Jimres

Thanks for the help. I think you are on to something. I have a Hayward 175sq ft. When you pointed to the filter, I took some specific numbers. I put a "clean" cartridge in yesterday and had 18psi. After one day it rose to 20psi (had about 15% air in the basket). Today I tested the filter without a cartridge & it had 14PSI. I looked closer & noticed the water flows through the filter at the very bottom of the cartridge. I inverted a clean cartridge & had a reading of 14psi. This tells me I guess I need to keep inverting the cartridges to keep the flow going and air out of the pump basket. Is it normal to have two very large air bubbles in the pump basket even without a filter installed? Thanks again!

I've been trying to diagnose a problem with air in the pump basket for a while now. When a clean cartridge filter is installed, I have two or three pretty large bubbles of air in the pump basket (pressure is 18psi). As the filter get dirty, the amount of air steadily increases in the pump basket. I have been cleaning the filter at 22psi and the pump basket is about 15% air. What I have done so far is replaced & lubed the pump basket O-ring and replaced the diffuser o-ring. A pool tech has been out twice and will be out again on Saturday. Is this normal or do I have a definite air leak? And suggestions on a what to look for? Thanks 15k gunite pool/spa 3/4 hp Whisperflo Hayward Cartridge filter

You are right again, I used a syringe to extract the water & there was nothing but a plugged line. I have yet another clog in the same skimmer with the remaining line. I've used water/air pressure, a drain king, the pump motor (with the other skimmer line blocked to no avail. I used a snake for about 25' but I'll need a longer one to go further. Hopefully that will clear it. No, Usually the skimmer in the deep end is the one connected to the main drain. The second skimmer will either be capped of, or you will see a line comming through the wall just under the skimmer (called an equalizer). You mentioned that the other one is harder. Stop blowing! that one sounds like it's capped.

Great info, didn't know what that second hole was for. I have two skimmers - each with two holes. Does each skimmer typically connect to the main drain? Thanks to you I was able to clear the one drain but the second one is tougher.

I suspect that I have a clogged suction line but am unsure as to how the suction lines are inter-connected. I have the gunite pool drained. I plugged all of the suction lines except for the main drain. I put a drain king in the main drain but have no water going to the open pump basket (valves are opened). I also primed the pump with all the suction lines plugged except for the main drain but cannot pull any water from the main drain outlet. My question is whether I should be able to pull water/push water from the main drain with the other suction lines plugged. Or does the main drain need a skimmer line open to reach the pump. Thanks for any help!

ps3558 Thanks for the tip. I'm using the pressure washer now. The pool was pretty green so I wanted to ensure I kill all the algea (plus I thought it might whiten it more before an acid wash). I'll use the bleach concentration you suggested. Sometimes just pressure washing will do the trick. Why use Shock you can you Bleach its cheaper with 3 parts water 1 part bleach or acid.

I've read on a few sites about a process of using shock & water to kill algae and whiten the pool bottom. Could anyone recommend a shock to water ratio for the solution. Also, I've read to leave it on anywhere from 1-2 days. Is that an acceptable period. Thanks

One problem I have is that the symptoms are not consistent. Sometimes the pressure was high, sometimes very low. I do believe I have a problem with the spa blower motor line check valve at times. The strange thing is that even if I divert the water to the pool instead, nothing changes. I did re-pipe to bypass the heater since I suspected that might be the problem a while back - no change. I'm beginning to suspect that your original conclusion that there may not really be a problem is right. I was never able to manually prime my pump with buckets of water would quickly rush out no matter how much water I put in there). I was thinking of just putting a check valve just before the pump. I'll put all of the new valves in and re-pipe the pump and report back with the vac reading. Thanks again for all the help. Those pump housings are the same, no problem swapping. 40# isn't a good working pressure where i'm from. Thats too high. you have a valve partially closed, A check valve that has come apart and is stuck in the line, a filter element that is no longer useful (Yes, even if it cleaned up real good), or perhaps a bypass valve in the heater that has come apart and stuck itself in the port. that would sure explain the pressure readings fluctuating all over the place. the blockage is moving around when you turn the pump on and off. By the way, Whats the Vac gauge read?

Sorry forgot to answer your question. I do not have solar. The alternate pump I used was a 1.5hp Whisperflow (used my 3/4 hp pump housing though). What happened there was that it would not prime (seemed to suck much harder) and the pressure continued to rise to 40psi (at the filter gauge). Would it still be a valid test if I used the 3/4hp pump housing with the 1.5hp motor? I did check obstructions yesterday. I have good flow to both the pool & the spa. Thanks again.

Ok, I'll install it after work today & pickup a vacuum gauge as well. I did notice two threaded plugs in the housing. Thanks again for the help!

Thanks very much, will that show whether the pump is attempting to pull suffiicient water under load? I have the pump in my car now to be tested but will try the vac gauge when I get it back. I really suspect a voltage problem from my house since I did replace the motor & got the same result. I did measure current at the pump between the 2 hot leads to be 240v (this was under load). Is that all you would do to rule out voltage at the house? Thanks.

Pool Clown I have a Pentair Whisperflow 3/4hp pump. The lid and oring are both sealed fully. I even used a spare lid just to confirm. The gauge I'm using is a pressure gauge. It is this one: http://www.leaktools.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?...tegory_Code=PTE I pressure tested the pump & housing by cutting the entire pump out from the PVC fittings. I left about 8" of PVC on both sides (pressure & suction sides). I then plugged one side completely & pressurized the other side with the pressure tester I mentioned. Pressure held steadily without a drop. I do not have an underground suction leak or blockage - I have good flow & pressure held. I am also sure I do not have a pressure blockage. If removing the cartridge is effectively a bypass of the filter, the only remaining potential is something is wrong with the pump. Would you agree? Thanks again for the help! What type of pump do you have? ( Manufacturer) When you took the cartridge out, that was the same as a bypass. Also, check the lid oring make sure it is sealing well. If you put a vacuum gauge on the pump, Wait a minute, You said 10 lbs on the pump, Where exactly is the gauge. If its on your pump, it may be pulling 10 inches of mercury and sometimes 22. Thats a suction line blockage. Make sure what kind of gauge it is. does it say Hg or vacuum?

Pool Clown thanks for the help. The pump was reading 10lbs yesterday but at times it read as high as 22lbs (all when it wasnt priming). Thanks again.

Aqua, thanks for the reply. I used an Anderson hydrostatic/air pressure testing device - held a steady 20lbs of water pressure. Yes, I did try a direct connect to the pool (as well as the spa) and had the same result. The pump is just sucking a ton of air. Thanks for the help.

I have an in-ground pool/spa and it will not hold a prime. At this point the pump basket maxes out at 1/2 full (that has changed from between 1/2 to 3/4 full to holding a prime for about 10 mins - since I started having the problem 1 week ago). Here is what I have done so far: 1.Hydro pressure below ground PVC - no problems - hold steady pressure for 25 mins 2.Replaced the pump & diffuser with a second one I have - no change 3.Hydro pressure tested the pump motor/ & housing (including the PVC leading up to the pump & PVC out of the pump - holds pressure for 25 mins - no problems 4.Tested the pump motor for 240v both with no load & under load - no problems 5.Tested for prime with a newly cleaned filter & without a filter - No prime 6.Checked for obstructions in the pressure pipe but havent found any The only thing remaining to me is the Hayward cartridge filter. I could bypass that with PVC but do not have a great hope it will do any good. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks