Jets Losing Power

[ssiem37]

I have a 5 year old Tiger River (Hotsprings) Bengal. The jets power have significantly decreased. Any suggestions? I'm thinking the pump is going bad.

[Dan.The.Spa.Man]

Take your filter out and see if it makes a difference. Pumps don't really 'lose power', they either work or don't work.

[Roger]

Take your filter out and see if it makes a difference. Pumps don't really 'lose power', they either work or don't work.

Also coud it be that your getting used to the power? And now you want more?

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Take your filter out and see if it makes a difference. Pumps don't really 'lose power', they either work or don't work.

Unless you have debris stuck in the wet end (not probable) I'd agree that its time to either clean the filter if you haven't done so lately or get a new one. As stated, run without the filter for a minute and see if the jet power returns and that will tell you if the filter is the issue and it almost assuredly is.

[zman]

I have a 5 year old Tiger River (Hotsprings) Bengal. The jets power have significantly decreased. Any suggestions? I'm thinking the pump is going bad.

I agree with the filter Idea but failing that check that the topside air valves are open.

I have seen pump impeller get clogged because of torn filter or plastic bits from flow valves etc.

There is also sometimes an impeller sleeve that can wear but I wouldn't say it substantially reduces flow , but coupled with another problem it can make it worse. check it out and maybe you could give

a more detailed description such as any odd noises or surging of pump flow.

good luck.

[Chas]

Outside the box --

Did you by chance get a Silver Ion cartridge with your spa five years ago - and then completely forget about it?

If so, it may have come apart and loaded up the pump with the gravel-like substance.

[ssiem37]

Outside the box --

Did you by chance get a Silver Ion cartridge with your spa five years ago - and then completely forget about it?

If so, it may have come apart and loaded up the pump with the gravel-like substance.

Yes, and no. I change the filter regularly. Thanks.

[mark2550]

Well to be frank, pumps either pump or don't pump they do not loose pressure the seal is either good or bad. if you have no restriction in line and filters are good check your air divertor valves if you have them they can deteriote due to o-rings.

[ssiem37]

Ok, I did what several of you said. I took out the filter and it was 10 times stronger.

I recently brought the filter in and ran it under water to try to clean it. and the filter itself is less than a year old.

In the past, when I cleaned the filter with a hose, outside, I could see discoloration and the dirt leave the filter as I cleaned it. This filter looks brand new.

I looked and there isn't debris (e.g. pine needles) in between the pleats.

Suggestions?

[zman]

Ok, I did what several of you said. I took out the filter and it was 10 times stronger.

I recently brought the filter in and ran it under water to try to clean it. and the filter itself is less than a year old.

In the past, when I cleaned the filter with a hose, outside, I could see discoloration and the dirt leave the filter as I cleaned it. This filter looks brand new.

I looked and there isn't debris (e.g. pine needles) in between the pleats.

Suggestions?

OK..That's good. Now next I would either drain it(If the water is old) or close the two shut off valves

so you can open the pump. If you have no shutoff`s then you will have to drain it.

First off I do not know how many pumps you have. Usual configuration is A single two speed with an air blower. You may have a two speed that covers half the spa and another full speed for the other half.

Anyways close the valves and get a big pair of channel locks or pipe wrench and loosen the lock nut on the suction side of the pump.

This is the horizontal pipe going in the center of the pump(not the side or top).

now at this point you can look and feel directly into the pump inlet for any foreign objects. Better would be (if you can) to remove the pump altogether and inspect it in the open.

If you cant you can take some needle nose pliers or tweezers and dig around and see if there is something obstructing the impeller.

The impeller has veins as well (small channels) so if you find small objects there may be more jammed into the channel`s and then you do need to remove the pump.

This is not a 100 percent deduction..I have seen small objects clog an impeller that cannot be seen or felt from the opening.

But now that the suction side is disconnected you might as well run water into it with a hose and rag or if you have one an drain flush tool. a drain flush you hook to your garden hose and as soon as you turn the water on it expands in the pipe and flushes water through 10-15 bucks at the hardware store. But if not a tightly wrapped rag around a garden hose will suffice.

Its best to do this with another person to watch one end of the pipe while your at the other end.

Thats enough for you for now. If it helps ..Great, if not I`ll keep an eye out on the post.

Good luck.

[Brock]

i had a couple jets that lost power.......good inspection found that they had kinked when not used for a while and once I straightened out the lines to allow the water to flow they were fine from then on out....

[ssiem37]

Ok, I did what several of you said. I took out the filter and it was 10 times stronger.

I recently brought the filter in and ran it under water to try to clean it. and the filter itself is less than a year old.

