Help/Tips for march pump use..

Ok, so i have a march 809 pump that I have used for two batches now.. and have been having some problems working out the kinks in it use..

1. I am having a hard time getting the length of the tube filled to prime the pump.. i have to peel back the tubing on the barb on my kettle valve to get some air in there, then sometimes it will fill..

2. sometimes when i do get liquid in the lines and to the pump.. it is having a hard time getting the liquid pumped upwards.. and seems to churn a big to get moving.. it sometimes stalls, and i have to move the tubing down for it to fill.

WTF am i doing wrong? Seeing other people use theres made it seem like it was really easy to use.. but i kinda am thinking different..

thanks for any help/tips.

Biggest thing is to rotate the output port so it is facing straight up. Primes MUCH easier since the air can escape.

like jester said output port pointed up

I usually open the ball valve out of my keg, and then open the ball valve on the output side of the pump. Ill then turn the pump on for a few seconds to prime it. Shut off let any air bubbles float up then hit power again.

Sometimes it takes two or three cycles of the power to get it to flow though. Its the drawback of having a magnetic pump.

Everything said so far is true but I'll add a few more. Make sure that your output is not connected to anything restrictive when you first start the pump (like a sparge arm, or a CFC/plate chiller. Let the air escape as freely as possible. Keep your hand on the output ball valve so you can shut it off when it finally catches.

The even better method is to not let it lose prime at all or pre-prime with your garden hose. I've made up a garden hose to QD thingy... It's what I use at the end of the brewday to flush out the system anyway. So... holding your pump input and output tubes above the pump, run hose water through it under high pressure for 20 seconds. Plug the input to the appropriate vessel and let it rip. Of course, if you're using a foodgrade hose, you don't have to worry about this water making its way into your mash or kettle. If it's for a wort pumping stage, you can discard the first 1/2 quart that comes out.