salinda
06-02-2006, 01:44 PM
I have had the champagne bubbles for a while and now, but I didn't have the more serious following problem until recently: my pump strainer basket is almost empty and there is an air bubble in my cartridge filter in the morning after the pump has been off all night.
When I turn off the pump, my solar system drains first and the swg also appears to empty (it is the highest piece of equipment besides the solar). There is a check valve after the heater and before the chlorinator that appears to be operating fine. About 15 minutes later, you can see a bubble at the top of the Jandy check valve after the filter. It SLOWLY gets larger. Once it is large enough to fill about 1/2 of the valve body, air starts bubbling into the filter from somewhere. You can hear it like chugging. Shortly after this point, the pump strainer starts to lose prime. The solar valve is in "closed" position. If I close the ball valve to the solar even at this point, the bubbling stops.
I have tried:
-opening the cartridge filter and replacing the filters. Cleaning the filter and air relief valve thoroughly.
-servicing the Jandy check valve after the filter and replaced its o-ring (although it wasn't leaking).
There is no leaking anywhere on the pad during the day. There is a very short run above-ground on the suction-side of the pump with only a 3-way Jandy never-lube. No obvious leaking there.
The solar company FINALLY came out today to check their system. To his credit, he did not rule out the solar system as the cause. He serviced the solar valve (it was working fine) and checked the roof for leaks and the vacuum breakers for proper operation. All was fine. Interestingly, while he was servicing the solar valve the Jandy check valve at the filter held seal just fine, even with the piping after it wide open. After it was all put back together, he saw the prime losing process, which takes quite a bit of time so good for him to stick around. I did voice to him my concerns about the original install. The Jandy check valve has only about 6-8" of vertical head after it, which is too short. Jandy states that 18" of vertical pipe run should occur after the valve to keep it positively sealed. The solar installers didn't maintain this vertical run when they cut into this run to install the solar feed and return.
I have an engineering background and all this is confusing even to me. The solar guy was stumped--he could not figure out why this should be happening with the ball valve closing the solar feed. The only thing this does is put the drain-back check valve inside the solar valve out of operation.
He has never seen anything like this.
When I turn off the pump, my solar system drains first and the swg also appears to empty (it is the highest piece of equipment besides the solar). There is a check valve after the heater and before the chlorinator that appears to be operating fine. About 15 minutes later, you can see a bubble at the top of the Jandy check valve after the filter. It SLOWLY gets larger. Once it is large enough to fill about 1/2 of the valve body, air starts bubbling into the filter from somewhere. You can hear it like chugging. Shortly after this point, the pump strainer starts to lose prime. The solar valve is in "closed" position. If I close the ball valve to the solar even at this point, the bubbling stops.
I have tried:
-opening the cartridge filter and replacing the filters. Cleaning the filter and air relief valve thoroughly.
-servicing the Jandy check valve after the filter and replaced its o-ring (although it wasn't leaking).
There is no leaking anywhere on the pad during the day. There is a very short run above-ground on the suction-side of the pump with only a 3-way Jandy never-lube. No obvious leaking there.
The solar company FINALLY came out today to check their system. To his credit, he did not rule out the solar system as the cause. He serviced the solar valve (it was working fine) and checked the roof for leaks and the vacuum breakers for proper operation. All was fine. Interestingly, while he was servicing the solar valve the Jandy check valve at the filter held seal just fine, even with the piping after it wide open. After it was all put back together, he saw the prime losing process, which takes quite a bit of time so good for him to stick around. I did voice to him my concerns about the original install. The Jandy check valve has only about 6-8" of vertical head after it, which is too short. Jandy states that 18" of vertical pipe run should occur after the valve to keep it positively sealed. The solar installers didn't maintain this vertical run when they cut into this run to install the solar feed and return.
I have an engineering background and all this is confusing even to me. The solar guy was stumped--he could not figure out why this should be happening with the ball valve closing the solar feed. The only thing this does is put the drain-back check valve inside the solar valve out of operation.
He has never seen anything like this.