Priming my pump - would this work?

[Xubar]

I have a section of the intake that I could cut and put a "T" in, then come up and around to get out from under the canopy. I'd prime it by pouring water in where the arrow is, then once full, cap it off.

Anyone got a problem with it?

 

[inachu]

riming as in to keep a suction?
both ends would need to be closed as you fill the top then close the top then open both ends.

 

[Xubar]

I think I'll do this instead.

This should work, but does anyone see an easier or better method yet?

 

[Xubar]

^

 

[Xubar]

While I've seen this design before, I still wonder how the horizontal piece fills with water. It seems like it would drain into the tank. Do you just fill and QUICKLY put the cap on or does it actually fill up to the cap?

Anyone besides inachu?

 

[seapug]

I'm confused. What is it that you are trying to do? What pump needs to be primed?

 

[Xubar]

the rest of the picture...

the rest of the picture...

 

[Xubar]

So....cut at the red lines and add the 'T', prime and cap...

 

[Xubar]

Just using a page out of melev's book...his closed loop. He has the tube at the top to prime it and caps it off after it's primed. I'm just wondering how this actually works. Does it fill up or do you quickly have to put the cap on after dumping some water in...

 

[Gold Stripe]

You mean for the first time right? Because on a closed loop, once its primed it will always have water in it. Hense the term CLOSED loop.

If its just for the first time then yes that will work. The water level should stay high enough on both sides of the pump that by the time the pump runs dry it will already have a good draw on the input side and should fill back up quickly.

Dont really see any easier way to do it based on the way you have it plumbed.

 

[Xubar]

It's kind of closed.

You can see another pipe coming off it plumbed to some other stuff...I won't get into that here.

I was planning to drill some holes in the intake line about an inch under the water level, so in a power outage it won't drain. I'm hoping the syphon will break on the "closed loop" and I'll be able to prime it again easily.

 

[Toddrtrex]

You are going to have to close off both ends of it to prime it. The outside part shouldn't really matter that much, since the water will be going to the pump.

On the inside the tank side you will need to put a ball valve -- have it closed while you are priming it, turn on the pump, then open the ball valve.

I did something similar with my sump. I didn't drill it, so I went over the top of it.

 

[inachu]

I think the most quickest way to prime your pipes you do not even need a cap area unless you want that to insert a super big chimney type pipe cleaner inside.

I am pretty sure a wet/dry vac can suck water througout the entire closed loop then turn off the vaccum then attach the water pump.

 

[Xubar]

Exactly what I needed to know - thanks, Toddrtrex.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13094054#post13094054 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Xubar
Exactly what I needed to know - thanks, Toddrtrex.

Glad I could help. The only time I have had to re-prime mine was when I moved the tank, other wise it holds when the main pump is off.

 

[inachu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13094062#post13094062 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
Glad I could help. The only time I have had to re-prime mine was when I moved the tank, other wise it holds when the main pump is off.

I think a wet/dry vac would be overkill yes?

 

[Xubar]

I was trying to kill 2 birds with one stone, but I'll probably end up doing this and making it an official closed loop: