Pump Problems

[KeithDavis]

Just started having issues with the pump. I've got a Jandy Stealth pump, CL460 cartridge filter, and AquaPure SWG in an AG pool and the pump is above the water line. Everything was running fine until the GF decided to help by vacuuming the pool this weekend. I'm fairly certain that she did not get all of the air out of the hose.

So, the pump lost prime. I put a large bucket of water in the pump pot, but it almost immediately drained out. This is a little perplexing, as the piping from the pump pot to the filter rises above the top level of the pump pot, so I don't know how it would run uphill. Anyhow, I put in another bucket of water and quickly put the lid back on. The pot was only about half-full, but the pump started; however, the flow is not good and the pump pot remains only half full. At times, the pump won't start at all. It hums, and then a switch turns it off (I assume to prevent overheating). Since then, the pump works intermittently (it either does, or it does the hum and then shuts off), the pump pot is half full, and the pressure gauge is not moving regardless of whether the pump is on or off. I've tried bleeding air from the filter, and it seems to push a little air out and sometimes a little water, but not much. There are air bubbles (both large and small) in the water returning to the pool, and the return does not seem to have much force. The suction at the skimmer also seems very weak.

The pool was installed before I bought the house, so I don't have any background on it other than it is about 5 years old. I can't figure out the piping, as there is only one suction pipe coming out of the ground that leads to the pump, with no visible valve (so I have no idea how to adjust suction between the two main drains and the skimmer - could the valve be located somewhere else?).

My main concern is making sure that the pump will work consistently (and not just sit and hum). I'm guessing that I could have a problem with a clog in a suction pipe, clogged impeller, or a leak (possibly the pump pot lid - I didn't use any silicone grease when replacing the lid). Any thoughts or suggestions on how to diagnose and remedy this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[KeithDavis]

First, I need to make a correction. I have an in ground pool, not AG. Second, I found that the check valve between the pump and the filter was broken. The spring is broken, so the valve was staying in the open position and not preventing water from going back into the pump. I'll be picking up a new part for that today and replacing it tonight, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with my problems.

[aylad]

Once you get that part replaced, see if it made any changes. In the meantime, some of the equipment guys around here should be by to take a look at this thread and hopefully offer some useful suggestions.

[PoolDoc]

Hi Keith;

1. Take some pictures and send them to poolforum@gmail.com (pictures or links to pictures); bigger is better than smaller.
2. Test your pump, by filling it the pot with water, leaving the lid off, and briefly turning it on. It should empty the pot, but the water may run back. (Wear a swimsuit or something -- with some pumps, you'll get wet doing this.
3. If the motor rotates, but the water isn't pumped out, it's time to check the impeller.

Let me know what you find, and I'll take a look at the photos when you send them.

Meanwhile, use plain 6% household bleach to keep your pool from turning green. On Google Maps, it looks about 30' long, so I'm guessing 15 - 25K gallons? Add 3 gallons per evening. Get a cheap OTO test kit or better, a HTH 6-way kit from Walmart. This store:

Walmart store #1747—Perris
2560 N Perris Blvd
Perris, CA 92571
(951) 940-0440

has them in stock. You can also get PLAIN bleach there.

Test the CYA level with the HTH 6-way, and let us know. You may need lower or higher chlorine levels, based on the CYA. (See the Best Guess page in my sign, for the Cl/CYA relationship, and the test kit page, for more info there.)

Skip the bleach dose in the evening, if you have an OTO dark yellow or orange reading. Check again the following evening.

Good luck!

[KeithDavis]

Thanks, Ben.

I just sent some photos. There was some debris in the impeller. I got out everything I could. The replacement part for the check valve is going to take another day or two, as not many places carry the Pentair check valve (and the flapper is a different shape than the Jandy, so I have to use the Pentair replacement kit). So, in the meantime, I re-installed the old one (it is water tight, just not operating to actually prevent backflow as the spring is broken) so that I could get the pump running. With the debris out of the impeller and some silicone lube on the o-rings on the check valve and pump pot lid, it looks like the pump is operating correctly again. The water in the pump pot is above the level of the basket, although it's about an inch below the top of the dome on the lid. Still, much better than before, when the pot was maybe half full. I'll be replacing the broken check valve (with the replacement kit) in the next day or two. But, the pump is running and I have pressure at the filter pressure gauge (a few psi low, but pretty good). The flow at the return seems like it's back to normal (it was weak before).

I did some water testing. My pH is still a little high (it has been, and I've been adding acid to bring it down), but close as it's at about 8. I added another dose today and I think that will bring the pH in line. My chlorine was good (about 3 ppm); I think that's because it had been low and the guys at the pool shop had me add a couple of the small bags of chlorine. I have no combined chloramines (I think that's the name). My total alkalinity is high (around 180). My CYA was low (around 20), so I added about a pound of CYA. I'll let the filter run for awhile and then re-test things in another 24-48 hours to see how it's doing after the addition of the acid and CYA.

When you get a chance to look at the pictures, I'd be interested to know if you know what the "Thermomatic" is (the white plastic piece that has four small pipes running into it from the ground) and if you have any idea how I'd adjust the suction between the skimmer and main drains, as I can't find a valve (the only valves that I see are two check valves and the valve for the solar heating).

I think I'm also going to need to clean the cell on the SWG, as well as the contacts on it. The SWG thinks my salt is in the low range (and occasionally the Add Salt light comes on), but I've tested it and had it tested at a pool supply place, and our tests always show the salt on the high side (right around 3,500). I did use some liquid cleaner from the pool supply place that is supposed to clean the cell so that you don't have to do the cleaning with muriatic acid, but I'm not sure how well that works or if it was just a waste of money.

Again, thanks for your input, help, and suggestions.

[PoolDoc]

Your pictures:



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