Full time pumping - Intex

[frogabog]

OK... Some hokey coming at ya...

Suction end of second pump in pool

Bat weight underwater

regular hose clamp with a bike innertube over it so as to not damage the bat weight

1000gph pump hung from bungees

how the bungee system works

full second pump setup

in, and out hokey second pump (bungees are essential)

this is how we reduce dirt from grungy kid feet. The floater does a great job to keep this pool super chlorinated. Vacuum with the BroomVac and set floater in to add lots of trichlor hehe...

poor crooked stock pump... yeah as dh remarked... I could have straightened it up a little.

 

[Patrick_B]

Love the hokey dude! Hey it works right? Kids love it...that matters the most. We use the feet wash too. Helps tremendously, but your setup on that is way nicer than my rubber horse feed bucket. :lol:

 

[frogabog]

LOL, the kiddie pool is our solution to kids with broken ears. We had the small tub for the past few years but this mama is tired of playing pool police to kids who just step over the small one. This way, they HAVE to step in the kiddie pool.

Darn kids with broken ears anyway... I ordered kids with fully functional ears! I want a refund.

 

[George_]

Hey frogabog-
I was considering doing some hokey work myself, but you may have answered my question with your question. I was worried about being able to prime the pump with the lines going over the railing, but then you stated you have air issues. That tells me the pump can't handle pulling water up out of the pool too well. But, I would still like to know how you do prime it and purge the air out? I can only assume the pump is running when you purge the air?

 

[frogabog]

Hey frogabog-
I was considering doing some hokey work myself, but you may have answered my question with your question. I was worried about being able to prime the pump with the lines going over the railing, but then you stated you have air issues. That tells me the pump can't handle pulling water up out of the pool too well. But, I would still like to know how you do prime it and purge the air out? I can only assume the pump is running when you purge the air?

I prime either by pouring water into the supply line w/cup till the pump is full or scooping up water from the pool into the supply line, raising it and letting the pump fill up with the bleed valve open. Once there's water up to the end of the line, submerge it, add weight and filter and drop to the bottom. Any air left in the line will collect at the rail. Raise the pump to push that air in, bleed and turn on. Any further air can be purged by tipping.

I have never bled air while running the pump with the bleed valve. For some reason that just seems wrong. I do however tip the return port up while it's running and air gets expelled through the return line.

The hokey pump that is draped over the side doesn't have an air issue as much as the one plumbed to the skimmer actually. The only time I get air in that pump is when the kids splash and move the water so that the seam in the supply line comes out and sucks air (the black band you see in my pics). That seam has always been an issue, keeping it under water helps a great deal (last year it was out of the water and we struggled with air, not this year). I know it's the seam or the water itself because air collects at the high point well before hitting the pump. I can hear it in the supply line and send it through to the pump to be purged.

I am coming more to the conclusion that a clogged filter pulls air from tiny leaks that otherwise would go unnoticed. And sometimes there's a lot of air in the water itself because I can see it on the walls at night (w/pool light). It does a fine job pulling from the bottom, and is the lesser brand of the two (summer escapes).

Does that help at all?

 

[aa62579]

I have never bled air while running the pump with the bleed valve. For some reason that just seems wrong.

I have been wondering what the general consensus is on this. For the most part, I only bleed the air WHILE IT IS RUNNING. If we have changed out the filters and cleaned out the chamber, we let the water fill back up with the bleed valve open, close it, and turn the pump on. Let it run about 10-15 seconds and then open back up the bleed valve. Always get more air out of it. I get air in it when the skimmer goes ary (water level, gets bumped, etc.), when I vacuum the pool, and when we change the filter. Never any other time, although each time I add bleach, I open the valve one turn to make sure there is no air in it.

I always assumed the directions didn't tell you do it this way for liability purposes for the idjet who unscrewed the valve too much and it shot out hit his eye and blinded him or something.

Then again, I seem to be one of the few Intex owners who finds their pump plenty powerful and only needs to run 6 hours per day.

