baffled - low flow

[duraleigh]

Hey, Ted,

Man, I sure am glad to see you on this thread...I cannot figure this out! That Hayward SP 733 I assumed was his multiport. Duh!

That said, you think he has that valve on the suction side? Why would he have to go to the skimmer to shut off the water from the pool?

It DOES sound like a suction side leak but he's done his homework reasonably well.....I'm surprised he hasn't found it ....if it's there.

See ya'

[waste]

Dave, if there is a 733 involved, I'll wager that it's the cause. Those valves are just a poor design(they had the right idea, but the gaskets and shell fail way too early. IMHO - Hayward makes the best pool equipment on the market, but they've had a few wrong numbers!

[rickpx14]

Hi guys. Thanks very much for trying to help me out. The vari-flo I have is an SP-710. I noticed that the 'non-metallic bearing cover' (as it is called on the instruction sheet I have for it is broken and just about completely gone. Might this be causing the problem? I'm nearing wits end but am adamant to fix this as it has become my personal challenge. Is there any other info can I provide that would help the troubleshooting process? Thanks again. Rick

[duraleigh]

Hi, Rick,

Is that valve on the suction side?

[rickpx14]

Hi. No. My setup is: from the skimmer a direct line (underground) and then up through the ground into the pump. The water goes through the pump to the valve where i have the option of filter, waste, recirc, backwash, rinse or closed. I am assuming suction side is anything before the pump...thx

[duraleigh]

Hi, Rick,

That's what I thought, and, yes, suction side is, logically, everything from the impeller of the pump back to the skimmer. Pressure side is everything the other way...pump up to the filter, thru the multi-port valve, etc.

So that Sp 711 valve is not the issue nor is anything on the pressure side since a pressure side leak is water spewing (leaking) from the system.

Suction side leaks, like yours, are characterized by air being drawn into the system. Okay, you've got a suction side leak and there are no moving parts on the suction side. The most common leak is at the o-ring on the pump basket. I know you said you've got suction at that basket but check the o-ring carefully again. Make sure it is seated correctly and eliminate it as a possible source.

The next most likely would be the union between the suction side pipe and the pump basket. There is typically an o-ring there as well. Ensure that it is in place.

I'm still stumped, but it sounds like it is getting narrowed down. An underground suction leak is always thought of but that is very unlikely. That system is drawing air somewhere betweem the skimmer and the impeller on the pump....we'll (you'll) find it.

[rickpx14]

Thanks for the reassurance. My gut all along was that it is an air leak somewhere on the suction side but I'll be damned if i can find it. I don't see or hear anything. I can see through the basket lid and the oring certainly looks sealed but to be sure, I'll get a new one. I don't recall an oring at the union of the basket and suction side pipe. I'll look at that again too. thanks - hopefully I'll be back with good news sooner than later.