I realize this is not directly related to the purpose of this group, so if you know of a better place for me to ask, please let me know.
We have a problem with our Pentair-WhisperFlo pool pump. It is not able to fully prime, even with addition of water into the pump body directly (via the volute/strainer basket). It seems able to draw about 1/2 the amount it needs to fully prime and operate. We have replaced the pump impeller, and have tried to clear the inlet line (1 inch PVC pipe) through pressure from a garden-hose expansion nozzle from both directions. Nothing has worked. We believe there is probably a blockage/obstruction of some kind in the pipe between the pool and the pump (perhaps a tree root that has gradually penetrated the pipe).
Does anyone have any ideas of what else we can do to find out if there is an obstruction in this inlet pipe? Our resources are quite tight, so hiring a plumber to come in with specialized/optical equipment would be beyond our reach at this point.
Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
Lee