Cleaned my skimmer basket and priming pot...

[Jerry]

Had a hard time getting the flow again. My friend who is very handy said, "turn it off and on a few times."  We did and it worked eventually, took a bunch of attempts, Juan says it's an air bubble.

Yes? No?

[Esther]

That was my very first thought. We have a pool and that happens sometimes. It just takes a while to get the air out first.

[Jerry]

I tried running a hose in there.  What do you do?  Just off and on?

[Esther]

Probably mine is different as it is for the pool. But we fill it with water and put the sealed cover on and then turn it on. Some times the pump groans and groans but eventually it catches up and takes off.

[Julles]

Are you talking about the pump?

My 950gph works no matter what you do to it.  But the 700, if you unplug it, to get it going again, you have to be sure it's under water, and then THWACK it, pretty darned hard.  One or two thwacks and it will start running again.

[Jerry]

My pump is an exterior one, above ground.  I do know that if I placed below pond level no priming needed,
it would involve building a cemet bunker with drainage.
Mine is a Sequence. Excellent and uses little power.

[Lawrence of PA]

I think pumps air-bind the same way Windows locks up:  they just feel like it sometimes.  I've had my submersible initially air-bind occasionally when I turn it on.  I  still haven't figured out how a completely submerged pump can do that, but it sometimes does.  Go figure.

As long as you have a check valve in the suction of the external pump, when you have the cover off the priming pot, you should be able to fill the suction line all the way from the check valve to the priming pot.  If the check valve is under water, the whole suction line should be water-filled, and the pump should prime reliably, unless it's having a "bad air" day.   Sorry; I couldn't resist that.

Larry

[Dkoinut]

Hi Jerry. I see Larry has already posted the solution I would have given to fis your problem. Add a check valve below the water line and you'll be set.

[Jerry]

I do have the check valve below water.  The problem is not very often.  As Larry said, "A bad air day!"

Ok so what is the Easiest way to get it gong?

[Dkoinut]

You might check the valve to see that it is functioning properly ( not sticking open) and doesn't allow water to drain back into the pond. Also if you get air in the strainer basket check to see that the drain on the basket and bottom front of the pump is properly tightened. Also may need to relube the "O"ring in lid of the strainer basket. good luck and have fun.