I have air coming into my pool and spa through the wall returns and not in the floor returns. I do not have air in my pump and my pump is holding a prime. Does anyone know if the salt chlorine generator (Hayward T-15) can generate air or any other piece of equipment for that matter?
Air in Pool and Spa
- Thread starter CoryM
- Start date
An SWCG can generate bubbles. They are generally very fine and are often mistaken for cloudy water.
air bubbles are typically from air leaks on suction side of pump (everything from pool drains up to pump impeller. SWGs are normally installed on pressure side last thing before piping leaves equipment pad to returns. if your SWG is installed in that fashion and was leaking, you would see a water leak at the generator. you might try putting some aladdin's on your pump basket O ring. most suction leaks occur there.
That is actually how I have approached this. I replaced ALL the o rings and seals on the suction side. I did have a problem with the grease fittings on two 3-way jandy valves on the suction side so those were replaced with threaded plugs. My pump recently burned up do it is brand new. I also had American leak detection out and they found nothing on the suction side. Plus, I am not getting any air in the pump and it holds it's prime overnight. The only thing I can figure I that on the pressure side there is some piece of equipment that through turbulence or some other phenomena is pulling air rather than leaking water. I'm pretty stumped on this.
Can you post a pic of the equipment and the pool? If you could get the bubbles coming out the returns, that would be even better.
Do you have an ozone generator?
Do you have an ozone generator?
- Jun 20, 2012
- 439
SWCGs produce gas during operation, which will manifest itself at the closest return fittings to the equipment pad.
You can test this by turning off the SWCG, and if it is the culprit, the bubbles will quickly stop.
You can test this by turning off the SWCG, and if it is the culprit, the bubbles will quickly stop.
you might check pump basket lid for cracks. especially with haywayd pumps, lids are known for cracking at tightening lugs from overtightening. if that doesn't work, go to big box and get yourself a drain king (hose end bladder) to fit your pump piping. with an assistant working the hose faucet, disconnect pump plumbing at first available union past pump and insert drain king. close all drain and skimmer valves. turn on faucet full force. bladder will expand and force a water stream back through pump to closed valves. if there is a leak, you should immediately see water stream from leak.
Definitely not the pump lid. The pump is new. Also, my pump is not installed with any unions so fitting a drain king is not going to work. If the leak were in the pump or anywhere on the suction side I would expect to see air in the pump basket which I do not. I previously had an air leak around a jandy valve grease fitting that was evident by air in the pump, but I replaced all the grease fittings with threaded plugs and there is no longer any air in the pump plus it holds it prime completely from shut off at 6 pm until start up at 7 am.
My equipment is installed about 5-feet above the pool level, should I have a check valve installed somewhere on the pressure side of the pump? Maybe at the filter inlet, which would also solve the problem of occasionally getting some de backflowing into the filter when I open the pump? Currently I only have them on the suction sides.
I have attached two photos as asked by Bama.
My equipment is installed about 5-feet above the pool level, should I have a check valve installed somewhere on the pressure side of the pump? Maybe at the filter inlet, which would also solve the problem of occasionally getting some de backflowing into the filter when I open the pump? Currently I only have them on the suction sides.
I have attached two photos as asked by Bama.
Attachments
Air isn't going to enter the system after the pump basket. From then on, the system is under pressure and a leak will manifest as water coming out. It almost has to be your SWCG. You could verify by turning the generator off and seeing if the bubbles stop.
Since the pump is new I would check the drain plug in bottom of pump basket......it could have a small leak and you not see bubbles in basket and still maintain prime. The bubbles will be sucked right into the pump and thru the rest of the system!!!
Thanks
Brent
Thanks
Brent