| Marie
The only downside to not using a priming pot (leaf trap as they are better known) is that you could get debris into the impeller and cause the pump to clog, seriously reducing water flow or, even worse, causing the pump to overheat, thereby kicking off the capacitor and shutting down the pump. Now, if you're pulling water from a settling chamber rather than directly from the pond, your chances of clogging the impeller are greatly reduced and this would probably work fine. Actually, you will improve the performance of your pump without the leaf trap if you can do it that way.
Another thing, if you are installing the pump BELOW water line, you will only need a "ball valve". The check valve will not be necessary in this installation as gravity flow of water will be non existent.
The pump you mention is a quarter horse pump, but is wired for 230W power supply. Do you have a "standard 110V" electrical source near the pond? If so, this will not work. If the pump can be wired for EITHER 110/220 you'll have to have the internal wiring changed for it to work for your application. Send me a pm, so we can discuss some other options on pumps. I might be able to get you something "ready to go" for less money!?
Mike |