SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

If it has already been primed,there could be a leak on the suction side,or main on system side BUT
To prime a pump, make sure all the drain plugs are clean,teflon pasted,and tightened securely. Take a good look
at your pump,looking for cracks and anything thats not right

now you have to get water into the pump housing,on most pumps the pressure gauge can be removed,then shut the
ball valve going out to the system,pour your water into the pressure gauge hole until it overflows. Then what I like to
do,is put your hand over the hole where you just poured your water in,then plug in the pump.

Once the pump is plugged in, keeping your hand STRONGLY!!!! over the pressure gauge hole,you will feel pressure
starting to build,the sound/pitch of the pump will start to get higher,I like to let the air out periodically by lifting my hand just a
little bit, you dont want to let the water out and if you do accidentally let water out a few times,unplug and fill it
back up. So you will start to hear water swirling and the pump might shake a little bit. you will know when it is all
set by getting absolutely soaked if you cant unplug power fast enough lol. Seriousely though once it gets the water, you will
absolutely not be able to hold your hand on the hole,and water will come shooting out at the GPM specified by the
pump manufacturer. BE READY FOR THIS OR YOU WILL GET PISSED.AND SOAKED HAHA. Maybe have somone ready at PLUG,BREAKER,SWITCH. whatever it is that controls the power to your pump.

Once you get ALOT of water comming out of your pressure gauge hole,it is now all set. clean the threads of your
pressure gauge,teflon paste it,not a crapload because it will ooze out when tightened. Ilike to take 3 times to
much,spread it all over the threads,evenly work it into the threads,then brush almost all of it off again,leaving it only in the threads.
OVERVIEW, 1-TIGHTEN DRAIN PLUGS
2-FILL PUMP UNTIL OVERFLOWING WITH BALL VALVE TO SYSTEM CLOSED
3-HAND OVER PRESSURE GAUGE HOLE,PUMP PLUGGED IN
4-PITCH CHANGES,PUMP SHAKES,HAND GETS BLOWN OFF BY WATER
5-UNPLUG,TURN OFF,FLIP SWITCH,WHATEVER YOU DO
6- TEFLON THE GAUGE,TIGHTEN. IRRIG8
couple things to keep in mind- You dont need to do it this way,you need to do everything but the hand over gauge,I just like to do that because if there is a problem,you can feel it,if there is no pressure you can feel it,you can let the air out easily,and its the way I was tought. Some pumps do not prime the first go around,fill it up,if its hot let it cool,and try again. You can get water into it any way you want and just open a spigot or somthing to bleed air out
couple problems you might have. check valves do freeze up,and it will never ever ever prime,ever. uncommon unless your sucking brackish or dirty water. you could have a leak on the suction side of the pump,it will turn on and off,wont prime depending on size of leak. the pressure tank could have a hole. If tank has hole,the pump will typically cycle VERY fast,every second it turns on and off type of fast. If you have a main leak it will cycle slower,zone leaks will never make the pump cycle. Any problems post it and Ill help with anything I can.

An outlet valve on a tee can take the place of the hand. Same idea, with the outlet nearly closed, and air released, bit by bit.