Suction Side Problems: Air Leaks, Bubbles in Returns, Pump Won't Prime, etc.

[PoolDoc]

[ADMIN: The new suction leak sticky is here: http://pool9.net/leak-s/ ]

We have fairly regular questions about suction side problems with pools. But answering those questions is fairly tricky, because the list of possible causes and problems is very long.

So, I spent several hours today cataloging some old threads on the topic. Here they are:

• Suction leak causes pump priming problems
• Suction Air Leak Causes Skimmer to Spew
• Suction side leak . . . Found in Pump Drain Plugs
• Air Bubbles from SWCG
• Air coming into pool through jets
• Air Bubbles in Return Lines
• Pump Sucking Air; Won't Prime - Needed to be primed
• Suction Air Leak Cause Filter Bleed Off Issue
• Air bubbles in return jets
• Air in system won't let pump hold pressure (Skimmer weir stuck)
• Help, suction leak!! (fixed with new pump lid o-ring)
• Air Leak? (from bad O-rings in Jandy valves)
• Suction Leak Causes Pump to Run Dry
• Can Small Leak Prevent Pump From Priming?
• Air bubbles coming from return (from crack in pump pot)
• Finding a suction leak
• How To Test for Air Leak? (found - tree root grew into line!) Wow!
• Suction side leak (PIC) am I close???
• Air bubbles - finding leaks with a stethoscope
• Gradual loss of suction while vacuuming
• Suction Leak Causes Pump to Lose Prime

list of threads: 19841, 16560, 16813, 13964, 11811, 11332, 11203, 10901, 10022, 8713, 8608, 8324, 8006, 7872, 7484, 6337, 5455, 5304, 1499, 487