Air in lines

[VOLDADDY]

I opened my pool for the first time this year. My poolguy usually does it for me while I am at work but he couldn't get to me until the end of May, and we want to be swimming by Mother's Day weekend!

I removed the plugs and put the eyeball nozzles in, removed the plug and put the skimmer basket in, and found 3 plugs in the strainer basket that I put in. I then filled the strainer with water and turned it on. Took a few seconds but it started running. When I went to backwash, water sprayed out of the clear lens when I moved the lever, and water also leaked from the top of the filter. When I took the strainer cover off, the gasket came out. I fitted it back in and tightened the cover back on. There is a clamp on top of my sand filter with a couple of screws in it. They seemed to be pretty tight, although I didn't take a screwdriver and try to snug them. Any ideas? The water coming out of my nozzles is bubbling, so I must be sucking air somewhere.

TIA.

[imfignewton]

If the air is coming from the pump it could be the lid o-ring, strainer pot winterizing plug or pipe inlet on the strainer pot. If you eliminate the pump then it could be one of your valves. Also check to make sure your skimmer weir is not stuck causing your skimmer to suck air. Hope this helps

[Poconos]

What's the clear lens? If you're referring to the sight glass on the valve assembly then you have a problem. Also, need more filter details. Sounds like a top mount valve assembly. The two screws sound like they are on a clamp ring that pulls the valve assembly onto the filter housing. Not unusual for it to leak after the Winter. Just tighten the screws equally until the leak stops. Use some judgement here. Don't overtighten to the point that you may snap the clamp ring. I would advise shutting the pump off before tightening the clamp ring. You don't want to do this under pressure for safety reasons.
Al

[VOLDADDY]

What's the clear lens? If you're referring to the sight glass on the valve assembly then you have a problem. Also, need more filter details. Sounds like a top mount valve assembly. The two screws sound like they are on a clamp ring that pulls the valve assembly onto the filter housing. Not unusual for it to leak after the Winter. Just tighten the screws equally until the leak stops. Use some judgement here. Don't overtighten to the point that you may snap the clamp ring. I would advise shutting the pump off before tightening the clamp ring. You don't want to do this under pressure for safety reasons.
Al

Al,

It is the sight glass. When I turn the pump off and move the lever it squirts a little water out. Wouldn't that be where my air leak is coming from since it is under pressure and that's where the water escapes? Can this piece be replaced? I snugged the clamp down on the top of the filter. I rechecked the strainer lid and gasket. The gasket was seated fine but I noticed the lid had a crack in the back right corner, the fin piece that fits in the strainer. The top of the lid isn't cracked. I backwashed my filter a few minutes ago. It has been running on filter for about 2 days. It took it a minute or so to start pumping the water out. Once it did it was a funky orange tinted color. I let it run about 3 minutes and then rinsed and turned it back to filter. It is still bubbling and you can hear it blowing air in the water through the returns, not a solid constant stream. What should I check first? This is my first year opening the pool so I'm sure it is something I did/didn't do. I also noticed water around the bottom of the filter and strainer so I may not have gotten one of the drain plugs in tight enough. I will check on that in the morning.