Tiny bubbles in one return jet

[pulzar]

One of my 4 return jets has many tiny bubbles in its stream... You can see them only when you get really close to it, or at night, when you turn the light right next to it on. The other 3 don't appear to have any.

I have a setup with one pump that's driving 3 return pipes -- one for a waterfall feature, one for a bubbler, and the third one is common for all 4 jets.

What could be the cause of it? If all the jets had it, I could blame the pump/filter, but since it's only one of them, does it mean it's a crack in the pipe after the 4 jets are split? If so, I would expect to have a leak, but I don't think I have any unexplained water loss (I have to add about 2 inches every week or so, but it's 100 degrees and sunny all day long, and the pool is used just about every day).

 

[Texas Splash]

I experienced the same thing, in my case only from 2 of 6 jets. It bothered me for a long time. I exhausted everything on the Pool School - Suction Side Air Leaks, and if you haven't already done so, I suggest you do the same just to make sure. But in my case, my bubbling stopped out of the blue after doing 3 things: replaced my filter housing O-ring, installed a new cartridge filter, and re-siliconed my pump basket lid O-ring for the 100th time. There should be no reason for the first two items (on the pressure side) to have any effect on air bubbles, so that left the lid O-ring. But why stop now after dozens of times checking and lubing it?

We have similar size pools, a separate line for a water feature, and Hayward products. My pump is a 2hp - plenty strong for my pool. Sometimes I wonder if it's not that extreme suction that is misleading me. I never lose prime to the pump. How about you? Pump basket stay full?

In our heat, I also add an inch or two each week. It's been brutal. Next week is supposed to get worse, so definitely make sure your water level stays high enough on your pool skimmer. But I agree with you that if you had a crack on the suction side, you would be inclined to see moisture around the area somewhere, not bubbles in the pool. So if your bubbles are few & far between, or simply champagne-sized that only flow out sporadically, it may just be a characteristic of your pool, plumbing, or equipment. As long as it's not getting worse or losing prime to the pump, don't let it eat at you too bad ... like it did me for weeks.

 

[ThomasG]

It may be a normal effect of your SWG. You might check to see if the bubbles stop when it's not generating chlorine.

 

[pulzar]

I experienced the same thing, in my case only from 2 of 6 jets. It bothered me for a long time. I exhausted everything on the Pool School - Suction Side Air Leaks, and if you haven't already done so, I suggest you do the same just to make sure.

Thanks for the tip, I'll go through that page!

We have similar size pools, a separate line for a water feature, and Hayward products. My pump is a 2hp - plenty strong for my pool. Sometimes I wonder if it's not that extreme suction that is misleading me. I never lose prime to the pump. How about you? Pump basket stay full?

No problems whatsoever with the pump. It works great, and there's not a single bubble in the pump basket.

In our heat, I also add an inch or two each week. It's been brutal. Next week is supposed to get worse, so definitely make sure your water level stays high enough on your pool skimmer.

Oh, man.. I had my kid's birthday party today, and lots of kids in there... I filled it up well over the usual line in the morning, knowing that I'll be back down by the end of it .

As long as it's not getting worse or losing prime to the pump, don't let it eat at you too bad ... like it did me for weeks.

Ha! I'll try to ignore it if I can't figure it out... as it's really not causing any other problems. Well, I do have a "problem" that my pH tends to climb up a bit more often than what I hear is usual around here... even with TA now nice and low, and borates in, I still pour quite a bit of acid regularly. So, anything that makes bubbles makes me wonder if it's the cause or not... which I guess will eat at me like it did at you .

- - - Updated - - -

It may be a normal effect of your SWG. You might check to see if the bubbles stop when it's not generating chlorine.

Interesting, I'll test that out. Last night I turned the pump on manually late at night and saw bubbles, and I wouldn't expect SWG to be on, but maybe it was -- I don't really know whether it turns itself on when pump is manually switched on in the evening.