Public Pool Flow & Turnover Problem

[CarlD]

[ Note to posters: this is a public pool. Very different rules apply! PoolDoc. ]

88 THOUSAND GALLONS??????? That's not a pool, it's a lake! That's 30'*50' if it's 8' deep everywhere! Or, if it averages 6' (more likely) it's likely to be 75' long and 26' wide. I think our town pool might be that long.....

Carl

[watervale]

[ Note to posters: this is a public pool. Very different rules apply! PoolDoc. ]

LOL. Inherited responsibility for neighborhood non-profit. 3 feet at one end, 10 feet at other.

County requirement for turnover is 6 hours. Pitot flow meter shows 80. Not sure if it has enough horizontal length to be accurate, but if it's anywhere close, we have low flow.

Pumps are 1.5 to 2 feet above water and about 8-12 feet from water's edge on the shallow end. I'll have to go by tomorrow and look up the models. I was up there tonight putting a snake in the skimmers. 4 of them and only 1 has decent flow. Baskets float up. Didn't find any blockage (yet).

One pump doesn't have bubbles, one has small ones. I don't see any bubbles in the water coming out from the returns.

Filter pressure (on top) is 10-12 psi. Goes up to about 15-20 after 1-2 weeks without backwashing. I put the pumps on recirculate and don't see any improvement.

BTW, this forum is phenomenal. I didn't know zilch about pools 4 months ago. I've fixed a ton of problems in 3 months -- balanced the water with BBB, fixed the chlorinators, replaced the sand, etc, etc, etc with the information here. Thanks a ton everyone!!!

[PoolDoc]

Watervale,

My site, PoolForum.com, is focused on residential pools. Few here, besides myself have experience with commercial pools. I'll help you . . . as I have time.

But, for starters, take a full set of digital photos of your pumps and piping and send them to poolforum AT gmail DOT com.

Also, if you don't already have one get BOTH a K2006C (you need the larger one) AND a couple of K1000 OTO/phenol red kits for quick testing.

If you don't already know, on your pool, you MUST keep a good chlorine level 100% of the time..

One other key issue is code enforcement. Here locally, I'm running a HIGH CYA pool at 10 - 20 ppm, because I can't trust the staff to do what they are told. However, I have to take a 2 - 4 pt 'hit' on the code -- 2 for high Cl and 2 for high CYA . . . if his 'strips' (!!) are working well that day. However, some codes will force a re-inspection for those 'violations' which makes them a non-option.

So, tell me what your code entity is, and how you are inspected. If possible, post a link to whatever pool code you are under.

[watervale]

[ Note to posters: this is a public pool. Very different rules apply! PoolDoc. ]

We had an initial inspection and will get a brief inspection once during the summer. Code enforcement is fair, not brutal.
http://health.state.ga.us/pdfs/envir.../poolrules.pdf Section 290-5-57-.07 describes turn over requirements.

I'm sending pictures to you today. I didn't want to post a reply until I did some more home work -- I don't want to waste your time.

I do have air in at least one pump. I couldn't see it coming out of the returns until I jumped in the pool and held my hand to them. Tiny, tiny bubbles.
I did find some trash in the 2 HP impeller. I get about 90 GPM now with both pumps on. Made sure both drain plugs were tight.

I put a 25 foot snake in the skimmers, nothing. Put it in the skimmer return via the pump, no issues that I could find.

The farthest skimmer still barely has any suction and the basket just floats.....

[PoolDoc]

I'll watch for the pics. -Ben

Here they are:

Pump room


Multiport label


Piping


Pump #1


Pump #1 label


Pump #2


Pump #2 label