Spa Waterfall / Water Level

[mhjerpe]

I have a built in pool which has a spa attached that waterfalls into the pool when the filter is running. The pool filter is running normally but the waterfall is hardly a trickle. When the filter shuts off the spa drains about 4 inches of water overnight. The valves on the spa are automatic and turning both on and off.

Any ideas ?

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

The dropping level is liekly either due to the 3-way valve leaking or the check valve leaking.

What is your filter pressure? What is your clean filter pressure? When was the last time you cleaned the filter?

Does the spa get its overflow water due to the 3-way return valve not turned all the way to pool in "pool mode" or do you have a separate bypass with a ball valve to control the amount of spillover? Did someone change the valve?

Add some pictures of your plumbing setup.

 

[mhjerpe]

Thanks Jason !

The filter pressure is around 32. I just moved into this house a month ago so I don't have any background on what it reads when it's clean. My guess is it needs to be cleaned.

I believe it's a 3 way valve systems. Picture attached. 2 valves automatically open/close when I switch from Pool Mode to Spa Mode. There is a manual valve (bottom-middle) that controls flow to the vacuum.

None of the valves have been replaced lately. I don't see where I can control to flow to the spa....

 

[jblizzle]

I am going to assume that you are in "pool mode" in that picture.
The valve in front of the pump (the suction) has the right pipe closed and is pulling everything from the Pool on the left.
The left valve (the return) does not have either the right or left closed so water is returning to both the pool and the spa. You could adjust the internal stops in this actuator to adjust how much flow goes to the spa by closing the spa pipe some more (probably a good idea to have better flow in the pool).

Anyways, since nothing here could have been changed to affect the flow, I am guessing your filter is dirty and needs a good cleaning (since you do not know the history). BTW, 32psi seems very high to me. Does the gauge read zero when the pump is off? What does it read when in pool vs. spa mode?

Is the water level of the spa higher than the pool or at the same level as the pool? If higher, you would need a check valve on the spa return line to prevent the water from flowing backwards through the returns and back to the pool when the motor is off (assuming the return 3-way valve stays in that position).

Add any information about your pool and equipment into your signature so we can better offer advice.

 

[mhjerpe]

The filter reads 0 when off. I will take a shot at cleaning the filter and see if that changes things.

Thank you very much for you help !

 

[Qwaxalot]

The setup pictured will always drain the spa water down to the level of the pool water whenever turned off while in pool mode. I wouldn't worry about it. You really do need to clean that filter though.

 

[mhjerpe]

Just finished cleaning the filter and putting new DE in it. Works like a charm ! Waterfall is flowing better than ever (we've only been here a month) and the outlets are pushing way more water.

Thanks again Jason !

 

[jblizzle]

What is the pressure now running in pool and spa mode?

Keep track of this and you will want to clean the filter again when the pressure goes up by 20-25%

Out of curiosity, did you completely take the filter apart and do a thorough cleaning? Or just backwash a few times? It is good to break it down once a year as backwashing does not remove all the old DE.

 

[mhjerpe]

Pressure is at 18 in pool mode.

I broke the whole thing down, rinsed out the filter panels, replaced one that had a cracked inlet, put it back together, put new DE through the skimmer.

The filter was a mess - sand, hair, palm fronds, the DE was almost black. Not sure when they last changed it out.

Amazing what a difference it's made....

 

[jblizzle]

Good deal

Like I mentioned before, we recommend cleaning the filter at a 20-25% pressure rise, for you that would be about 22psi ... that was one dirty filter!!!!

You never did answer about the relative spa level to the pool. Does it look like the spa water level drops to the pool level? Without adding a check valve on the spa return line, that is always going to happen.

 

[mhjerpe]

The spa doesn't drop all the way to the pool level. More like the level of the filter. I didn't drop at all until about a week ago.... We'll see what happens now that everything is working properly.