There are various reasons as to why a pump may not be priming. Below are some pointers on how to troubleshoot pump prime issues.
1) Check that the pump lid and gasket are on correctly and are not damaged and clear of any debris.
2) Check that all the levers are in the correct position.
3) Check the skimmer weir is not trapped closed.
4) Check pool water level is correct.
5) Check that the impeller within the pump is not clogged with debris.
6) Check that the levers all turn freely as there could be debris within them preventing water flow.
7) If you think one of the pipes is blocked see if the pump primes from one of them only, try the skimmer with all others closed and then try main drain or spa with others closed.
8) Check that the levers controlling the direction of water suction flow are not sucking in air. They have O-rings within the levers that might need replacing causing an air suction leak.
9) Check there is in fact enough water within the pump its self for it to catch prime. The water may have drained out of the pump when it goes off through a leaking gasket or seal. Pouring a backet of water into the pump can allow it to catch prime temporarily while the gaskets or seals are replaced.
10) Checked the suction side of the pump pipe to see if it's sucking air and the return pipe for leaks.
Here's a short video guide to help explain the above. If you need assistance please contact PoolStar using the contact us page above.