Causes of a filtration pump losing prime?

What causes a filtration pump to lose its prime?

The main cause of a pump losing its prime is obviously a drop in the pool water level. We recommend a water level at the top 3/4 of the skimmer. Below this water level, there is a risk of the pump losing its prime since air will be sucked into the pump.

A clogged filter bag can also cause the filter pump to lose its prime, as it creates a vacuum in the filter bowl. Just like a low water level, if the pump can no longer draw water from the pool, it will eventually suck in air and lose its prime. It is therefore important to clean the filter media regularly.

An air intake due to cracked piping (due to freezing) or a loose clamp or an external element that obstructs the bottom of the filtration bowl can also be the cause of the filtration pump losing its prime.

Finally, a poorly connected manual broom (poor positioning of the Skim Vac for example) will also have the effect of losing the prime of the pump.

Does depriming have any consequences for the filtration pump?

When the filtration pump loses its prime while the filtration system is running, the pump will run without water and the main risk is motor overheating. Equipped with a protection against abnormal operation, the motor will automatically shut off above a certain temperature to prevent this overheating.

While it is true that filter pumps are designed to compensate for this type of failure, it is obvious that in the long term, this will affect the life of the motor.

It is therefore important to regularly monitor the proper functioning of your filtration pump as well as the water level in the pool and the clogging of the bag, which remain the main causes of a filtration pump losing its prime.