Pump takes a long time to prime after restarting.

John Faulkner

John Faulkner

Member
Whenever I shut the pump off it takes almost 3 minutes to pull water again when I restart it used to prime much faster is this a sign of a leak or something wearing out.
 
Could also be a tiny suction side leak I found mine at the union fitting after tightening it the pump primed normally again.
 
Mine slowed down like that when the lid O-ring got stiff replacing it made the pump catch prime almost instantly again.
 
I’d add one more angle here, if it’s taking longer than it used to, it can sometimes be more about air sneaking in than the pump itself wearing out. Besides the O-ring and union fittings already mentioned, check the pump lid for hairline cracks and make sure the basket is seated properly. Even a tiny gap will let air in and make priming drag on.

Another thing worth checking is the water level in the pool, if it’s a bit low and the skimmer is pulling air, that can slow priming too. Worst case, if none of those things pan out, it might be a sign the impeller is getting partially clogged with debris or calcium buildup, which reduces how quickly the pump can grab water. A good clean and reseal usually makes a big difference before it turns into a bigger issue.
 
I’ve had the same thing usually a tiny suction-side air leak. Swap/lube the lid O-ring, snug the unions, keep the water halfway up the skimmer, and check the impeller for debris. After that my pump primed fast again.
 
If it’s taking 3 minutes to prime now, it’s usually air getting in on the suction side, not the pump suddenly “wearing out.” I’d check the easy stuff first: the pump lid O-ring (clean it and replace/lube it if it’s stiff), snug up the union fittings, make sure the water level stays above the skimmer, and check the basket/impeller for debris.
 
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