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A Guide to Priming Your Pool Pump
The pump is a vital part of any swimming pool setup. It is the key reason why swimming pools stay nice and clear over a long time! While it can often go without being noticed, you must ensure your swimming pool pump is working as it should. That way, you can make sure your pool keeps operational and enjoyable for much longer!
One of the most essential but straightforward maintenance tasks when it comes to pool pumps is priming. Here, we take you through what priming is, when your pump might need it and how to prime correctly.
Put simply, priming is the process of removing air from the pump system to ensure it works effectively.
To understand the importance of priming, it’s essential to know why swimming pools have pumps and how they work. Pumps are the primary filtration system for swimming pools, pushing water through a basket or similar item that collects debris before water reenters the pool.
The way pumps do this is by creating something of a closed circuit for water to travel through. Similar to siphoning, a pump creates a continuous flow of water which allows this cleaning process to happen continuously.
The water circuit mentioned above is an excellent way of cleaning a large body of water while it is in use. However, this system is also vulnerable to any air that gets inside.
If your pump is on and working, but there is no flow in the swimming pool, air has likely entered the pump system. In this situation, your pool pump might need priming again. This reason is by far the most common with regards to priming your pool pump.
As mentioned above, the main time to look at priming your pump is when is it operational but not creating any flow of water. Commonly, this occurs after a prolonged period of inactivity, like when the pool is being opened after winter.
A lot of modern swimming pool pumps come with auto-priming capabilities, so you may not need to do this at all. However, many pump systems will need manual priming.
If you notice that you need to prime your pump regularly, this could be evidence of an air leak somewhere in the system. In this scenario, we would highly suggest calling your pool supplier or pump manufacturer for advice.
Opening your pool for the first time since winter? Check out our step-by-step guide to commissioning your pool for spring.
If you need to prime your pump for whatever reason, the process is relatively straightforward. However, there are slight discrepancies depending on the design of your pump filtration system.
Ultimately, you’re looking to remove all air in the system to restore the circulation vacuum effect. In this guide, we try to provide a generalised process that you should be able to apply to the majority of systems. If you’re unsure, contact your pump’s manufacturer for detailed instructions on your system.
First of all, turn the pump system off, ideally by the mains. Clean the pump’s strainers of any debris and ensure that the swimming pool is adequately filled. Ideally, you want the swimming pool completely filled and, at a minimum, above the filter’s skimming point.
Generally, pumps will have two or three valves that relate to different parts of the filtration system. Ensure that all valves are turned off, which will help to restore the closed circuit.
If your pump has a multiport, you may also need to set this to ‘waste’ (sometimes called ‘backwash’). If your system has an air relief valve, you should open this up, also.
To restore the water level and expel air from the system, you will need to add it directly into the filter. Using a hose, open the pump or main strainer – this should have a screwable lid – and fill it back up with water.
Once it has been filled above the intake point, replace the lid, ensuring it’s screwed on firmly.
This location is commonly where air leaks that require priming occur, so if this happens frequently, consider replacing the lid or screws.
Once water has been restored to the main pump, turn it back on and immediately release the main valve (sometimes called the sump valve). If working correctly, pressure should start to build, eventually leading to a continuous flow of water.
Generally, it takes between one and two minutes for the pressure and flow to return to normal. If you have been waiting for longer than three minutes and there’s still no pressure, that means the problem persists. In this case, restart the priming process.
If you have an air release valve, the pressure should eventually cause water to start spraying out. When this happens, close the valve.
Once a steady pressure and water flow has been achieved, you can then start opening the other valves of your pool system. These valves should be opened very slowly, to allow pressure to be maintained.
If you open an extra valve and the pressure falls to zero, reclose it immediately. Doing this should allow the primary pump system to restore pressure. Once the pressure has returned to normal, you can attempt to slowly open the extra valve again. If the problem persists, then there is a problem with that section of the pump, and you should contact your supplier.
Ideally, slowly opening the extra valves will maintain pressure and flow throughout the system. At this point, the priming is complete!
Hopefully, this guide will help you understand the process of priming. As mentioned earlier, some pumps are different, so always look for instructions related to your system.
If you do require expert help, feel free to get in contact with us! We sell a wide range of equipment, including top-range swimming pool heat pumps and have many years of experience with a wide range of systems. Even if it’s just for help or advice, we’re happy to take your call!
