose to make it wider, have some give, and seal up the hole nicely with the hose (took almost an entire roll but it was desperate and it worked perfectly). Once the pump was going well I used the diverter valve to slowly go to the drain a bit at a time to make sure no air got into the pump again. Worked like a charm! Thank you so much! In fact, I think that I must have had a little air leak as well on the pump lid thing because there was always some air on the top and now it is just water! It look me awhile to find this video but I have seen your videos before. . will subscribe for sure :)
GENIUS. Thanks for sharing the knowledge. I had all kinds of nightmares about why the pool pump was not working properly. I saw the leak and tried a caulk, but it didn't work as well as THE PLASTIC BAG did. LOL. I got a temporary fix, which will keep the pool from going green until I get to homedepot. Thumbsup!
Thanks for the quick reply. It has been 100+ here in the Austin, TX area lately, so we keep good watch on the water level. Unless it ran dry while I was at work and my wife added water before I got home, I don't think it has gone dry. I will siicone the lid o-ring and check the impeller and hope that does the trick. Thanks again! Great videos. Keep up the good work.
Cloth around the hose works good too. Even if you don't notice any leaks in front of pump where the pipe threads in, put some electrical tape around that connection. Chances are if your pump ran dry there is a slight melt and the electrical tape will reseal it fine.
You are a life-saver, thank you so much. My partner is away & I was doing exactly what he did but the pump kept draining. Thanks to you I can stop baling out with a bucket, it was t O ring :-)
How old is your pump? Is it making any noises? If the pump is on and no water is being pulled the impeller may be cracked. Or the diffuser might be warped or melted.
Yes. When the system turns off the water should stay in the pump and not drain out. Sounds like the lid o-ring. If your not getting full suction it could be an impeller clog or a dirty filter. Try a quick 10 second backwash (If you have a D.E. filter) and see if the pump fills all the way up. If your pool hasn't run dry lately, then it's probably not a suction leak. In that case the pump usually will not prime at all.
You sound like the captain Elliot on The Deadliest Catch...I see his face when you are talking...lol, you sound like a celebrity! Your videos are SOOOOOO Helpful thanks a MILL!!
That is a safety net for the customers kids. It prevents potential accidental drownings. I have a video on my Channel featuring it "Katchakid Safety Net."
Check out this video "My automatic Cleaner is not working" In the middle of it I show a cleaner that stops working due to an air leak. It was the pump lid o-ring. Sounds similar to your problem.
Sounds like youe ready to be a poolman ;). Sounds like when you lost prime an air pocket formed in the skimmer line. I do have a video that covers this. If you have only one line the hose in skimmer flushes it out. If you have a valve in front for main drain/spa/side port you can turn that valve to also achieve suction by forcing the air out. Wonder what caused it? I sometimes have this happen when I take a filter apart and water goes back down too far for the pump to pull it back.
I've had that happen recently also. Had to use a towel around the hose to finish priming the pump. Once the pump primed it pulled the rubber pieces through and I emptied out the pump basket. The pieces should fit through the plumbing..
Your impeller is probably cracked or the Diffuser (part that sits on the Impeller is melted). Pull the bolts off the pump/motor connection or un-clamp the motor if you have that type of set up. Pull the motor out and see if the Diffuser is warped or melted (it will be obvious) or the impeller is cracked off (obvious also). This happens when the pump runs dry too. Just Google something like this to see the pump parts "Hayward pump parts." It's an easy fix, just buy the new parts and install them.
Just watched both videos, very informative! I have a Hayward Tri-Star that is priming ok, although not as well as it should. When I turn the system off, water drains from the pump well/basket and I can hear it draining from the plumbing around the pump and filter. When turned on, takes 20+ seconds to prime, but does not completely fill the pump well. After watching your 2 videos, I intend to silicone the pump cover gasket and use a screwdriver to check the impeller. Am I on the right track?
Hmm. Check the back of the motor and see if the voltage is set to match your breaker. If your breaker is 240 v (single breaker) and the motor is set on 120 v It will trip it. If that is OK: Also, ck to see if the impeller is spinning when it is outside the pump. Just turn the motor on outside the pump. If it works but seizes up inside the pump then the diffuser is bad and is rubbing against the impeller and stopping it.
