JeanReed Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I have started having endless problems with my pump. Everything is just on 7 months old - pool, pump, filter and everthing worked fine till about a week ago. Now, the pump doesn't seem to have enough pressure to work the creepy crawly any more. (whereas the creepy has been fine till now). I have checked the creepy head for debris, checked all the pipes, dug up all the pool pipes and resealed all the joins by smearing silicone over them all and it is still blowing bubbles out the outlet pipes, and not sucking at the inlet. Note, it has ALWAYS blown bubbles out the outlet pipes (there are two) but has always still been able to work the creepy. I have backwashed and rinsed. I took the cover off the filter and removed dog fur by hand, stirred up the sand, rinsed and backwashed again and still nothing. Please help?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 Have you checked the impeller on the pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted November 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 Hi, yes I have. Took it out and had a look at it. Its fine (not cracked or chipped). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 What is the pressure on the filter when it is running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted November 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 I'm sorry but I have no idea, nor any clue how one would measure that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 There is, or should be a pressure gauge on the top of your filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted November 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Sorry, not on South African filters this is the third pool I've had and none of them have had a pressure gauge on the filter. In fact, I've never seen one is South Africa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Is it blowing more air (out the return) than usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted November 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 No. It's actually rather strange - it blows out air and then nothing (no air, just water) for about 10 seconds and then some more air, then more water (no air). If I could post a video I would show you what I mean. Very odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Yes, also post pics of your filter and filter pump. (Photobucket.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted November 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Here are the photos as promised. Not quite sure what you can see, but I tried. The pool does NOT blow air out all the time - this is what I don't understand, nor how to fix it because I'm presuming the air is the cause of the lack of suction and the reason the kreepy krawly doesn't work? Pool not burping out air Pool with air! Pump and filter Pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 It looks from the picture, that you may have a sealing problem at the inlet side of the pump. It looks like there has been a patch put on the plumbing right where the plumbing enters the pump. This patch may have opened up, and is allowing air to enter the pump. Look closely at your backwash valve. Somewhere on the valve there may be a small plug screwed/threaded into it. This is where you may be a able to install a pressure gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted November 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 No Spa Guru - I dug up all my pipes and added extra sealant to all the joints by way of silicone and tape, on the off chance that there was a problem with one of them. This inlet was just one of them that I did (I redid 8). I didn't take them apart, I just added extra. They have all been sealed/stuck together with PVC glue when they were installed. This was just an extra "just incase", but doesn't seem to have done anything to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 [/url] Pump This is the connection i'm referring to. Specifically where the plumbing enters the pump (a threaded connection). This threaded connection is what i think may be leaking. You may also be drawing air through the o-ring on the lid of the pump (clear plastic lid). Make sure that the o-ring is lubed, not too much though, and the sealing surfaces are clean. You could also have an obstruction in the suction line. This is where the (filter) pressure gauge would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenz1g Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Have you replaced the pump seal? You'd be surprised what a miniscule leak there would cause in terms of priming. Otherwise, I'd take my blower and blow all the lines to ensure no intrusions. Not "too" many possibilities other than a leaking fitting or failing gasket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanReed Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Thanks everyone for your replies. I ended up redoing all the joins in the piping as the person who installed the pool, just pushed the pipes together. They do have rubber seals and if done correctly, they are supposed to seal tight, but he just put them together, he didn't push them together so there was water leaking out and air getting in. I have now cut open all the joins and added new joins and glued them together with PVC glue as one is supposed to do. Everything is now functioning as it should be and the kreepy is finally working. I hoped I wouldn't have to resort to this as it was a job and a half, but when everything else failed, I decided to give it a try as it was either that, or turn the pool into a flower bed. Thankfully what I did, worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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