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Inground Pool In Freezing Temps


jose

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Hi:

We've had our in-ground gunite pool running during these freezing days in Houston and I noticed today that when the pool is running, we have water coming out of the water pump seals on both the prime pump and the waterfall pump. I don't no know when that started during the freezing temps. The cleaner pump is fine.

Should I open the pool pump lids and use hot water to try and melt any ice that may be blocking the pumps or leave them be as is? Should I leave the pool turned off until it gets warmer and/or at least run the cleaner to keep water flowing? I also heard a low humming noise coming from the prime pump, even when it's turned off and power is cut off to it from the main power panel. I am assuming it's water trying to flow through the pipes.

There is no ice in the pool.

Thanks,

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It may not be the shaft seal but the seal plate o ring (depending on what type of pump you have). If it is not leaking badly, and you are still having freezing conditions, you need to keep the water moving. This condition MAY resolve itself when it warms up.

If you have a Sta-Rite pump:

Look underneath the pump and see if you can see where the drip is coming from. If it is dripping off the steel clamp and not running down the back of the seal plate, then onto the steel clamp, it is probably leaking from that o ring. Turn off the pump(s) and see if you can tighten the clamp a little. If that don't work, change the o ring, and possibly the shaft seal.

Is it leaking badly?

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Both pumps are 2.0 HP Pentair Whisper Flo. Best way I can describe it is the pump is divided into sections bolted together, the motor and the filter area (where the pipe from the pool goes into). The leak is coming from the bottom where the sections are bolted together.

The leak is a slow steady stream, not a drip. It's starts as a high pressure spray then dies down. If I turn on the 2nd pump which is for the waterfall, it lessens. Looking inside the filter cover, I believe the water inside the filter area is all iced up. Coincidence but both pumps are showing the same symptoms.

Should I remove the cover, take out or melt the ice and restart it? I don't want to leave the system running while I am away at work and have the whole think go off like a huge old gyser.

Thanks for the advice so far.

It may not be the shaft seal but the seal plate o ring (depending on what type of pump you have). If it is not leaking badly, and you are still having freezing conditions, you need to keep the water moving. This condition MAY resolve itself when it warms up.

If you have a Sta-Rite pump:

Look underneath the pump and see if you can see where the drip is coming from. If it is dripping off the steel clamp and not running down the back of the seal plate, then onto the steel clamp, it is probably leaking from that o ring. Turn off the pump(s) and see if you can tighten the clamp a little. If that don't work, change the o ring, and possibly the shaft seal.

Is it leaking badly?

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Jose,

It is very important for the pool water to circulate. As long as it is moving the water in your pool the pipes won't freeze. I undertand that there is water leaking out of the pumps, but is there water coming out of the return lines in the pool? Also, most cleaner pumps draw their water from the filter pump, so I wouldn't try to run it all by itself.

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No water is leaking from the return lines or any other pipes. Just the area where the two pump halves meet. It scares me to leave them running but I guess it will cause further damage if I don't.

Should I remove the filter cover and remove any ice or just leave it alone?

Jose,

It is very important for the pool water to circulate. As long as it is moving the water in your pool the pipes won't freeze. I undertand that there is water leaking out of the pumps, but is there water coming out of the return lines in the pool? Also, most cleaner pumps draw their water from the filter pump, so I wouldn't try to run it all by itself.

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The filter pressure is 18 when running w/o the waterfalls and cleaner.

I think that you're going to have to disassemble the pumps and inspect for damage. Replace the seals and the gaskets.

Most likely the ice caused internal damage.

What is your filter pressure?

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Turn off the pumps, tighten the bolts and then turn the pumps back on. That may help for a while until you can disassemble the pumps and replace the seals and gaskets.

Don't over-tighten the bolts.

If there is ice in your system, that could cause excessive back pressure and make the pumps leak. Are you getting good flow through your system? Is there good water flow in the skimmers and coming out of the returns?

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I'm praying that one of my pipes didn't freeze, because I came home one afternoon and I don't think my freeze gaurd worked because my pump turned off for an hour or too. I turned the pump on that night (freezing temps) and had it on the next morning (still freezing temps). I left for about 30 minutes, came back... and my pump was taking water out of my pool but not sending it back. It was shooting out the "backflow" pipe...I think that's what it's called. Basically if i would have left it on, it would have flooded my yard and drained my pool. It got to about 45 today so I'm sure the water in the pipes would have thawed, but it's still shooting water out of that pipe today.

I'm basically screwed because I can't run the pump or it will drain my pool and it's going to freeze again tonight. HELP!!!

I just bought this house and didn't really have time to learn how to use everything correctly before it started to freeze...

