No Water Coming through return

[LMG]

I am trying top get my pool up & running but am having no success with getting water back into the pool. My husband and I have been opening and closing the pool ourselves for the past 13 years since we moved into this house. Last year we had a new heat exchange installed and the pool guy closed the pool for us at the end of the season.

We started opening a couple of days ago. My husband took out the plugs and blew out antifreeze. When I started up the pump, I had a couple of leaks around chlorinator and the return pipe coupling? I tightened the coupling and the chlorinator and eliminated the leaks. Then the pump started leaking underneath. My husband brought it to pool store and ended up buying a refurbished pump to install this morning. (the pump was at least 14 years old). He installed it this morning but we still have no water returning to the pool.

I've tried the multiport filter on various settings: backwash works, recirculate and filter do not. The pump starts to suck the water then it's like there's no where for the water to go. I'm afraid to leave it on for more than a minute lest the pressure causes damage to the new pump.

I'm wondering if there's something about the return pipe that goes into the ground since there's all this rusty brown color on the outside of it and that is where I tightened it. I'm uploading a picture.

Any ideas what to check?

 

[Jimrahbe]

I am assuming your pump is working because you say it works when in the backwash mode. Since it does not work when in the recirculate mode, then logic says something is turned off or plugged-up between the multiport valve and the pool. One quick thing you can do is disconnect the heater output pipe and turn the pump on and see if water is getting through the heater. If it is, the next item between your heater and the pool is your chlorinator. I'd check that it is not plugged-up or turned off.

I live in Texas and have never "closed" a pool in my life, so I'm not sure what all happens when a pool gets closed. If the returns lines get plugged or capped, I'm assuming that is something that you have already removed.

Jim R.

 

[LMG]

Thank you, I will check these things. Also wondering if the multiport valve is doing its job but not sure how to check it.

 

[zea3]

If you want to check where the return pipe goes into the ground, you can remove the section of pvc pipe by unscrewing the unions at the brown end of the pipe and at the chlorinator. Run a water hose down the brown pipe and watch to see if water comes out of the return. Just to make sure, there is not a plug in the return at the pool wall, correct?

While you have the section of pipe out you can check if there is a problem between the filter and the return. Set the multiport on filter mode and turn on the pump. Water should flow out of the chlorinator where the pipe has been removed.

 

[basod]

If you want to check where the return pipe goes into the ground, you can remove the section of pvc pipe by unscrewing the unions at the brown end of the pipe and at the chlorinator. Run a water hose down the brown pipe and watch to see if water comes out of the return. Just to make sure, there is not a plug in the return at the pool wall, correct?

While you have the section of pipe out you can check if there is a problem between the filter and the return. Set the multiport on filter mode and turn on the pump. Water should flow out of the chlorinator where the pipe has been removed.

I think she already eliminated the HTX/chlorinator as a problem with the leak at the union returning to the ground.

The old pump probably had no problems, just the mechanical seal and pump running deadheaded.
There has to be a plug(s) in the return lines, maybe your husband removed a plug from the suction and but not the return jets?

If the multiport valve was serviced during closing and reinstalled incorrectly - I don't think it's an improbability that the closed port is over the filter, but you shouldn't have seen water at that union into the ground if it was shut.