SOLVED Eheim 1048 priming question

I was wondering if the Eheim 1048 pump could be submered for the purposes of priming and filling a closed system. I have seen pictures of a pump, though it was not an Eheim, initially submerged in a 5 gallon pail to fill all of the tubing and radiator with water. Once the air was purged from the system, the tubing connection to the suction of the pump was made and the system was full and the pump was primed. I don't want to ruin a $56 pump, however, and am curious how any of you have filled the tubing in a non-resevoir system with water when using an Eheim 1048 pump? Thanks. Mark

Why would you go to such trouble Mark? Provided your pump is at the bottom of your case, and hence the lowest part of your cooling system, gravity will take the water to your pump. Running your pump without fluid briefly will not damage it.

Once you have that initial fluid in the pump the system will/should run fine. If you want to bleed the system then insert an expansion chamber at the top, with a cap on it - a "T" joint and small vertical reservoir is fine. Most, if not all of the air in your system will eventually find it's way there, and then you can "top up" your system through the cap.

Let me clarify myself. This is a new setup and I have no water in the tubing at present. I have a "T" connection and tube for expansion on the suction side of the pump, but even if I fill the expansion tube up completely and "bump" the pump on for a second or two at a time, the pump will briefly run without fluid. On new water cooling setups, I have seen pictures at OCWC where they submerge the pump for the initial fill only and then use the expansion tube for subsequent topping off if needed. I wondered if this was the method that Eheim owners used here as well, or if they simply kept adding water to the expansion tube and bumped the pump on until some flow could be sustained? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Mark

Mine is an Eheim 1250 and all I did was let it run in a resuvoir for about a day or so then go ahead and close it off to be inline. That ensures that you will have bled the system as best you can.

How about taking a length of pipe from the expansion tube to a tub of water so after you start the pump it pulls the fluid from there until the system is full, then remove the pipe and tub.

Actually, thinking about it you need to seperate the tube at the expansion part and put both ends into the tub of water, maybe have it on a box at the same height as the expansion tube. Now when you start, the fluid will flow though the tub, and fter most of the air is out you can reconnect the tubes at the expansion pipe joint.