Im gonna try the baggie trick....I have bubbles coming up...dunno if that's normal...pool sweep stopped working...I have a three wheeled Polaris...hope this works in a couple spots I think is leaking..nothing as big as in this video...but machine turns on, pool sweeps turns on then stops working...wish u had a number I could call u and ask for help..lol thanks for the videos...used a lot of advice on treating algae in our pool:)
Omg thanks, I tried putting water in the basket thing and water just went down the pipe and tried the whole day, the next day I found your video and got it to work so thanks
thank you so much u saved me 250 bucks from pool guy coming back out i found a plug with a end that fit my cut hose it was snug in my skimmer and filled up pool pump it's green cuz we had to unplug pump didnt know what to do so we had to wait for him to come back out now i dont have to thank you so much i will post vid response on how i did it tommorow when sun is up
Here's a trick I learned today by trial, error, and luck. After trying in vain for 3 days to get my pump to prime, I put a hose with a blowbag on the end in the skimmer, then ran the pump with bleeder open. Some air but no luck. I shut off the pump and closed the bleeder, then rushed over to the faucet to shut off the hose. I thought: All that water going in, nowhere to go, I better open the bleeder. Lots of air rushed out! I turned on the pump, and - bingo! - within a few seconds got my prime.
Thanks, my pool cleaner blocked the skimmer and caused the pump to run dry. Used the hose with a cloth and got it up and running in no time. Also learned to turn off the pump when the cleaner is running....
Yes, I must have had an air pocket. The interesting thing is that the hose and blowbag alone didn't deliver water fast enough to solve it, maybe because of the sharp bend in the pipe beyond the blowbag. By shutting off the pump and closing the bleeder while the hose ran for an additional 30 seconds or so, the water coming in built up enough pressure to solve the problem. And just in time. It's 100 degrees in L.A. today and the stagnant water was starting to turn green. Nipped it in the bud.
MrDgvb1 I have a 2 speed Pentair Whisperflow pump. The low speed goes on fine but when it is timed to go on in high speed it kicks off. Any suggestions?
Great Ideas! My friend's pump hasn't been used for over a year. On bypass, the pump self-primes after 30 secs or so . At the same time the chlorinator also fills. The water circulates fine for a minute or so - then everything empties. I've never dealt with a system with a chlorinator (located after the 5x valve) - I'm not sure it's relevant - just like an empty tube in the system, waiting to be filled. Is it likely she has an air leak before and after the pump?
We had a bad wind storm last night lots of leaves in skimmer. I cleaned everything pump running fine. I opened the pump basket now I cannot get it to prime. Tried bucket of water hose for a few minutes nothing works. Strange thing is my spa will work fine? Any ideas? Thanks as always!
Try playing with the pool/spa suction valve. Start it in spa mode, then turn the jandy valve slightly to get some pool suction, turn it back to spa if it loses suction, and just keep playing with it like this, back and forth until the pool pump catches it's prime. This video shows that method: ruclips.net/video/5nt6t1vMrQM/видео.html&index=7&list=PL784D975AEA898B07
You can try pulling it out with a pair of kitchen tongs. If that fails try blowing it out from the pump with another drain bladder securely attached ;). Last solution, call a pool company and they will blow it out with CO2 Gas.
Electrical tape works well. do NOT use quick connects or unions they are notorious pump killers. and most of them restrict flow as a added bonus, if you have starved the pump for water, chances are you will need the mechanical shaft seal replaced, I charge 20$ for most pumps, and 75 to rebuild a motor w/ shaft seal included. search your area for your local pool pump motor repair guy, there good to know and can save you thousands of dollars over the years.
Are swimming pool still not working it won't prime up at all we even replace the chlorine feeder line and that didn't work and the Hayward filter keeps evaporated and I try to prime it up today and the skimmer bubble and it only did it one time and that didn't work and we don't have a spa we have swimming pool and are brand is Hayward. Just give us some advise to see what else you want us to do next.
