What is going on?

[timmie]

Hi,
I had my inground pool opened by someone new. Here are my problems

1. the service light is on on my heater and I cant turn the heat on.

2. The pump fills up with water but I cant feel anything out the jets. Yesterday the pump smelled like it was burning. The pump does not fill up all the way

3. I cant move the jet? the round things like I could last year.
They are very tight.

Can anyone help me??

[aylad]

I can't give you any advice about the heater, I know less than nothing about them.

Is the pump making any noise at all? Making any attempt to run? Have you tried checking to make sure there's not gunk in the impeller? YOu should be able to get to the impeller by taking the front cover off the motor, but make sure the power is off and there's no way the motor can start while checking it, because you will lose fingers that way!

By "the round things", do you mean the return eyeballs? Mine were stiff this year too, just took some extra effort to get them to turn. Mine turn easier clockwise than they do counterclockwise...


Janet

[timmie]

Hi, it looks like they put the eyeballs in the wrong way. They are flat on the outside!! Could that be giving me my problems?? Do I have to empty the pool to get them in the right way??

[Watermom]

I can't give you advice about the heater/pumping problem. But, I can tell you that you do not have to drain the pool to remove the eyeballs and put them in correctly. Unscrew them, turn them around and screw them back in. Someone will be along shortly to help you with your problem.

[timmie]

Thanks water mom.......shouldnt the eyeballs be rounded facing out into the pool?? They are flat..........I am so frustrated

[Watermom]

Yes, so you can aim them where you want them.

[chrisexv6]

Make sure all the valves that might need to be opened are open! Almost sounds like something might be closed and the pump is pumping against a closed system.

Could be the pump gone bad too, but if it worked at close of last season youd figure it would work at least a little while this season.

[aylad]

The pump does not fill up all the way




Just another thought--is the water level up high enough for the pump to prime? Also, have you tried a "snake" in the return lines to check for a blockage?

Janet

[flyboy320]

The heater won't be turning on probably because there is little to no flow of water through it. It's a safety feature of the heater, if it detects no water flow/pressure, it won't light so as not to burn up, since the water flowing through it is what keeps it cool.

[timmie]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for helping.......I have the pool sorted out.
I had my water tested

CC 15
Ph 7.2
Alk 80

I added some Arm and Hammer washing soda but I am confused. Does this bring the Alk and Ph up?? What is baking soda used for again??
Timmie

[CarlD]

Washing Soda is chemically the same as pH Up! (and, yes, it does raise both pH and T/A)

Baking Soda is chemically the same as Total Alkalinity Increaser (guess what IT does!)

Borax is Borax. It just raises pH, not T/A.

Now, here's the rub: When you raise pH your MEASURED T/A rises, and when you lower pH, it falls. pH and T/A are related and connected.

The ONLY way to raise pH without raising T/A is by aeration--aerating your pool water with waterfalls, fountains, gangs of wild 12 year olds (Wait--wild and 12 year olds is redundant), etc.

But when you use Washing Soda or Baking soda, the T/A rises MORE than the variation caused by the change in pH, which is why we say they increase T/A.

Hope this helps.

[Watermom]

Carl has given you good information, like usual. To add to that, you're actually ok with alk at 80 and ph of 7.2 right where they are, but you don't really want them any lower. Also, I don't think you have CC of 15. More likely FC or TC of 15.

[chem geek]

Baking Soda raises TA. It can also raise the pH a little bit, but that depends somewhat on how you add the baking soda. If you add it too quickly, such that you see some bubbling on the surface, then you can end up outgassing carbon dioxide which raises the pH. If you instead add it slowly over a return flow with the pump running or you distribute it around the pool more evenly, then the pH won't rise as much. This effect is far more noticeable in a spa than in a pool, however.