sucking air.... please help.

[Mr. Old Pool]

I have a century/centurion motor with a pinnacle pentair pump on my inground pool. It is sucking in air from somewhere. ( I have no idea) The pool unfortunately has had a crazy last summer since there was watering restrictions and the longest heat wave in Texas. The pool turned frog pond and now that it has been cleaned up and refilled it is sucking in air from somewhere.

I notice the air in the strainer basket and the backflush valve has air bubbles bubbling out of it. My three year old wants a pool party this summer and with another heat wave on the way I was hoping to get some help. We have checked the main O ring in the impeller housing and replaced both of them.

Is there something else I could check or do?

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

 

[X-PertPool]

Run a garden hose on the front fitting of the motor. If the air stops then the leak is a loose front fitting.

 

[duraleigh]

Air in the system is always a leak somewhere between the pump and the skimmers....is your water hiogh enough so the skimmers are not sucking air?

There are many, many places it can leak but it is somewhere along that path and you must be a good detective and eliminate them one at a time.

 

[Mr. Old Pool]

Thank you so much for replying so quickly. I hate to sound like a pool dummy, but I am. When you say run a garden hose to the front fitting do you mean to remove the pipes? Or could you direct me, top/left/right side of the motor?

Sorry for the bother, but I really appreciate the clarification. My husband is not sure of where the fitting would be located or which fitting your are referring to, could it be the one we just replaced the O rings on?

I have my detective hat on! lol, I just dont want to break anything I suppose. And we have the water level above the skimmer.

 

[anonapersona]

When we had an intermittent suction side air leak we were not successful locating it using a water hose. We slathered shaving cream onto the pump, the fittings, all connections, valves, top and bottom, watching carefully to see if the air visible in the pump decreased. The article we read said the shaving cream would be sucked into the leak, leaving an inverted cone pointing to the leak. It did not, however, the shaving cream was dense enough to stop the air, so we were able to track it to the o-rings in the (Never-lube) valve ahead of the pump. Removal and lubrication fixed the problem temporarily, and we have new o-rings on hand to replace when it starts to leak the next time.

 

[duraleigh]

And we have the water level above the skimmer.

Okay, so(pump running) the skimmers are not sucking air. Go back to the pump and check the drain plug(s) to make sure no air is leaking in. If they appear to be sealed, (pump running) slowly pour water or use a garden hose over the pump strainer basket lid to see if the air stops coming in.

You must work your way thoroughly along the suction side of your system until you find where it is pulling in air.