 

[frogabog]

The way I see it, it doesn't make sense to bleed while the pump is running because the pump would suck air in rather than bleed it while running.

This may or may not be correct, but it stands to reason that if a small leak in the pump housing will pull air into it, so would opening the valve while it's running.

Tipping it is fairly easy and I can do that while the pump is running so that's what I do. I only use the valve after cleaning the filter and even then it doesn't get it all out and a tip is necessary to finish it off.


?????

 

[aa62579]

It definately does not suck air in. If air is in there, it hisses out. It no air, water squirts out.

My pump looks different than yours does though. More like two of yours stuck together. Motor in one side, filter in the other. Air valve is on the filter side, after the water has already come though the pump. Perhaps this has something to do with it.

 

[George_]

I prime either by pouring water into the supply line w/cup till the pump is full or scooping up water from the pool into the supply line, raising it and letting the pump fill up with the bleed valve open. Once there's water up to the end of the line, submerge it, add weight and filter and drop to the bottom. Any air left in the line will collect at the rail. Raise the pump to push that air in, bleed and turn on. Any further air can be purged by tipping.

So this will only work when running the pump 24/7 since once you turn it off you'd get air in the hose over the rail again, right? Also, you mentioned tipping the pump to get out air; which way do you tip it and how far?

 

[frogabog]

No. There is no air entering the pump we turn it off. The end of the suction line is deep underwater. It's just like turning off the skimmer pump.

I tip the pump so the return port is higher than the top of the pump. If there's air you will hear the pump cavitate and bubbles will be purged. When no more cavitating occurs, no more air.

I tried to open the relief valve while it was running today... too hard. The valve wouldn't open. Much easier to tip the pump. I hate those valves, always so hard to open. There's a suction inside, when I open the cap I always have to open the valve first or it's impossible to open at all. Still takes two people. One holding the pump, one turning the cap.

My walmart bundle of SWG and sand filter w/pump is delayed. Now they say the 30th. GRRRR!

 

[George_]

So I tested this out today and to my surprise it worked very well! My concern had to do with the water left in the hose above the water line when the pump was turned off. I thought that it would level itself out to the pool's water level leaving the draped part of the hose with air in it. But that didn't happen. I was all set to go with cutting out the black barbs on my easy set to add PVC so I can have a main drain and skimmer at the same time, but now I don't need to (well, the PVC anyway...I'm still cutting!) Since I have the floating skimmer anyway I just zip-tied the hoses to the bracket so it looks neat and I can run my sand filter separate. Next I'll look to turn the return into a fountain to cool down my little pool.

Thanks for the idea, frogabog
oh...sorry to hear about your filter delay. I know this won't make you feel any better, but I received mine in the beginning of the week. After I cut in my larger inlets I'll get the SWCG going - I have the salt in the garage.

 

[George_]

I tried to open the relief valve while it was running today... too hard.

I tried this for the first time today and it definitely sucked in more air than it let out.

 

[notluf]

I tried to open the relief valve while it was running today... too hard.

I tried this for the first time today and it definitely sucked in more air than it let out.

I concur, even with the smaller pumps like in the pictures, it always sucked air in. Run the pump for a minute or two, turn it off, wait about a minute or two and then bleed it. Maybe wait a few minutes longer if you are using a heavy duty filter, give the air time to bubble to the top of the pump.

EDIT: Sometimes on my smaller pump after waiting a minute or two before bleeding I give the pump a good shake side to side just help any trapped bubbles percolate to the surface of the pump.

 

[linen]

My walmart bundle of SWG and sand filter w/pump is delayed. Now they say the 30th. GRRRR!

frogabog,

Hang in there! When you get that pump/filter running, you are going to giggle more than the giggling that occurs when: "Where kids swim in 54 degree water, turn blue, and giggle happily cuz they got a POOL!"

Just put one on my neighbors pool and I was really impressed...seemed just like a mini version of what I use, and boy did it pump!

 

[frogabog]

LOL, thanks. It's so much better when they're laughing and giggling than when they're fighting in the pool. I'll take more giggles any day.

