Pool pump woes

December 8, 2007 11:21 AM

I have an above-ground pool which doesn't seem to be pumping well. Please help!

The pump is below ground, and a pump pot (or whatever it might be called sits right in front of it. When the motor is on, the pot is always mostly empty (some amount of water runs right through it. Am I mistaken, or is this pot supposed to always be full to provide adequate suction? Additionally I have a Kreepy Kawly cleaner thing that always stops working randomly, and I'm thinking it's because of inadequate suction. Any tips?

posted by delladlux to home & garden (1 comment total)

Yes, the pump pot should be full when it's running. First, make sure that all your baskets are clear of debris, and that you prime the pump pot by filling it with water from a hose before you turn the filter back on. Second, is the pressure gauge on your filter reading higher than normal or lower? If it's higher, that means that the filter motor is moving water just fine but the filter is clogged and you need to backwash it. If it's reading low, it's likely that the impeller on your motor has become clogged with yard debris. This is especially a problem in the fall when there are a lot of leaves blowing around. I have to clean out my impeller once or twice a year, the veins from leaves are small enough to make it through my baskets but big enough to get stuck in the motor. See this page for good info on how to disassemble a pump motor to clean the impeller. Be sure and turn the power off to the motor before you take it apart, you don't want to stick a screwdriver into the wrong place and zap yourself!
posted by TungstenChef at 12:04 PM on December 8, 2007