SPA jets flow water but no bubbles

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Blowout

Blowout

Well-known member
May 13, 2012
167
San Jose, CA
Just had the whole pool replumbed and plastered. Hooked up the SPA jet pump today and found only one jet had bubbles coming out. After priming the system fully, no bubbles are coming out of any of the jets. Any thoughts on what the issue might be?

thanks in advance...
 
Something is probably clogged after the work.

If the jets have strong water flow, then the air intake is probably clogged. They might have left a bag or cover over the intake to protect it during the work. Also, if you have valves that control the air flow, make sure those are open. Blower?

If the water flow is low as well, then the jet itself might be clogged. Remove the jet nozzles (deep inside pipes) and see if you can't flush out the jets.
 
Thanks for the fast reply...quicker than the PB ever replies.... I won't go there...

No valve on the air pipe. No blower either.

The flow is strongest on the first jet and less on the 4th. Fairly strong on all of them.

What do you think about capping off the first 3 jets and pressurizing the 4th with a garden hose? They upsized the air line from a 1" to a 1 1/2" so whatever is lodged in there should be able to move through the larger pipe.
 
I used a wet vac as Just-a-PB recommended and was able to get the jets working. Then I let it set for a few minutes and tried it without the vac and it would not draw air...same as before.

I have a theory that the 1 1/2" upsized pipe installed by the PB is causing the problem. The vacuum created by the jets isn't enough to draw all the water from the 1 1/2" pipe into and through the previously existing 1" pipe. They should have replaced all the 1" pipe to prevent constriction. The the wet vac provides enough pressure to overcome the restriction.
 
If they re-plumbed part of it, it may not have a Hartford loop.
So the pipe is filling with water unable to clear it.
Size shouldn't be a problem as we do our air lines in 2".
You can always extend that line and add an air blower.

Just as a thought, if you just had it replastered as well, and now have a more powerful pump, you maybe creating back pressure on the heads.
Remove the eyeball fittings at each jet and see if it helps air movement.
 
You were right...removing the eyeball nozzles cleared the water from the line and the bubbles started up.

Any ideas to releave the backpressure beside leaving the eyeball nozzels off?

It is the same pump and there was also 2" jet lines previously. I did not see a Hartford loop in the 1 1/2" plumbing they did. It was a strait run from the 1" pre-existing pipe. I inspected it when the ditch was still open.

A blower sounds like a fun addition...more bubbles I suppose... :-D
 
Blower will also super charge the pressure on the jet as well.

As far as the eyeball fittings, you can leave them out, get larger ones, or drill out the ones you have with a Step bit.
You would want to drill them out as large as you can, it makes a nice clean, smooth cut.
 

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Thanks for the great advice... I pulled the eyeballs out for now and the bubbles fire right up! :party:

Any suggestions for a good blower? The pad is about 70 feet from the pool, so I'm thinking it might need a larger one.
 
Only 4 jets. Thanks again for the great advice! Looks like it just sits on top of the breather tube. Not very expensive either.

Probably best to add a circuit breaker and run a separate 240 power supply from the control box with a 1 or 1 1/2 HP motor rather than wiring directly to the Jet pump.

Thanks again for your help figuring this out... :goodjob:
 
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