uneven spa jets

[austin_guy]

I think that I am up a creek without a paddle on this, but I thought I would ask y'all if you can think of a solution. Our pool guy is pretty much a huge disappointment and turned out to not be the most knowledgable man about pools.

Anyway, here is the problem. Our spa has 6 jets and the water pressure goes less from one jet to the next. With the air bubbles this is much more apparent, in fact one jet has no air coming out of it (only water comes out). I am not all that knowledgeable about pool plumbing, but it seems that maybe the plumbing for the jets should have been run in parallel but instead where run as a series. I don't know how the plumbing is run. I wonder if that was the case, would it make sense to reduce the flow gradually from jet to jet to even out the pressure.

Let me know if you think I am completely screwed or not.

Thanks for any help

 

[mas985]

Most spa jets are run in a loop. The main line from the pump splits in half, and feeds each half of the jets in series and then loops back to the other half. If large enough pipe is used, this is not a problem. The only time it becomes and issue is when the PB uses too small of a pipe for the loop.

But to assess the problem, I will need a lot more information:

Is this a new pool and the spa jets never worked properly or what is the history?

Is there a separate pump that feeds the jets or is there only one pump that runs through the filter/heater and then the jets?

If the jets are plumbed through the filter, what is the filter pressure when the spa jets are running? Have you cleaned the filter recently?

What is the pump make/model?

What size and length water pipe runs to/from the spa jets?

What size and length air pipe runs to/from the spa jets?

 

[austin_guy]

Most spa jets are run in a loop. The main line from the pump splits in half, and feeds each half of the jets in series and then loops back to the other half. If large enough pipe is used, this is not a problem. The only time it becomes and issue is when the PB uses too small of a pipe for the loop.

But to assess the problem, I will need a lot more information:

Is this a new pool and the spa jets never worked properly or what is the history?

Is there a separate pump that feeds the jets or is there only one pump that runs through the filter/heater and then the jets?

If the jets are plumbed through the filter, what is the filter pressure when the spa jets are running? Have you cleaned the filter recently?

What is the pump make/model?

What size and length water pipe runs to/from the spa jets?

What size and length air pipe runs to/from the spa jets?

OK here is the crazy history of the pool. It was built 7 years ago with no issues, my loving wife really wanted a bigger spa, so we got that enlarged. (in fairness, it was too small) Since the spa has been redone with haven't had the jets work correctly. He is of course AWOL.

Same pump for the pool and jets, it is a 2HP motor Pentair model.

Filter is clean, pressure says 30.

I think the pipe is 2" diameter but I don't know that exactly.

 

[mas985]

Obviously the PB screwed something up. There is a possibility that debris got stuck in one or more of the spa jets. This is fairly easy to clear out but you must remove the spa jet nozzles which are deep inside the spa wall (these are not the external fittings). You can use a long socket wrench (usually 9/16") to remove them. After removing the nozzles, run the spa jets to clear out any debris. Then reinstall.

If that doesn't work, then I might need some more details about what the PB did to the spa and any pictures of the work if you have it.

 

[austin_guy]

Obviously the PB screwed something up. There is a possibility that debris got stuck in one or more of the spa jets. This is fairly easy to clear out but you must remove the spa jet nozzles which are deep inside the spa wall (these are not the external fittings). You can use a long socket wrench (usually 9/16") to remove them. After removing the nozzles, run the spa jets to clear out any debris. Then reinstall.

If that doesn't work, then I might need some more details about what the PB did to the spa and any pictures of the work if you have it.

OK, new data. Still being strung around by the crappy PB. But I decided to turn on the blowers while the actuators were set to pool mode and air came out through all six jets pretty evenly. Does that mean that when the valves are in spa mode the there is too much water pressure for the air to work?

 

[mas985]

The blower without the pump really doesn't tell you anything. The plumbing for water and air are separate and meet at the venturi tee. It just means the air pipe is ok. Did you try flushing the jest as I described above?

 

[austin_guy]

The blower without the pump really doesn't tell you anything. The plumbing for water and air are separate and meet at the venturi tee. It just means the air pipe is ok. Did you try flushing the jest as I described above?

I'm confused, the pump is running just less than 100% of the water flow going through the jets to the spa. I did flush the jet and no debris was found.

 

[mas985]

OK, new data. Still being strung around by the crappy PB. But I decided to turn on the blowers while the actuators were set to pool mode and air came out through all six jets pretty evenly. Does that mean that when the valves are in spa mode the there is too much water pressure for the air to work?

Before you said the pump was in pool mode so 0% flow was to the spa jets. Again, this tells you nothing about the water flow to the jets. So what are you confused about?

I did flush the jet and no debris was found.

You removed the nozzles correct?

They look like this:

 

[austin_guy]

In spa mode 100% of the water flow goes through the jets in the spa, in pool mode ~50% of water flow goes to the jets in the spa, the rest goes to the jets in the pool.

 

[mas985]

Sorry but you didn't say that in your previous and not every pool is the same. In my pool mode, 100% of the water goes to the pool.

But I still don't think that tells you much. Equal air does not mean equal pressure. The pressure comes from the water not the air. In the pool mode, did you feel the jets and did they feel "equal"?


Also, what about this question:

You removed the nozzles correct?

They look like this:

View attachment 45889

 

[austin_guy]

Sorry but you didn't say that in your previous and not every pool is the same. In my pool mode, 100% of the water goes to the pool.

But I still don't think that tells you much. Equal air does not mean equal pressure. The pressure comes from the water not the air. In the pool mode, did you feel the jets and did they feel "equal"?


Also, what about this question:

No worries, I am sure I confused you.

The part in the wall looked different, it was a female adapter that the jet and tube connecting the jet screwed into.

 

[mas985]

That may be the external fitting and not the nozzle. You need to use a long socket wrench to remove the nozzle because it is deep within spa wall. Draining the spa makes it easier to see and remove. If you don't remove the nozzle, you won't be able to flush the line properly.