In the past, when I cleaned the filter with a hose, outside, I could see discoloration and the dirt leave the filter as I cleaned it. This filter looks brand new.

I looked and there isn't debris (e.g. pine needles) in between the pleats.

Suggestions?

OK..That's good. Now next I would either drain it(If the water is old) or close the two shut off valves

so you can open the pump. If you have no shutoff`s then you will have to drain it.

First off I do not know how many pumps you have. Usual configuration is A single two speed with an air blower. You may have a two speed that covers half the spa and another full speed for the other half.

Anyways close the valves and get a big pair of channel locks or pipe wrench and loosen the lock nut on the suction side of the pump.

This is the horizontal pipe going in the center of the pump(not the side or top).

now at this point you can look and feel directly into the pump inlet for any foreign objects. Better would be (if you can) to remove the pump altogether and inspect it in the open.

If you cant you can take some needle nose pliers or tweezers and dig around and see if there is something obstructing the impeller.

The impeller has veins as well (small channels) so if you find small objects there may be more jammed into the channel`s and then you do need to remove the pump.

This is not a 100 percent deduction..I have seen small objects clog an impeller that cannot be seen or felt from the opening.

But now that the suction side is disconnected you might as well run water into it with a hose and rag or if you have one an drain flush tool. a drain flush you hook to your garden hose and as soon as you turn the water on it expands in the pipe and flushes water through 10-15 bucks at the hardware store. But if not a tightly wrapped rag around a garden hose will suffice.

Its best to do this with another person to watch one end of the pipe while your at the other end.

Thats enough for you for now. If it helps ..Great, if not I`ll keep an eye out on the post.

Good luck.

Wow, that's a lot of work for a guy who's not very mechanically inclined.

The interesting thing is that when it's on, and running full power without the filter, the little ring that is around the filter basin sucks down and it runs fine. When I put the filter in, it seems to bob up and down. When it is bobbing, it makes this horrible squelching type noise and the jets slow down but then speed back up when it goes down. It's kind of like if you were to put a crimp in a garden hose....then let go....

ps. i think it's just one pump b/c it's either on or off. I don't even know where I would begin to access the equipment you described.

[Dan.The.Spa.Man]

Ok, I did what several of you said. I took out the filter and it was 10 times stronger.

I recently brought the filter in and ran it under water to try to clean it. and the filter itself is less than a year old.

In the past, when I cleaned the filter with a hose, outside, I could see discoloration and the dirt leave the filter as I cleaned it. This filter looks brand new.

I looked and there isn't debris (e.g. pine needles) in between the pleats.

Suggestions?

OK..That's good. Now next I would either drain it(If the water is old) or close the two shut off valves

so you can open the pump. If you have no shutoff`s then you will have to drain it.

First off I do not know how many pumps you have. Usual configuration is A single two speed with an air blower. You may have a two speed that covers half the spa and another full speed for the other half.

Anyways close the valves and get a big pair of channel locks or pipe wrench and loosen the lock nut on the suction side of the pump.

This is the horizontal pipe going in the center of the pump(not the side or top).

now at this point you can look and feel directly into the pump inlet for any foreign objects. Better would be (if you can) to remove the pump altogether and inspect it in the open.

If you cant you can take some needle nose pliers or tweezers and dig around and see if there is something obstructing the impeller.

The impeller has veins as well (small channels) so if you find small objects there may be more jammed into the channel`s and then you do need to remove the pump.

This is not a 100 percent deduction..I have seen small objects clog an impeller that cannot be seen or felt from the opening.

But now that the suction side is disconnected you might as well run water into it with a hose and rag or if you have one an drain flush tool. a drain flush you hook to your garden hose and as soon as you turn the water on it expands in the pipe and flushes water through 10-15 bucks at the hardware store. But if not a tightly wrapped rag around a garden hose will suffice.

Its best to do this with another person to watch one end of the pipe while your at the other end.

Thats enough for you for now. If it helps ..Great, if not I`ll keep an eye out on the post.

Good luck.

Wow, that's a lot of work for a guy who's not very mechanically inclined.

The interesting thing is that when it's on, and running full power without the filter, the little ring that is around the filter basin sucks down and it runs fine. When I put the filter in, it seems to bob up and down. When it is bobbing, it makes this horrible squelching type noise and the jets slow down but then speed back up when it goes down. It's kind of like if you were to put a crimp in a garden hose....then let go....

ps. i think it's just one pump b/c it's either on or off. I don't even know where I would begin to access the equipment you described.

