Hydrostar Pump from Harbor Freight

For anyone that hauls recycled water, whether it be in a water bladder, 275 gallon tote or a 50 gallon barrel, a pump is a great tool to use to unload water fast. In this post I’ll show you how to prime a pump.

It is very easy to prime a pump, especially when the hose on the suction side of the pump is already full of water. I have removed the vent plug on my Hydrostar Portable Utility Pump and installed a small ball valve to act as an air relief.

  1. Connect hoses to pump.
    On my pump, the suction side is on the right (the side without the plug) and the discharge is on the left (this side goes to your sprinklers).
  2. Open valve from tank to pump.
    Listen to the air rush out of the pump as the cavity fills with water.
    Ensure the air valve is open when doing this step.
  3. Close the air valve when water rushes out valve.
    Pump cavity is now full of water.
  4. Pump is considered primed and ready to go.


All these steps are performed before plugging the pump into an electrical outlet. I perform these steps every time I unload recycled water.

Note: If you turn on a pump that has not been primed, you risk damaging the pump and motor. On this piece of equipment, the pump spins VERY fast when there is no water going through it. When it is working to move water, it slows down considerably – you can hear it.