When your pump is not drawing any pool water, it means it needs to be primed. Priming is the act of adding water to the filter system to kickstart it. Matt goes over each step to properly priming your pool pump at the beginning of the season or if your pump doesn't have enough water to create the proper suction and flow.
💦 Get 10% off our pool maintenance video course and ebook by using the promo code VIDEO: https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-care-handbook/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description'>https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-care-handbook/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to How To Prime A Pool Pump
00:14 - #1. Set To Recirculate and Remove Plugs
00:28 - #2. Fill Pump Housing With Water
00:43 - #3. Turn System On
00:58 - #4. Troubleshooting
🏊‍♂️ Our Favorite Pool Maintenance Gear: https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-maintenance/'>https://www.swimuniversity.com/pool-maintenance/
📺 Subscribe to our channel if you want more information on swimming pool and hot tub maintenance: https://www.youtube.com/swimuniversity
Swim University®️ has made swimming pool and hot tub care easy for more than 10 million homeowners. And each year, we continue to help more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting. We know taking care of a swimming pool or spa can be difficult. And it’s hard to find a trusted source of information. We get it! This is the reason we created Swim University®️.
😎 Visit our website for more in-depth information on swimming pool maintenance: https://www.swimuniversity.com/

Hey everybody welcome to swimuniversity.com. My name is matt javanese and today i'm going to show you how to prime a swimming pool pump. The first thing you want to do is: if you have a sand, filter or a multi-port valve, you want to turn it to recirculate. So that way, the water goes inside the filter, head and right back out to the pool, make sure all the plugs and everything are removed from your pool before you turn anything on now.

If your pump itself is dry inside meaning there's no water, what i recommend you do is take a hose and fill that pump housing as much as you can full of water. So that way the water seeps into the pipes - and there will be enough water to create a siphon into the system itself. Once you have the pump housing filled up with a little bit of water, then try turning it on it'll. It might gurgle a little bit.

It might take some time, but eventually that water will start to fill up the pump housing and once it's filled up, that means that it's primed it's ready to go and you've done your job. Now, if you have any problems with that whatsoever, you can try adding water through the skimmers or you can try just adding more water to the pump housing, but make sure that when you do add water to it, the filter system is shut off. Once you have the pump housing filled, you can turn you know close the pump lid, of course, turn the filter on and watch it go and and if you just have to keep doing it a couple times, maybe if there's not enough water in the lines to Create that suction, but other than that it should work perfectly, and that's really all you need to do so again. If you have any questions you can visit our website, it's swimuniversity.com and again my name is matt ivanisi and thanks for watching.

Oh it's so hot. It's a warm out. You.

25 thoughts on “How to prime a swimming pool pump | swim university”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dan Kelly says:

    Seems like the first step in this process is crucial to the whole thing. How do you did that EXACTLY?

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Megha Mishra says:

    Thank you this worked!!! You are amazing

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars JesseALwood says:

    Wooter Are you in Barrhaven ?

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars hendu213 says:

    How can anyone give this a thumbs down? Perfect video!!!! Thanks!!!!

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Rogue Dire says:

    Great video, I was able to prime my pump following your instructions but what about the booster pump? it doesnt have a cover to open, it just has hoses going in and out… It starts but it doesn't seem to be pulling any water, thank you for your advise

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars alexgzbro101 says:

    The way be says wutter is the reason why I enjoy maintaining my pool

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Super Voltages says:

    Good concise video, thanks!

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars J RLOC says:

    This helped me figure out how to deal with the wooder. Thank you!

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Rich Lo says:

    Are you from Pennsylvania?

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Janifer Keel says:

    My basket wasn't filling up , and just at the main drain hose wasn't tight enough as it was dripping water when pump was shut off. Changed to a new piece on it and tighted it , and basket filled up . And I did it with out a mans help, lol .

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars wayne thiltgen says:

    After spending over three hours trying to get my pool pump to prime, I finally checked the skimmer basket hole, only to find that the guys who winterized my pool, to discover that he had put a plug in the hole at the bottom. In addition, he had put a plastic gallon jug with antifreeze in it, instead of using the Gimzo, that we had provided him.** In the future you should advise your viewers to check for a plug if the pump is not priming, it would have saved my marriage!

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Swim University says:

    Do you normally have trouble priming your pool pump?

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars FonzyM TV says:

    My pool pump says “priming” when I first start it for the first few minutes . Does that mean my pump does this all on this own ? Sorry IAm a new pool owner at only 21 years old

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Chris Whalen, CPA says:

    Your video really helped me. Thanks very much.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jag Wolf says:

    Why wouldn't you open the air valve on the filters so water releases 🤔

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Thomas Capellini says:

    It only works for one second

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Whelans trädfällning says:

    Great Video thanks 👍🏻

  18. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Mortgage Financing says:

    I recently opened my pool for the summer. I had the sand filter turned on and the skimmer was taking in water and it was going through the pool circulating everything was normal. I had a alot of algae and green stuff at the bottom of my pool .i then started to vacuum my pool once i saw everything was working good. When i started to vacuum the pool on waste every 5 minutes its seemed like the filter basket on the pump was clogged and i lost my vacuum suction.So I would go over top the pump clean out the basket do a quick back wash and recirculate.Then the system would work ok for another 5 minutes. The 3 rd time this happened I went top the pump shut it off and stuck my hand in the pump to see if it was blocked and i pulled hand fulls of sand out of the pump?. After i cleaned the sand i got everything closed up i opened the water and the pump was trying to move but couldn't i guess it still had sand in it so i shut it off right away. (1.) I wanted to know what i have done wrong to get sand go back into the pump and (2). how to fix it. I was assuming that i disconnect the pump and turn it upside down to get the sand out and try to flush it out with the hose? Not sure what to do ? Are you in Orleans ?

  19. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars The Irish Lizard says:

    what is warter? lol Jk thx man for the vid! Service area Nepean??

  20. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars SPOSE says:

    Make sure your Pool water is above the water line. Otherwise, it will continue to suck air from the skimmer.

  21. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars xJango says:

    Every time the pump turns it self on it throws a big cloud of stuff in the pool how do I fix it

  22. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tiffani Hall says:

    This video was extremely helpful. It saved me from having to call the pool company and pay money! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Service area Kanata??

  23. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Amanda Peachpie says:

    hi and thank you  just saved me a 150 dollar service call
     bo
     Denver colorado

  24. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars EddyM says:

    Thanks man!! saved the day. I thought something was wrong with my pump! Are you in Ottawa ?

  25. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Mark Cramer says:

    Is it normal for a few bubbles to keep coming out of the feed back into the pool after priming? Will these eventually work their way out of the system, or should I reprime?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.