Ahhh...I think I know what it is. Look in the motor compartment in the upper right hand corner for a black air valve that has a 3/4" clear pipe coming out of the top and another 3/4" pipe out of the right side. It also has a 1/8" line coming out of the left side. Crimp off the 1/8" line with a pair of pliers and see if you get your power back.

If so, you can replace this old style air-intake valve with a retro-fit 'Hartford Loop' kit from your local dealer. If it's not that then you just need a new filter...even if the other one is under a year.

[zman]

Ok, I did what several of you said. I took out the filter and it was 10 times stronger.

I recently brought the filter in and ran it under water to try to clean it. and the filter itself is less than a year old.

In the past, when I cleaned the filter with a hose, outside, I could see discoloration and the dirt leave the filter as I cleaned it. This filter looks brand new.

I looked and there isn't debris (e.g. pine needles) in between the pleats.

Suggestions?

OK..That's good. Now next I would either drain it(If the water is old) or close the two shut off valves

so you can open the pump. If you have no shutoff`s then you will have to drain it.

First off I do not know how many pumps you have. Usual configuration is A single two speed with an air blower. You may have a two speed that covers half the spa and another full speed for the other half.

Anyways close the valves and get a big pair of channel locks or pipe wrench and loosen the lock nut on the suction side of the pump.

This is the horizontal pipe going in the center of the pump(not the side or top).

now at this point you can look and feel directly into the pump inlet for any foreign objects. Better would be (if you can) to remove the pump altogether and inspect it in the open.

If you cant you can take some needle nose pliers or tweezers and dig around and see if there is something obstructing the impeller.

The impeller has veins as well (small channels) so if you find small objects there may be more jammed into the channel`s and then you do need to remove the pump.

This is not a 100 percent deduction..I have seen small objects clog an impeller that cannot be seen or felt from the opening.

But now that the suction side is disconnected you might as well run water into it with a hose and rag or if you have one an drain flush tool. a drain flush you hook to your garden hose and as soon as you turn the water on it expands in the pipe and flushes water through 10-15 bucks at the hardware store. But if not a tightly wrapped rag around a garden hose will suffice.

Its best to do this with another person to watch one end of the pipe while your at the other end.

Thats enough for you for now. If it helps ..Great, if not I`ll keep an eye out on the post.

Good luck.

Wow, that's a lot of work for a guy who's not very mechanically inclined.

The interesting thing is that when it's on, and running full power without the filter, the little ring that is around the filter basin sucks down and it runs fine. When I put the filter in, it seems to bob up and down. When it is bobbing, it makes this horrible squelching type noise and the jets slow down but then speed back up when it goes down. It's kind of like if you were to put a crimp in a garden hose....then let go....

ps. i think it's just one pump b/c it's either on or off. I don't even know where I would begin to access the equipment you described.

Ahhh...I think I know what it is. Look in the motor compartment in the upper right hand corner for a black air valve that has a 3/4" clear pipe coming out of the top and another 3/4" pipe out of the right side. It also has a 1/8" line coming out of the left side. Crimp off the 1/8" line with a pair of pliers and see if you get your power back.

If so, you can replace this old style air-intake valve with a retro-fit 'Hartford Loop' kit from your local dealer. If it's not that then you just need a new filter...even if the other one is under a year.

Suction leak no dout.

[wireman]

If the tub has a filter bypass could it be clogged?

[ssiem37]

If the tub has a filter bypass could it be clogged?

how do I know if I have that?

[wireman]

Mine is a intake in the lower center of the tub. What it does is if the filter is clogged it still allows water to be pulled into the pump. It should have some kinda screen or something over it. I'm sure a person with more experience can tell you more about it.

[Chas]

The interesting thing is that when it's on, and running full power without the filter, the little ring that is around the filter basin sucks down and it runs fine. When I put the filter in, it seems to bob up and down. When it is bobbing, it makes this horrible squelching type noise and the jets slow down but then speed back up when it goes down. It's kind of like if you were to put a crimp in a garden hose....then let go....

ps. i think it's just one pump b/c it's either on or off. I don't even know where I would begin to access the equipment you described.

I think you need a new filter - or you need to chemically clean the one you have. Do you do anything other than rinse it with a garden hose?

I had a customer who messed up a new filter by getting it oily and then rinsing it with pool acid. They didn't believe me - of course, who would when they have a nice shiny clean looking filter which they just paid a lot of money for and I'm trying to tell them to replace it? So I had them come in with the filter. I ran the jets in my display spa, then slipped their filter into place and my spa did exactly what their spa was doing at home. They went home and ordered the filter on line for five dollars less than what I sell it for.

[ssiem37]

I decided to start with changing the filter and that seems to have eliminated my problem.

Thanks for all the input.