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I'm praying that one of my pipes didn't freeze, because I came home one afternoon and I don't think my freeze gaurd worked because my pump turned off for an hour or too. I turned the pump on that night (freezing temps) and had it on the next morning (still freezing temps). I left for about 30 minutes, came back... and my pump was taking water out of my pool but not sending it back. It was shooting out the "backflow" pipe...I think that's what it's called. Basically if i would have left it on, it would have flooded my yard and drained my pool. It got to about 45 today so I'm sure the water in the pipes would have thawed, but it's still shooting water out of that pipe today.

I'm basically screwed because I can't run the pump or it will drain my pool and it's going to freeze again tonight. HELP!!!

I just bought this house and didn't really have time to learn how to use everything correctly before it started to freeze...

Can you post a pic? It would help in finding out where the water is coming out of.

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http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4354...amp;id=16704481

thats the quickest way i could figure out how to load a picture...haha.

basically, the pipe on the bottom right is sending water out as fast as the pump can take it in. it drained a good six inches out of my pool in about 20-30 minutes...it's not a leak, its a constant flow of water.

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I can't see the picture without logging in.

What is the multiport valve set to? Is it on "Filter" or some other setting? If it is on "Waste" or "Backwash" then you would be losing water at the rate you describe.

If it is on "Filter" then you probably have damage inside the valve.

im brutally new to this whole pool owning thing. i don't know where i would find this setting. i've ran it a lot and it's never done this. i'm praying i haven't already jacked my system up...

i haven't done anything to the system aside from turn it on and off, so yeah...i have a sickening feeling...

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The multiport is the valve that is attached to the Sand or DE filter. It has a handle that can be rotated into 6 different positions Filter, Waste, Recirculate, Closed, Backwash and Rinse. Look on the valve to see which position the handle is in. The positions are all labeled.

It's also possible that you have a "Slide" valve. In that case, the valve can be Up or Down. Up is used for backwashing.

Can you post the direct link to the picture (should have a .jpg address)? Or, post the picture on photobucket?

Also, in the future, it would be helpful if you would post your questions as a new topic to avoid confusion with someone else's post. Just go to "New Topic" at the top of the page to post your own questions.

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The multiport is the valve that is attached to the Sand or DE filter. It has a handle that can be rotated into 6 different positions Filter, Waste, Recirculate, Closed, Backwash and Rinse. Look on the valve to see which position the handle is in. The positions are all labeled.

It's also possible that you have a "Slide" valve. In that case, the valve can be Up or Down. Up is used for backwashing.

Can you post the direct link to the picture (should have a .jpg address)? Or, post the picture on photobucket?

Also, in the future, it would be helpful if you would post your questions as a new topic to avoid confusion with someone else's post. Just go to "New Topic" at the top of the page to post your own questions.

<a href="http://s933.photobucket.com/albums/ad179/nkwood/?action=view&current=poolpump.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad179/nkwood/poolpump.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

try that one...bottom right pipe with the mud next to it.

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Yes there is good water flow.

Turn off the pumps, tighten the bolts and then turn the pumps back on. That may help for a while until you can disassemble the pumps and replace the seals and gaskets.

Don't over-tighten the bolts.

If there is ice in your system, that could cause excessive back pressure and make the pumps leak. Are you getting good flow through your system? Is there good water flow in the skimmers and coming out of the returns?

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Nathwood, your best option is probably going to be to remove all of your drain plugs on everything and have a service technician come out tomorrow to fix the leak. I don't think that you're going to be able to fix this tonight unless it's something simple like resetting the slide valve back to the "Filter" position.

It's possible that your slide valve was not locked in the down position and somehow got pushed up. If that's the case, then you should be able to push it down and twist it to lock it in place.

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An update:

I put the pool in service mode last night and woke up to find the spa running with no leaks coming from the pump. I assume not enough pressure to cause any leakage. With just the spa running, the filter is at 22 PSI. I guess the computer is smart enough to know when it gets too cold and automatically overrides the panel settings.

I removed the pump basket cover and did not see any ice build up in that area. I re-started the system, circulating water throughout the pool. The leak was not that bad and now it's completely gone. So it looks like it healed itself? Like was mentioned, the pressure build-up may have caused the leak.

Will keep any eye on it and probably get the pump serviced anyway. My pentair touch panel always indicates Pool Error where the pool temp is supposed to be so I will have that checked out at the same time.

Jose, it's good that you have flow. Try tightening the bolts, but don't overdo it.
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  • 2 months later...
Jose,

It is very important for the pool water to circulate. As long as it is moving the water in your pool the pipes won't freeze. I undertand that there is water leaking out of the pumps, but is there water coming out of the return lines in the pool? Also, most cleaner pumps draw their water from the filter pump, so I wouldn't try to run it all by itself.

I was not aware that pipes froze in Hawaii. You are from Hawaii aren't you Don ?

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