1.5hp pump with 1.5'' pipe?

[lowtown90]

I'm trying to troubleshoot and fix a guy's pool that hasn't been run in a year. He has one skimmer and one return, and the equipment is about 15 feet away from the pool. The first problem was the brand new pump (off-brand pump w/a.o. smith motor) was wired for high voltage (230v) instead of low (115v). Easy fix. Now the pump runs but won't prime. Tried to use a blow bag from the pump side first, then the skimmer. Water flows in both directions but not as strong as I think it should be. Seems like there is some sort of scale or buildup inside the skimmer. Am I right to assume that the pipes probably have the same problem? His year-old hayward DE filter (4820) need to be gutted (manifold cracked, rod rusted in half, and all but one of the grids were rust damaged and crushed), and he needs a new spider gasket. He just paid for new equipment + install last year. I think the pipes are too small for the 1.5hp pump, but he said the old pump had the same specs, and ran fine for years..... I think whoever build this pool was an idiot and probably used a contractor pack combo for the pump/filter, and hadn't done any of the math.
what should I do about the pump? And is there a way to clean the scaling from the pipes?

Thanks for any input!

[CarlD]

That it won't prime seems to say that one of several thing are wrong, such as (in no order)
The pump itself is damaged or defective.
The pump is plumbed backwards (yes people do that).
Water isn't getting to the pump...is the pump below the water level of the pool? Or the pipe are, as you say, clogged.
Why would you rewire a 230v pump as 115v? At 230v, the pump should run more efficiently, cooler and use less electricity, assuming, of course, it can be wired either way.

A 1.5 hp rating can be up-rated or full-rated. If it's up-rated, it may not be too big. What is the size of the pool? (it sounds small with a single skimmer and return). Is it IG or AG?

Filter sounds like a throw-away. If the pump is actually OK, a new, bigger filter is in order. You can't really go too big with a sand filter. But you can go too small. A 200# sand filter probably would be a good fit.

There's no reason to buy pump/filter combos rather than mix and match. But the filter must always be rated to handle a greater flow than the pump puts out.

Carl

[madwil]

minor scaling in pipes will dissolve into your water as you balance- unless it is completely clogged, or highly restricting water flow, I'd leave it alone...

[lowtown90]

Thanks for the input guys. the pump need to be wired for 115v because the is no 220v available, and it's IG. The home owner doesn't want another new filter, so here is where it stands now. I hooked an air compressor up to the the suction side (made a set-up with brass fittings and a blow valve) blew air through to the skimmer, shot water up the the top of the lanai, the blew air through the return line, and that worked fine too. So I installed a 3/4hp supermax pump, along with a tee fitting with a ball valve to hook up to the garden hose (to help with priming), put the filter back together with a new manifold and grids, and put in a new spider gasket. The new pump wouldn't catch prime either! it fills up the filter, but the pump itself never fills up.

That led me to believe that it was pulling air from somewhere. The customer is clearly upset. So I told him that the cheapest thing I could do is just bypass the slimmer altogether, and drop the suction pipe into the deep end of the pool (you can only see about 1' of pipe, everything else is buried). Wouldn't you know, the pump STILL won't catch prime, even with a shut-off valve in-line. if there is something going on with the multi port valve or the filter, could that keep the pump from priming? He also has a chlorinator, which i checked out while I was troubleshooting, and that had no obstructions either.


We're at close to $600 for parts, and I quoted him turn-key ready at $750, before the I knew of the other problems.... I'm lost as to what to do now, I've got 3 1/2 days labor/troubleshooting into it. If you do the math, it's actually costing me more money driving out the than I'm gonna take home. I want to make this guy and his wife happy, so there is no way I can leave it unfinished... what is the best way tell him that I need more money? I need to get that squared up first thing in the AM, before I get another day's labor in to it.

[CarlD]

If water is getting to your filter but not the pump, then something is backwards! Water runs from the drain/skimmer to the pump's skimmer basket, then from the pump to the filter, via the multiport. It sounds like you have the drain water going to the filter first, then to the pump.

My point? I cannot see how it's possible for the filter to be filling but water not going to the pump. Can you post pics and indicate drain/skimmer versus return lines?

Carl

[lowtown90]

If water is getting to your filter but not the pump, then something is backwards! Water runs from the drain/skimmer to the pump's skimmer basket, then from the pump to the filter, via the multiport. It sounds like you have the drain water going to the filter first, then to the pump.

My point? I cannot see how it's possible for the filter to be filling but water not going to the pump. Can you post pics and indicate drain/skimmer versus return lines?

Carl

The pump was sucking water, but it wouldn't fill up the basket to the lid

[CarlD]

Where's the water going?

[mas985]

The pump was sucking water, but it wouldn't fill up the basket to the lid

What is the filter PSI?

If it is low, then there is probably a blockage in the suction line somewhere.

If it is high, then the return side might be blocked somewhere and could be the filter.

Either situation can lower flow rates such that the pump cannot expel the air in the pump basket. However, a suction side blockage will also tend to draw in air from the pump basket lid and other places.

[joenj]

Does the filter have a recirculate position? Bypass the filter to see if the pump primes.