New to forum, bubbles coming from return jet

[nilloc]

Hi, this is my first post after doing lots of reading here about chemicals. We bought a house with a pool and have been working on getting it in good condition.

Should I have any concern about bubbles coming out of my return jets when the pump's running? When I look through the clear lid on the pump, there are a few bubbles swirling around in the top of the lid, but not a lot. I have read that the pump ideally shouldn't have any air in it. Is this small enough to not be a concern?

Info:
16x38 concrete pool, built in 1963.
Sta-Rite DuraGlas pump and Sta-Rite Crystal Flow filter.

Thanks!

[aharon]

My similar situation proved to be old degraded teflon tape in the threads of the pump's intake pipe. And if there's a pipe union before the intake, unscrew it and check the O-ring in the union, and regrease it.

[topher]

the small bubbles means you have air leak. somewhere.. it could be as simple as the head cap not being on tight enough, or maybe you just need a little bit of lube on the gasket. (o ring) also check all connections are tight etc.

[nilloc]

Hmm, that's a good thought. Thanks aharon.

I'm in Michigan and we have a walk-out basement, so the pump and filter are in the basement. There's a pipe that runs from the pool under the basement floor to the laundry room. Where it comes up through the floor it's a semi-rigid pipe that is hose-clamped onto the PVC pipe that goes into the pump. The PVC joint that joins the flexible pipe to the pipe going into the pump is PVC cemented. So I suppose there could be a leak in there, but there's never any water that gets out through it. I'm not sure how to find it without just taking it all apart and replacing. Or if it's even worth thinking about.

[nilloc]

Thanks topher. I replaced the O-ring on the head cap and cleaned it and the thread area where it screws on and lubed it all up really well and put it on tight. It doesn't seem to make a difference. So I guess it's down to checking all of the connections leading to the pump.