Brand New Booster Pump Making Loud Noises

[smokey75]

Thanks for the response. I tried to make a recording of the sounds with the regular pump only and then with the booster pump on (booster is the part making the noises), but it just wouldn't turn out well.

The closest I can come to describing the sounds is a cyclical crackling sound. Possibly what you're referring to as white noise/static.

Since it's the Polaris Booster pump, should I still try the basket and running dry part? That sounded like it was specific to the main pump not the booster.

When I rebuilt all the connections again this morning, I made a point of checking water flow both from the filter unit to the Polaris Boost (suction side) as well as on the pool side. When the line to the pool is disconnected, a LOT of water flows through the system so not sure if limited flow is the issue.

Also, I tried the check of turning it off, waiting, turning it on and seeing if the same sound happens and if I wait only 5 minutes or so, the sound is back almost immediately. If I wait more like 30 minutes, it acts like I previously described where it takes about 30 seconds to start making the noise. I doubt it's thermal anyway as nothing is even remotely hot to the touch, but wanted to cover all your questions.

Thanks again for the help.

[Poconos]

I missed the booster pump part and I was thinking generic pump troubleshooting. I never dealt with a booster pump situation. The noise you describe sure sounds like air in the system though. Any air bubbles visible out of your returns or the polaris itself? It doesn't take much of a leak to let enoigh air in to mess things up. Right now I don't have any other ideas.

Anyone else out there with some words of wisdom?

Al

[smokey75]

I'm suspecting air in the line also, but I don't really see air coming out of the cleaner hookup. How do you troubleshoot where air might be getting into the system?

[Poconos]

If air is getting into the system it would be on the suction side of the main pump. As I said, never played with a booster pump but I am assuming the inlet to the booster is not under a vacuum like the main pump. May be wrong though. In any case one highly probable place is the pump basket lid. Another could be any non-PVC joints. i.e. black poly pipe, barbed fittings, and hose clamps. Next on the list would be valves and finally bad PVC joints. If it is air then you should see bubbles in the main pump basket. It's odd you don't see bubbles out the returns. First thing to try would be to get some silicone grease if you don't have some already, pool store, and then clean and lube the pump basket gasket. First try that and see what happens. If that isn't it we'll go to the next step.
Al