Still having problems - dang it!

[stev32k]

I've been having a lot of trouble - first the pool turned cloudy - got that mostly corrected by cleaning the filter, reducing the flow though the filter, and adding sand. Now two more problems have cropped up. First I'm getting sand fines in the pool. Not a lot, but patches start showing up after about 12 hours after vacuuming to waste. I've back washed the the filter for extended periods. rinsed for extended periods and still the fines collect on the bottom. I assume that means a problem with one or more laterals. Could anything else be the cause? Can anything be done besides emptying the filter and pulling the internals?

Second air is getting in the system from the main drain suction line. I normally operate the filter with the skimmer and main drain lines open and started noticing the pump strainer basket was getting air trapped in the top. If I close the skimmer line I can see air bubbles coming from the main drain line. If I close the main drain and open the skimmer line the bubbles stop. I can't think of anything except a leak or crack in the line that would result in air getting into the system. Any other ideas?

Now the $64,000 question. Can the line be repaired by any means other than digging it up and either patching the leak or replacing the line?

 

[JasonLion]

It sounds like you have an air leak in the main drain pipe. Hopefully the leak is above ground, though there is no way of being sure until you find it. I would start by checking all of the PVC fittings and joints between where the drain line comes above ground and where it joins with the skimmer line. You can check by running a garden hose over the joints while watching the pump strainer basket. If the bubbles stop the joint the hose is on is the one with the leak.

Sand can be blown into the pool from outside, it can also get in from the filter. One way to check is to clean the pool, and turn off the pump for 12+ hours. At the end of that time if there is new sand in the pool then it isn't coming from the filter. If the sand goes away then it is time to open up the filter and examine the laterals.

 

[stev32k]

The sand is definitely coming from the filter. There is not much and it is very fine, but it is sand. I tried to find the leak in the main drain line with the water hose in the above ground piping, but no luck. There is only about 12" of pipe and one valve above ground. So the chances of finding anything that easy was low.

In addition to all the other problems yesterday I started the polaris to clean the pool. After about an hour I went back to the pool and noticed the 280 was barely creeping around. When I walked around the corner where the pumps are located I see a stream of water spraying out of the booster pump volute. Looking a little closer it's not one stream there are two of them. So I shut the pump off disconnect every thing and take it into the garage for disassembly. The volute is cracked in two places and looks like it's about to crack in two more. I start to remove the impeller and it is really stuck to the shaft threads. Normally it comes loose with little effort, but now I have a heck of a time getting it off. When it finally comes off I see the shaft threads are badly corroded. The pump is 13 years old and I re-built it 5 years ago so I guess that's pretty good life for a cheap pump. Thought about re-building it again, but after adding up the cost of all the parts including a new motor I decided to just buy a new one. The local pool store had one in stock for $349 including tax, but I found one on-line for $216 including shipping - so it's on the way.

After all this I'm ready to fill in the pool and plant a garden, but the wife will not go along. Guess the only way I'm going to get rid of that money pit is sell the house and move.