Pump suction

[jule]

HI ~ I have another thread but I see there's a separate topic area for these issues I need help with, so sorry If I should have ket this with my other one.

Issue One: High suction.

I vacuum my pool everyday. (As yet unidentified stuff collects on bottom)
Last night when I went out to vacuum, I discovered my hose had two major splits between the ribbing, both clean and nearly all the way across.

I thought this odd. I've handled that hose everyday since opening my pool and never saw slices or holes or water emptying from it from anywhere but the ends. It is only a few years old. If it's not in the pool, it's hanging, not lying on the hot cement.

So, I'm wondering what caused the splits to suddenly occur? Any ideas?

I have a second older hose, so I used that one. And wow! The vacuum head stuck to the bottom of the pool!!!
I had to turn the pump off to free it!! Then the only way to continue vacuuming was to keep the brush head at an angle to the bottom so it wouldn't stick again. Really, when this happens it's like cemented to the bottom with the pump on. I can tug hard and it won't come free without turning off the pump.

So, there's been enough vacuum in hose #1 to clean the bottom, yet obviously not full strength? Does that make sense? The holes are near the vacuum end, which is under water.

My Question: Why so much suction and what to do about it?
Is it related to drawing air?

Which brings me to
Issue Two# Leak

I shut down the pump several days ago after running it 24/7 ('cept for nearly daily filter and/or basket rinsing) for the past month. Once the water clears, I only run it at night, unless there are swimmers.
After sitting a day with the pump off I noticed the water level dropped, so I refilled adding about an inch or so.
It's been 90's and humid, the pool is under direct sun all day.

A few days later, it was lower. I added 2 inches and did the bucket test that showed it was more loss than evaporation would account for...at least I though so.

Turns out it's been loosing about two inches of water every couple of days. Definitely a leak.

This morning I went out to vacuum. When I shut down the pump, I saw the air bubble in the pump basket grow.
About every second there was a half dollar sized air bubble feeding into it from the suction line. This is also the first time I've seen this. It continued for a good ten minutes at least. Quite a while later I went back out and opened the pump basket lid. The water drained away with air gurgling sounds. This does not normally happen to the degree it did this morning.

My husband says if there was a leak in the underground pipes, there would be dirt in the pool.
Is that correct? So the air gets in from the pipes above ground?

If there where a leak in the liner, there wouldn't be air in the pump basket, is this correct?

I've been dealing with 'stuff' collecting on the bottom of the pool since the water cleared, thinking it was some kind of algae, finally deciding it was dust. We have a lot from the driveway nearby.

The stuff on the bottom, dirt, dust, or whatever it is, is not visible coming out of the jets. The only spots I see that it ALWAYS shows up is along the two liner seams on the bottom. Any thoughts on why it might always be along the seams?

This is the bottom of the pool before vacuuming. There's more than usual this morning, because I didn't do a thorough vacuum last night due to the overpowering suction.

The darker blue area at the top is the reflection of the house.

 

[mas985]

High Suction Issue:

Has this just started to occur and didn't before? It could be a valve adjustment issue or perhaps the vacuum bypass is not working as it did before. Without a picture of your pad, it is hard to troubleshoot. Also, a detailed description of how you connect the cleaner would be useful as well.


Leak Issue:

You will not normally see dirt in the pool with a leak.

If the leak is on the pressure side plumbing, you will normally see water accumulate near the pad or where ever the leak may be. Also, the pool will lose water faster when the pump is on vs off.

If the leak is on the suction side plumbing, you will see air accumulate in the pump basket while the pump is on. Water can leak out when the pump is off and the leak is below the pool water level. This sounds more likely given your description.

The leak could also be in the pool itself. Anywhere where the liner is penetrated (skimmers, returns, etc).

 

[jule]

High Suction Issue:

Has this just started to occur and didn't before? Just after switching vacuum brush hoses, last night. However, it did happen a few years ago, probably with the same #2 hose.
Bought the newer hose and never had that happen with it. As I said, have used it for a couple years now.

The newer hose is longer and probably why I bought it in the first place. The end fitting is 2/8th smaller in diameter and has been wrapped with duck tape for a tight fitting in the return skimmer. I've included a pic of the hose split, as I'm curious to know how that happens? Age, or chemical imbalance?

It could be a valve adjustment issue or perhaps the vacuum bypass is not working as it did before. <-- I've suggested the valve for vacuuming to waste to my husband. He says if it weren't shut tight, water come out. It doesn't.

Without a picture of your pad, it is hard to troubleshoot. Also, a detailed description of how you connect the cleaner would be useful as well. <--- I'm not sure what you mean, other than one end of the vacuum hose goes into the return skimmer hole and the other end onto the brush head. If this isn't what you're referring to, then I'll need it defined...sorry. lol!

Pictures attached.

Leak Issue:

You will not normally see dirt in the pool with a leak.

If the leak is on the pressure side plumbing, <---Do you mean between the pump and filter tank?
you will normally see water accumulate near the pad or where ever the leak may be. Also, the pool will lose water faster when the pump is on vs off. <--- It does loose faster when pump is off. Also a wet spot, but never a puddle, is frequently on the cement along the pad edge opposite of the house & piping. In photo #2 this would be on the cement on the left of the set up in that picture.

If the leak is on the suction side plumbing, you will see air accumulate in the pump basket while the pump is on. Water can leak out when the pump is off and the leak is below the pool water level. This sounds more likely given your description.

The leak could also be in the pool itself. Anywhere where the liner is penetrated (skimmers, returns, etc).

 

[mas985]

Pressure side of the pump is from the pump through the filter all the way back to the pool. At any point, the plumbing can leak but it is usually easy to see and it will occur faster with the pump on.

It sounds more like a suction side leak but it could anywhere from the pool to the pump inlet. If you are positive that you have a leak, a leak detection service might be your best bet.

As for your suction being stronger with a new hose, that is not all that surprising. Remove the leaks in the hose and the suction through the hose will be stronger. To fix it, you may need to bypass the suction somehow. I think they make bypass valves for just that problem.