I now want to address what I see as the impossibility of being able to bleed air while a pump is running.

Went to a wedding all day yesterday. H said he heard the pump sucking air late last night but didn't mess w/it, very late. When I went out to check the pool this morning I hear the pump full of air. I can hear it sucking at the valve. I'm thinking I must not have tightened it which is silly because it worked for two days after changing the filter already. I touch the screw head and it just breaks off in my fingers. The body of the screw is still in the pump, and it's sucking air right down through the void meant to vacate air when loosened.

Pumps are suction devices. It does not matter if it's air, water, oil, leaves, bugs, jello... If it can be sucked into the pump from any void in the housing or lines, if the void is ahead of the impeller it will suck into the pump.

If the void is behind the impeller on the return side, I think it could be possible. But not on the standard tower style Intex pumps where the impeller is at the bottom with the valve at the top in the cap. When the pump is off, air rises towards the cap and there is nothing creating suction to draw it in. Turn the pump on, it's sucking. And it WILL suck air, not bleed it.

I could really use that sand filter n pump about now... Going to try to get the screw body out and hopefully the screw on our oldest and smaller pump from a past easy set pool will fit. Hoping it too doesn't just break off when I touch it.

 

[frogabog]

I prime either by pouring water into the supply line w/cup till the pump is full or scooping up water from the pool into the supply line, raising it and letting the pump fill up with the bleed valve open. Once there's water up to the end of the line, submerge it, add weight and filter and drop to the bottom. Any air left in the line will collect at the rail. Raise the pump to push that air in, bleed and turn on. Any further air can be purged by tipping.

So this will only work when running the pump 24/7 since once you turn it off you'd get air in the hose over the rail again, right? Also, you mentioned tipping the pump to get out air; which way do you tip it and how far?

I answered this question a couple days ago and I can't believe I forgot the EASIEST way to prime an over the rail hokey pump...

Garden hose. Just squirt water into it till it's full. Duh!

FYI, for kicks and giggles and simplicity sake :~}

 

[JulieLeo]

Hi - I just installed the Intex 1600gph Sand Filter pump this year. We modified the Intex hoses to fit the small skimmer pump that came with the pool.

Dumb Questions alert!!

1) Does the skimmer pump need to run at the same time as the Intex pump?
2) When I attach the vacuum cover on the skimmer to vacuum the pool won't that restrict the water flow into the skimmer and the Intex pump?
3) Should both pumps run 24/7?

 

[aa62579]

Forgot to ever reply to this thread. Looked it up and the thing I turn to release air is called an air release valve by Intex. Since it is designed for that purpose (by virtue of the rest of the pump design), it explains why it works on my model.

 

[aa62579]

Hi - I just installed the Intex 1600gph Sand Filter pump this year. We modified the Intex hoses to fit the small skimmer pump that came with the pool.

Dumb Questions alert!!

1) Does the skimmer pump need to run at the same time as the Intex pump?
2) When I attach the vacuum cover on the skimmer to vacuum the pool won't that restrict the water flow into the skimmer and the Intex pump?
3) Should both pumps run 24/7?

So are you saying you kept the original pump and added a sand filter and have them running in sequence?

With my skimmer and pump, you screw the vacuum inside the skimmer. All the water is then sucked from the bottom of the vacuum. You want as much suction as possible. As long as you make sure the hose is full of water before hooking it up, you shouldn't get much air inside the pump. If I have a lot of dirt, sometimes I will need to shut off the pump, unhook the vacuum, clean out its bag, and hook back up before continuing on.

Your pumps need to run as long as it takes to keep your pool clean. I ran 6 hours last year. On 8 right now as I started out with a muddy pool. However, many Intex users report needing to run more. I would just keep trying shorter times. You'll know when you've gone too far.

 

[frogabog]

Sorry if anyone couldn't see the images in this thread. I discovered a rewrite rule that prevented stolen images, it also prevented them being displayed here on the forum. All fixed now and they're showing again.