Aquatech 8852: self-prime?

[wilfredjr]

Readying set-up for second season RO, I cant seem to get the pump to self-prime. It just gets hot. 3/8 intake hose @ 5 gallon pail bottom, elevated over pump. Particulate filter after pump is full. Last year came with water inside as new: never a problem. i assume it dried out in storage. Any ideas? Photo last year.

[tapdrinker]

I didn't have any issue with my pump getting primed with 10' hose attached. I believe these pumps can run dry for about an hr or so before it will start to damage it.
Just make sure it's pumping sap and you should be fine. Always run water at the end of your session to keep it from gumming up due to sugars. I run 2 5gal buckets of ro water before turning it off. BTW..nice organized setup!

[bryankloos]

Mine pulls 10’ of 3/8 without a hiccup. This is from 5k’ above the sap level.
Maybe you have some restriction downstream? Did you try disconnecting your predicted and just cycling through the pump?

[wilfredjr]

Thanks. Ten feet, eh? Yes, I ran the set up for two hours with the permeate to end the season last year. Busted off the top connector on membrane four seating the thing. It drilled out ok but can't find a single quick connect on Amazon. I'll just run with three this year, if I can get the pump to suck.

[wilfredjr]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll try that tonight.

[wilfredjr]

Welp, disconnected the filters from the pump, and I can suck water through it, but it just sits there humming on it's own, unable to draw water. Stumped. I've left it running now to see if it can eventually overpower whatever's gumming up the works.

[ecolbeck]

I have had issues with pumps not priming when the input hose is not fully into the quick connect fitting. If I disconnect the hose and reconnect it fully that solves the problem.

[wilfredjr]

Yes, me too. So I jammed it in there so hard I thought maybe I had it in too far. But no, I re-did it several times. Thanks. Just checked the unit and it shut down on it's own after an hour, quite warm.

[wilfredjr]

Thanks for the support. I gave up and ordered a new one. It's an unseasonably warm 56° and i've got half a boil of sap waiting. BTW: the transformer shut it down after about 2 hours and is likely now toast as well. New kit from Walmart comes with shut off switch, so I got that going for me.

[eustis22]

So this happened....I was doing a wash yesterday and, after my output lines got warm I shut off the 8852 to transfer the lines into the Soap Bucket and noticed large bubbles issuing from the input line. Turn on the pump again and....nothing....it runs, but does not vacuum anything up. Sent a query to Aquatec and waiting but is this fixable, did I trip something, or do I need a new pump?

[hodorskib]

I have had the same problem and I believe it is air locked. Very easy to fix. You can turn the pump on and then pop the tubing out of the quick connect of the output side. Then put it back in. I actually just installed a Tee with a shut off so I can turn the valve and bleed the air. Works fine.

[eustis22]

Tried that, nothing......found another 8852 at FreshWater for $60 so picked that up...Tthanks, Hodor. I suspect something with the diaphragm