Is it normal to keep getting air?

[prh129]

Every time I check the skimmer basket, I usually open the bleeder on the filter and there is always some air in there. I have the pump running for two 4 hour cycles per day and every once in awhile when it shuts off there must be an air bubble that comes back up through the skimmer and pushes the basket out and upside down (it has a scum sock on it). Is this normal or do I have air leaking into the system somewhere? There is usually no sign of air in the pump basket or coming out of the return jet when it's running, only in the filter. (24' round AG pool with pump/filter sitting on the ground)

Thanks

Peter

[salinda]

No one answered you yet. Here's the deal, (at least with my cartridge filter)when you open the bleeder with the pump off, you are allowing air INTO your filter to relieve the pressure on the pump. The way to tell if there is air in your filter is with the pump running to open the bleeder and if there is not an immediate stream of water, there would be an air bubble that would be flushed out first.

[duraleigh]

Hi, Peter,

I can't quite get a grip on your issue. Do you shut off the pump when cleaning the skimmer basket? Redescribe (is that a word?) your situation just a little....I might have an answer and a fix.

[prh129]

When I check out the skimmer basket, while I'm there I usually open the bleeder valve on the filter to bleed out any air. The pump is usually running when I open the bleeder valve. Every day I was finding that there was always air being bled out of the filter.

Normally I wouldn't care but once in a while I found the skimmer basket upside down in the skimmer. This is the problem I would like to avoid - finding the basket upside down in the skimmer. What I guessed was happening is that when the pump turned off, an air bubble from the filter would come back up through the skimmer and because I have a scum sock on the basket, the air bubble would push the basket up and out of position which would cause it to flip over.

Since the original post, I have purchased and installed a solar heater. I find that when I have water flowing through the solar heater, I do not get air in the filter. Every time I open the bleeder valve with the heater on, water comes out immediately. When I have the heater valve in bypass mode, I do get air in the filter.

The pump/filter is an AquaTools (Sta-Rite) 150 sf cartridge filter and 1.5 HP pump which is sold as a matched set. I found in the manual that they recommend bleeding the air out every time the filter is turned off and back on but since I do this twice a day I'm not going to be able to do that every time.

I applied silicone to the pump basket o-ring to make sure no air was getting in through there. I do not see any air in the pump basket chamber.

While we're talking air I also have an issue with air when using an Aquabug but I'll start a separate thread for that.

Thanks

Peter

[duraleigh]

Hi, Peter,

I get it now. That said, I have no answer....only guesses.

1. It doesn't seem it would be air from the filter flipping the basket because the skimmer would have to be above the filter for the air to go back thru the pump and out the skimmer. Have I gotten mixed-up again?

2. It does seem quite likely that the basket would flip with a short reverse of the water flow thru the skimmer when the pump was turned off but only if a pretty large volume of air had gotten into the filter to allow that. Does that make sense? (I am still assuming the filter is above the skimmer)

3. The solar is interesting. If the solar elevation is above the filter, (almost surely) could a fairly large volume of air be collecting in the solar panels? That would seem to explain how the air is no longer in your filter (it has a higher place to reside) and might also explain the flipping basket when you shut the pump off. If there's air at the top of the solar panel, that column of water would reverse (when the pump shut off) until it reduced the air pressure enough to support the weight of the water. This would occur quickly and could easily flip the basket. You would still have prime and the filter would still demonstrate no air.

What I can't see is how that skimmer basket would flip unless there's some pretty significant air in the system somewhere.....but I don't see it as the air flipping the basket but the reverse (but brief) flow of the water backwards thru the skimmer.

How the heater fits into all that makes my head hurt!

[prh129]

Hi Dave,

Actually I think the skimmer is higher than the filter. The solar heater is sitting on the ground and the pump and filter are sitting on the ground so the filter is maybe around 3' high. The pool wall is 52" and the skimmer is only a few inches from the top so I would think it is higher than the filter.

I see what you mean about it not being the air flipping the basket and that makes sense. When the pump is on, if there is air in the filter, it will get compressed and when the pump stops, the air will push back and cause some water flow back through the skimmer.

The solar heater on the ground doesn't help explain why I don't get air when it's on.

Maybe air is getting sucked in from the flex hose joints?? If this is true, I don't yet see why it would be different having the solar heater on or bypassed. Anyway, you've given me something to think about. Thanks.

Peter

[duraleigh]

Peter,

I apologize for overlooking the fact it is an AG pool....even tho you posted that in your first post, I chose to be a dummy and overlook that fact.

I'm gonna "cipher" (Southern talk) on that a while and if I have anything constructive to add, I'll post back.

[prh129]

One thought I had is that the pressure on the filter gauge goes from 10 PSI in bypass mode to about 15 PSI when the water runs through the solar heater. With a higher pressure, the pump faces more resistance and so wouldn't that mean that the GPM would go down slightly? Maybe in the higher GPM (bypass) case, since it demands more from the suction side, it might be sucking air in from one of the hose barb fittings or the union between the pump and the filter. I should check the fittings on the suction side of the pump and filter to make sure they are all good and snug. The weather has been really crappy up here so it may be a few days until I can get out to do this. I'll update if I find anything.

I see in another thread that others have problems with the skimmer basket moving and a rock in the basket seems to be the solution.

Thanks for your help Dave.

Peter