Hey, we got the pool cleaner to work, the screen was clogged, I couldn't get it out of the wall....I kinda broke the tabs where it attaches, we husband had to replace it...so it works now..BUT the pool wont push water to the filter...the pool is cloudy, we poured chemicals into it...the pool store says our chemical levels are good, just need to let the filter clean that up...though the pool pump isn't pushing water through the skimmers at the sides of the pool, no pool jets stay on either :(
ok..so no leaks...the screen was clogged and had to replace plastic pool wall adapter..$6 fix.....but we still have the issue where water doesnt flow thru filter system very long...i think a pump is going out:(
I just replaced my Pentair Pool pump last fall. The pump pulls the water and it primes and runs okay for 5 seconds then drops the water and starts to re prime all over. I cleared the impella, flushed the pipe with a garden hose, checked the pipes for leaks used plastic bags and still it won't hold the prime and stay running? Thoughts
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 I need help. My friends pool is green and the pump is, I suppose not working correctly. Its a really old pump from like in 50 or 60, not sure but its old. And I wanna help my friend because her pool guy is an ass and wants her to spend a lot of money to replace the pump.....all of it. Please if you can help, contact me on Facebook. Vaan Sun
I've been driving myself crazy for 2 days trying to prime my pump... bought that black tool to attach the hose to and it worked within 2 minutes... YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
You just saved me! I used that white plumbing thread seal wrap around the end of the hose to make it wider, have some give, and seal up the hole nicely with the hose (took almost an entire roll but it was desperate and it worked perfectly). Once the pump was going well I used the diverter valve to slowly go to the drain a bit at a time to make sure no air got into the pump again. Worked like a charm! Thank you so much!
In fact, I think that I must have had a little air leak as well on the pump lid thing because there was always some air on the top and now it is just water! It look me awhile to find this video but I have seen your videos before. . will subscribe for sure :)
Thanks for the great feedback!👍
GENIUS. Thanks for sharing the knowledge. I had all kinds of nightmares about why the pool pump was not working properly. I saw the leak and tried a caulk, but it didn't work as well as THE PLASTIC BAG did. LOL. I got a temporary fix, which will keep the pool from going green until I get to homedepot. Thumbsup!
Thank you so much! Lifesaver!!! The bag trick worked perfectly! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks for the quick reply. It has been 100+ here in the Austin, TX area lately, so we keep good watch on the water level. Unless it ran dry while I was at work and my wife added water before I got home, I don't think it has gone dry. I will siicone the lid o-ring and check the impeller and hope that does the trick.
Thanks again! Great videos. Keep up the good work.
Glad I could help. The plastic bag trick is my own innovation. Wish I could patent it ;)
Cloth around the hose works good too. Even if you don't notice any leaks in front of pump where the pipe threads in, put some electrical tape around that connection. Chances are if your pump ran dry there is a slight melt and the electrical tape will reseal it fine.
You are a life-saver, thank you so much. My partner is away & I was doing exactly what he did but the pump kept draining. Thanks to you I can stop baling out with a bucket, it was t O ring :-)
How old is your pump? Is it making any noises? If the pump is on and no water is being pulled the impeller may be cracked. Or the diffuser might be warped or melted.
Yes. When the system turns off the water should stay in the pump and not drain out. Sounds like the lid o-ring. If your not getting full suction it could be an impeller clog or a dirty filter. Try a quick 10 second backwash (If you have a D.E. filter) and see if the pump fills all the way up.
If your pool hasn't run dry lately, then it's probably not a suction leak. In that case the pump usually will not prime at all.
You sound like the captain Elliot on The Deadliest Catch...I see his face when you are talking...lol, you sound like a celebrity! Your videos are SOOOOOO Helpful thanks a MILL!!
worked on pump for 3 days trying to figure why it wouldn't prime--this video showed me what was wrong--thanks a lot
Very nice. Saving money is a good thing. Saving $250 is excellent.
That is a safety net for the customers kids. It prevents potential accidental drownings. I have a video on my Channel featuring it "Katchakid Safety Net."
Check out this video "My automatic Cleaner is not working" In the middle of it I show a cleaner that stops working due to an air leak. It was the pump lid o-ring. Sounds similar to your problem.
Sounds like youe ready to be a poolman ;). Sounds like when you lost prime an air pocket formed in the skimmer line. I do have a video that covers this. If you have only one line the hose in skimmer flushes it out. If you have a valve in front for main drain/spa/side port you can turn that valve to also achieve suction by forcing the air out. Wonder what caused it? I sometimes have this happen when I take a filter apart and water goes back down too far for the pump to pull it back.
