Pump Surging

[thorn138]

I've had my pool now for 7 days.. So far, so good (until today).. The pool is a 33' (54" deep), 2hp Waterway pump with a 400lb sand filter. After reading on here, I'm pretty sure the pump is oversized, but since it's new, I'm not inclined to replace it with a lower HP, dual speed pump..

So, here's my issue...

My pump has been running about 11 psi and working fine. This morning, the pump began to surge, from 11 psi down to 0.. Sucking water through the skimmer, then not sucking water...

NOW, my water level is down about 1 1/2 inches below the middle of the skimmer, so I'm adding water as a I write this, in hopes the problem is simply a low water level. Could a low water level cause this to happen?

I turned the pump off so I wouldn't cause any damage to it..

If that doesn't solve my problem, the only thing I can think of is an air leak, which I REALLY hope isn't the case.

Any suggestions....

[mas985]

Yes, a low water level can definitely cause that problem. The skimmer creates a vortex and starts to suck air when the level is too low. Also, a stuck skimmer wier door can also cause that type of problem.

[thorn138]

Mark,

Thank you for your reply... After the water level came up, I turned on the pump, and everything worked fine.. I'm obviously micro-managing all of this...

[Poconos]

Something you can try is to put a few large stones in the skimmer basket to break up the vortex. Maybe golf ball size at the most.
Al