Help with Filter and Pool Water after Opening

[JohnT]

Sounds like you may have either an air leak or air caught in the filter, as well as some antifreeze or something that was used to winterize. Check your pump basket lid and O-ring and the drain plugs for the pump basket and filter. If the filter has an air vent, let it run until air stops coming out. You can loosen the gauge to do the same thing.

[Skillset]

Thanks - I think you are right, must be some kind of air leak. Let me ask a couple of (dumb) questions. The chlorinator has 1 plug and the basket has 2 plugs. Both appear to be in pretty good with no air leaks. The clear basket lid seems pretty tight too.

Can you help me locate on where the O-ring may be and also how do I tell if the filter has an air vent? The filter has a plug at the bottom, a guage, and a clear viewing glass, all of which are tight.

I think I'll call the company back that opened the pool. I was going to do it myself, but I wanted to watch someone do it the first time around. I wonder if they missed something - but its not obvious to me.

[JohnT]

There's a big O-ring on the clear basket lid. It needs lubed with a special grease. Slowly unscrew the gauge while the pump is running until air/water starts to come out. Let it run until it's just water.

If the gauge trick fixes it, but it comes back again, you have an air leak.

[Skillset]

Ok - I'm all fixed up! Apparently, the air leak was caused by one of the screw caps to the pump basket. It was hand-tightened, but I used a screwdriver to really tighten it and that did the trick. It also fixed my foaming issue, so both problems solved.

Although one thing that I still don't understand is that when I attach a hose to the skimmer to vacuum, the guage drops by 3 and I get the swirling action again in the pump basket. As soon as I remove the hose, the guage and pump return to ""normal." It doesn't appear to affect vacuuming nor is the pool foaming when vacuuming, so I guess it's okay. I used 2 different hoses with the same problem, so I don't think it's the hoses. Guess I won't worry about it.

Thanks for the replies!

[ivyleager]

That happens to me also, and I figure it's a small amount of air in the hose. Even though I fill the hose with water from the return, and it only takes me <2-3 seconds to go from water line to skimmer basket. It's air.

CaryB