qilight

Hi, I had the same problem (my spa is about 10 feet higher than pool level). I tried all kinds of ways to fix it, paid the pool guys nice bucks but they did not resolve this problem. Finally, I fixed it myself by looking at the mechanics step by step. First of all, the way that a 3 way valve (I use Jandy) is used at the spa/pool suction is fundamentally wrong. Strange that none of the professionals realize or admit that. The way these valves are installed is IN from the spa, IN from the pool and OUT to the pump. Wrong! that valve can never close 100% like that. It is designed to have an IN and two OUTs. Think of it like this: if a door in your house opens from the kitchen out into the hallway and you close the door and push it at the bottom from the kitchen, the door will bend a bit and create a slight "opening" at the borders. Push the bottom of the door from the hallway towards the kitchen, you close the door even tighter! Same principle for the valve! Strictly speaking, we should use 2 valves instead of one, and a T-connector towards the pump, rather than one 3-way valve that serves as a T connector at the same time... How I resolved the situation here: I added a second, 2-way valve between the existing 3-way valve and the spa inlet. So whenever the spa turns on, both valves open and turn the spa off, both valves close. Not a single drop of leakage into the pool anymore. Maybe there are other solutions, but this is just logic... Good luck! Roel