I've had that happen recently also. Had to use a towel around the hose to finish priming the pump. Once the pump primed it pulled the rubber pieces through and I emptied out the pump basket. The pieces should fit through the plumbing..
Your impeller is probably cracked or the Diffuser (part that sits on the Impeller is melted). Pull the bolts off the pump/motor connection or un-clamp the motor if you have that type of set up. Pull the motor out and see if the Diffuser is warped or melted (it will be obvious) or the impeller is cracked off (obvious also). This happens when the pump runs dry too. Just Google something like this to see the pump parts "Hayward pump parts." It's an easy fix, just buy the new parts and install them.
The plastic bags are just a temporary solution. I use electric tape successfully also. It actually works very well (electrical tape).
Just watched both videos, very informative! I have a Hayward Tri-Star that is priming ok, although not as well as it should. When I turn the system off, water drains from the pump well/basket and I can hear it draining from the plumbing around the pump and filter. When turned on, takes 20+ seconds to prime, but does not completely fill the pump well.
After watching your 2 videos, I intend to silicone the pump cover gasket and use a screwdriver to check the impeller. Am I on the right track?
That is a nice move, I got to tell you I work for a pool company and I never knew that trick with a plastic bag. haha
There isn't a lot of difference between the in ground pool and the above ground pools. Is your pump not priming?
Hmm. Check the back of the motor and see if the voltage is set to match your breaker. If your breaker is 240 v (single breaker) and the motor is set on 120 v It will trip it.
If that is OK:
Also, ck to see if the impeller is spinning when it is outside the pump. Just turn the motor on outside the pump. If it works but seizes up inside the pump then the diffuser is bad and is rubbing against the impeller and stopping it.
Thanks for your video...it helped me out...
Im gonna try the baggie trick....I have bubbles coming up...dunno if that's normal...pool sweep stopped working...I have a three wheeled Polaris...hope this works in a couple spots I think is leaking..nothing as big as in this video...but machine turns on, pool sweeps turns on then stops working...wish u had a number I could call u and ask for help..lol thanks for the videos...used a lot of advice on treating algae in our pool:)
Omg thanks, I tried putting water in the basket thing and water just went down the pipe and tried the whole day, the next day I found your video and got it to work so thanks
Are all these videos based around above ground pools?
Thanks for making this video, it might have just saved my motor.
thank you so much u saved me 250 bucks from pool guy coming back out i found a plug with a end that fit my cut hose it was snug in my skimmer and filled up pool pump it's green cuz we had to unplug pump didnt know what to do so we had to wait for him to come back out now i dont have to thank you so much i will post vid response on how i did it tommorow when sun is up
Thank you. The hose pipe down the skimmer primed my pump!
Thanks. Great vid i try tonight!
Here's a trick I learned today by trial, error, and luck. After trying in vain for 3 days to get my pump to prime, I put a hose with a blowbag on the end in the skimmer, then ran the pump with bleeder open. Some air but no luck. I shut off the pump and closed the bleeder, then rushed over to the faucet to shut off the hose. I thought: All that water going in, nowhere to go, I better open the bleeder. Lots of air rushed out! I turned on the pump, and - bingo! - within a few seconds got my prime.
Thanks, my pool cleaner blocked the skimmer and caused the pump to run dry. Used the hose with a cloth and got it up and running in no time. Also learned to turn off the pump when the cleaner is running....
Yes, I must have had an air pocket. The interesting thing is that the hose and blowbag alone didn't deliver water fast enough to solve it, maybe because of the sharp bend in the pipe beyond the blowbag. By shutting off the pump and closing the bleeder while the hose ran for an additional 30 seconds or so, the water coming in built up enough pressure to solve the problem. And just in time. It's 100 degrees in L.A. today and the stagnant water was starting to turn green. Nipped it in the bud.
MrDgvb1 I have a 2 speed Pentair Whisperflow pump. The low speed goes on fine but when it is timed to go on in high speed it kicks off. Any suggestions?
Whats the net on ur pool for
Thank you for the video. How and where can the pipe leaks be detected.?
Great Ideas! My friend's pump hasn't been used for over a year. On bypass, the pump self-primes after 30 secs or so . At the same time the chlorinator also fills. The water circulates fine for a minute or so - then everything empties. I've never dealt with a system with a chlorinator (located after the 5x valve) - I'm not sure it's relevant - just like an empty tube in the system, waiting to be filled. Is it likely she has an air leak before and after the pump?
I would have to see a video of this to know what is happening. Maybe film it for youtube and after uploading send me the link. Easier that way.
Any videos on how to fix more permanently..or longer time?. Mine only has problems when using robot vacum
Replumbing the inlet and outlet of the pump is a more final solution.
@@SPL thanks for fast response...I found out only leaks from top of jandy 3way valve...looks like a easier fix
Thank you, man!!
Try using primer on your fittings and christes blue glu works great i am a sprinkler con
We had a bad wind storm last night lots of leaves in skimmer. I cleaned everything pump running fine. I opened the pump basket now I cannot get it to prime. Tried bucket of water hose for a few minutes nothing works. Strange thing is my spa will work fine?
Any ideas? Thanks as always!
Try playing with the pool/spa suction valve. Start it in spa mode, then turn the jandy valve slightly to get some pool suction, turn it back to spa if it loses suction, and just keep playing with it like this, back and forth until the pool pump catches it's prime. This video shows that method: ruclips.net/video/5nt6t1vMrQM/видео.html&index=7&list=PL784D975AEA898B07
Mp Justice that is what worked switching to spa then back to pool . Strange how that worked . Thanks again as always !!!
Tried this..the bladder shot off the hose and is now stuck in the piping near the skimmer box...how would you go about clearing this disaster? Thanks
You can try pulling it out with a pair of kitchen tongs. If that fails try blowing it out from the pump with another drain bladder securely attached ;). Last solution, call a pool company and they will blow it out with CO2 Gas.
FYI you can use a submersible pump to circulate you pool while you do needed pump repairs
Electrical tape works well. do NOT use quick connects or unions they are notorious pump killers. and most of them restrict flow as a added bonus, if you have starved the pump for water, chances are you will need the mechanical shaft seal replaced, I charge 20$ for most pumps, and 75 to rebuild a motor w/ shaft seal included.
search your area for your local pool pump motor repair guy, there good to know and can save you thousands of dollars over the years.
Are swimming pool still not working it won't prime up at all we even replace the chlorine feeder line and that didn't work and the Hayward filter keeps evaporated and I try to prime it up today and the skimmer bubble and it only did it one time and that didn't work and we don't have a spa we have swimming pool and are brand is Hayward. Just give us some advise to see what else you want us to do next.
How old is the pool?
Hey, we got the pool cleaner to work, the screen was clogged, I couldn't get it out of the wall....I kinda broke the tabs where it attaches, we husband had to replace it...so it works now..BUT the pool wont push water to the filter...the pool is cloudy, we poured chemicals into it...the pool store says our chemical levels are good, just need to let the filter clean that up...though the pool pump isn't pushing water through the skimmers at the sides of the pool, no pool jets stay on either :(
try the bladder in the skimmer and it exploded, how do get the bladder out? please help
why is there a 90 at the suction intake to the pump !!!!
California...😃
ok..so no leaks...the screen was clogged and had to replace plastic pool wall adapter..$6 fix.....but we still have the issue where water doesnt flow thru filter system very long...i think a pump is going out:(
What is the attachment? What is it called?
Drain bladder.
hi, my pool pump was working but suddenly it's stop .now it's not working. please let me know what can I do.
I just replaced my Pentair Pool pump last fall. The pump pulls the water and it primes and runs okay for 5 seconds then drops the water and starts to re prime all over. I cleared the impella, flushed the pipe with a garden hose, checked the pipes for leaks used plastic bags and still it won't hold the prime and stay running? Thoughts
Also checked the O ring and drain plugs too.
This happened after I vacuumed the pool.
Our pool leaked from the get go because idiot pool guys used a 1000 different pips but dad got that sorted
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 I need help. My friends pool is green and the pump is, I suppose not working correctly. Its a really old pump from like in 50 or 60, not sure but its old. And I wanna help my friend because her pool guy is an ass and wants her to spend a lot of money to replace the pump.....all of it. Please if you can help, contact me on Facebook. Vaan Sun
Thanks. Great vid i try tonight!