Pump basket keeps filling with air after I prime it.

Isabella

Isabella

Member
Every time I prime my pool pump it runs fine for a few minutes then I see big air bubbles collecting in the basket and the flow slows down I already checked the lid o ring and tightened it but the problem keeps coming back What else could be causing this.
 
Isabella said:
Every time I prime my pool pump it runs fine for a few minutes then I see big air bubbles collecting in the basket and the flow slows down I already checked the lid o ring and tightened it but the problem keeps coming back What else could be causing this.
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That sounds like a suction side leak somewhere I had the same issue and it turned out to be a tiny crack in the pipe right before the pump You might want to try running water over the joints with a hose while the pump is on if the bubbles stop you’ve found the leak.
 
Could be an issue with the intake pipe or a small crack. Try running water with the pump on, and if the bubbles stop, you've found the leak.
 
I’ve had the same issue! Turns out it was a slightly loose pipe connection. After spraying water around the connections, air bubbles showed up, and the source of the leak became clear. Try checking the pipe leading up to the pump.
 
I had the same issue before. Turned out there was a small crack in the pipe causing air to get in. Try checking the pipe connections with water to spot any leaks.
 
I’ve dealt with this too. Even if the pump lid O-ring is fine, big air bubbles usually mean a suction-side leak somewhere before the pump. A few things that helped me:
  • Check all pipe connections leading to the pump, look for tiny cracks, loose unions, or fittings.
  • Spray water on joints while the pump is running; if the bubbles stop, you’ve likely found the leak.
  • Inspect the skimmer line and suction valves—sometimes a small gap or loose fitting lets in air intermittently.
Once I tightened a slightly loose union and sealed a tiny crack, the basket stayed full of water and the flow was consistent.
 
If your pump basket keeps filling with air after priming, it’s almost always a suction-side leak somewhere before the pump. Even if the lid O-ring is fine, air can sneak in through:
  • Slightly loose pipe connections or unions
  • Small cracks in the suction line
  • Skimmer or suction valves that aren’t fully sealed
A good trick is to run the pump and spray water around the pipe joints and fittings, if the bubbles stop when you spray a certain area, that’s likely where the air is getting in. Tightening a loose union or sealing a tiny crack usually fixes it, and your basket should stay full of water with consistent flow.
 
I went through this exact thing a while ago and it drove me crazy for days. The pump would prime perfectly, then a few minutes later I’d see a bunch of air in the basket again. Turned out the culprit was the drain plug on the front of the pump, it had a tiny air leak that I completely missed. I wrapped the threads with a bit of Teflon tape, tightened it back up, and the problem disappeared right away.

If you’ve already checked the lid and O-ring, give the drain plug, unions, and suction fittings another look. Even a small air leak there can pull in enough air to mess with priming.
 
I had this happen once and it turned out to be the pump’s drain plug, not the lid or pipes. A tiny bit of air was sneaking in through the threads every time the pump ran. I shut everything off, wrapped the plug threads with Teflon tape, and tightened it snug, no more air bubbles after that.

Another spot to check is the skimmer, we found a hairline gap where the hose connects, and sealing it with silicone fixed the issue for good. Even small leaks like that can pull in a surprising amount of air and make it look like a bigger problem than it is.
 
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