Spa jets with unequal pressure

[sbcpool]

My spa has 4 returns, but the water barely trickles out of 2 and literally jets out of the other two. At first I thought they might be clogged, so I drained the spa and got in there with a flashlight and couldn't see any obstructions (they don't even have the "jets" - they're just bare pipe). Thinking perhaps there might be an obstruction out of view I tried feeding the garden hose into each at full pressure (and we have really high pressure). Nothing happened. The returns accepted all of the 3/4" hose output, which just came out the other returns. I'm thinking either the pump is undersized or that not having the jets to restrict the flow is causing most of the output to go out the two returns. The pressure on the filter bumps up two pounds when I direct the output to the spa, so that it doesn't increase more is also making me think it's not a clog.

Anybody have other ideas?

 

[mas985]

Clogs are very rare on the pressure side of the pump. Some history might help. How long has it been this way and was it ever different? Also, do you know if the pool is using ridged or flex PVC?

 

[sbcpool]

Clogs are very rare on the pressure side of the pump. Some history might help. How long has it been this way and was it ever different? Also, do you know if the pool is using ridged or flex PVC?

It has always been this way, but I've only owned the pool for three months. All of the plumbing I can see at the pad and at the pool/spa is rigid PVC. Only one of the returns has a jet nozzle in it, the other three appear to be bare pipe. It's difficult to see inside of them because it's only 1/2" PVC, but I don't *think* there are any threads in there for a jet assembly.

 

[mas985]

Normally spa jets have nozzles that can be removed. Drain the spa (into pool) and look inside the pipes. If you can remove the nozzles, you might be able to flush out whatever is in there.

 

[sbcpool]

Normally spa jets have nozzles that can be removed. Drain the spa (into pool) and look inside the pipes. If you can remove the nozzles, you might be able to flush out whatever is in there.

There are no nozzles except in one of the returns.