Losing Prime in Your Pump

This is more advice from "fireyourpoolguy.com"

Your pump not priming could be caused by numerous things such as:
1. Too much air in the system
2. A cracked pump lid
3. A bad pump lid o-ring
4. A suction side air leak (most likely at the pump nipple or possibly, but not likely, at the skimmer)

Most likely it's not a leak at the skimmer. There's also a few more causes of this taking place, but the degree of likelihood is very slim so I won't address 'em here because they're not relevant to most of you.

Alright, so the pump's not priming - what do I do???
Good question. Relax, this is actually a pretty simple and painless procedure that usually doesn't take more than just a few minutes to accomplish.
1. Turn off the pump
2. Close all valves on the suction side of the pump. This includes the Main Drain, Skimmer, and Vacuum lines.
3. Now, if you have an air relief valve on your filter, open it to release any built-up pressure. Slowly open the strainer lid of the pump.
4. Inspect the Hair/Lint Strainer Basket for debris and clean out if necessary. Make sure that the basket is not cracked or broken. If it is cracked I would recommend checking the impeller to make sure there's not debris or particles lodged.
5. Now, inspect the O-Ring for the strainer top to make sure that it is in good shape so there's a good seal. If it's cracked or 'weatherized', I would recommend replacing it pronto. It's very inexpensive and could lead to this same problem taking place again.
6. With your garden hose, fill up the pump completely with water and return the pump lid.

Now, Turn The Pump On Gigi With the pump on...S-L-O-W-L-Y open one suction side valve only. Wait for the pump to catch its prime and get a good flow of water going. The pump should catch prime within 30-45 seconds.

A few items to point out:Always remember that your pump and equipment is not designed to run air through it. It was built to carry water. If air (in larger quantities) enters the system, there's a great chance your pump will not prime. When pumps run dry things can get ugly real quick. In many cases the nipple going into the pump may need to be replumbed because that PVC has 'shrunk' constantly allowing air to enter the system and the pump will not prime as a result. And if left running 'dry' long enough...The motor may need to be replaced. Your wallet has many more enjoyable things to do than replace a motor or replumb things.In closing, DON'T LET YOUR EQUIPMENT RUN DRY. :)