Return pump start up -- nothing

[geno]

I just finished adding all the water to my 125 tank and sump.

My return pump is a BlueLine model (external) -- I plugged it in and nothing happened -- no water came out of the return nozzles.

Should this happen pretty darn quick -- or does it take minutes? One of the return lines is quite short and I see no evidence of water movement -- by the way I used tubing not PVC -- so the water is visible.

I don't want to burn up the pump by running it too long without water flow -- at least I think that's an issue -- correct? How long is too long?

Thanks for any advice -- frankly, I'm kind of upset.

-geno

 

[slayer]

turn the pump off.. unscrew the front of the unit, comes off easily and check the housing for any loose particles...is this an old pump??...give it a good clean then reassemble and try again... if its new,, i would send it back.. i know poeple say not do run them dry, but you could try quickly powering it with the housing unattached to make sure the motor inside actaully spins..

 

[rhodan]

Does your pump make a humming noise when you turn it on? If so you probably have what slayer77 is saying about loose particles. I have a sequence pump and it was running fine, but when I turned it off and back on again nothing happen....Sand had accumulated inside the housing. Once I cleaned it out it worked fine....PIA though

 

[ericmcj31]

is it primed?? if an external pump isn't primed it won't pump-

 

[geno]

First, thanks to you who have taken pity on me.

The pump is new (someone asked) -- so no sand inside -- so I have two questions:

1. How do I check for junk inside -- the think is connected to a tube full of water.

2. If it is a prime issue -- how do you prime an external pump?

Sorry if these are stupid questions -- I've never done this before.

-gene

 

[gclackum]

I have an external pump that lost its prime one time basically it had a big air bubble in it. I just raised the rear of the pump and shook it and it started to pump.

 

[ericmcj31]

yeah-make sure all your connections are airtight--if there is any leakage (sucking in air) then it will not pump--you need to somehow get water in the lines--that will make the pump start pumping; priming a pump is (to me) a major PITA.