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View Full Version : Filter/Pump Unlevel - Problems & Questions



jmaj43
08-03-2009, 02:38 PM
Hello, longtime lurker looking for help here. This forum has helped me out a great deal being a pool owner for my 4th summer. My wallet thanks you all!

Here is what we have:

IG VL 36000 gallons
Heyward DE 6500 (??) - approx 6 yo
Pentair Superflow 1HP - 1 year old
Kreepy Kadet auto pool cleaner - runs most of time pool is filtering
Runs from 7 am to 7 pm

Water Info:
Temp - 77f
TH: 150
FC: 3.5
pH: 7.2
TA: 100
CYA: 15

Water has been perfect all year, best ever with minimal maintenance.
Have been adding approx 4 pucks per week to floatation device.
CYA has been low all year and have increased it a bit but has not been problematic at all.
Add approx 1/2 bottle of liquid shock once per week.
4 oz of concentrated algaecide every two weeks.
4 oz concretrated iron out every two/three weeks. Have been adding a lot of well water due to splashout, evaporation and possibly a tiny slow leak that will be fixed soon.

Then Saturday I notice that my return flow to the pool has slowed and my Kreepy has slowed. The funny thing is the pressure is below 5 on the filter. I clean out everything, recharge the filter but no improvement.
Then I notice that the rear part of the filter, pumps and pipes have tilted approx 1 inch down creating an unlvel mechanism. The pump won't fully fill (full about 5/6 with water coming to top in the back of skimmer) and seems to be running sluggish as a result.

The pool house is ancient (I inherited it when I bought this house) and the floor is sinking. I will be trying my hand at repairing this next weekend or sooner if possible.

In addition to the Kreepy slowing down, the pool has now turned green after I gave it it's regular chemical treatment, (shock and algaecide) last night.

My two questions are:
Is the pump/filter running slow due to unlevelness? If so would the pressure still read below 5 too?

Is the water starting to go green due to slower filtration caused by slow pump? If so, if I run for 24 hours a day, will this help the process? I assume it would but could it damage the pump?

Thank you very much for all of your help.

jmaj43
08-03-2009, 02:49 PM
Adding Pictures, might not be much help.
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/7651/filterandpump.jpg
Pump and Filter, note floor rotting out.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/2962/pentairsuperflow.jpg
Filter hard to see but water is reaching surface of basket lid in accordance with the sinking of the pump and filter.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/3800/poolwatercurrent.jpg
About 16 hours ago the water was perfect! Have added 1 1/2 gallons of liquid shock about 1 hour ago.

mas985
08-03-2009, 03:29 PM
The filter pressure is dropping because there is a reduction in flow rate. Most likely a partial blockage in the suction line or something is stuck in the pump impeller.

If the elevation drop kinked the line anywhere, that may have caused it.

Also, you can first try to flush out the suction line backwards through the pump basket using a hose and rag to seal the line.

If that is ok, open the pump basket remove the basket and see if you can see anything stuck in the impeller. You may have to remove the motor to fully clear it.

Also, to kill the algae, you need to shock the pool. Chlorine got too low for your CYA and algae took hold. Filtering only removes dead algae but does not kill it.

jmaj43
08-03-2009, 04:14 PM
Thanks for the response. I have brought the pool up to shock levels so we should be OK I will run it for at least 24 hours straight or until it clears up.

How does the method of sucking out the lines work? Do I have to use my shop vac on reverse? Is there another method?

mas985
08-03-2009, 07:46 PM
Thanks for the response. I have brought the pool up to shock levels so we should be OK I will run it for at least 24 hours straight or until it clears up.

How does the method of sucking out the lines work? Do I have to use my shop vac on reverse? Is there another method?

Not sucking out the lines but blowing them out with water.

The easiest thing is to use a garden hose forcing water through the pump inlet back out the skimmers. Seal around the hose with a wet rag so it can build some pressure.