Self-cleaning pool problems

[jrdaneel]

I have a pool with a Paramount Vantage in-floor self-cleaning system installed. The pool is essentially a rectangle, with in-floor nozzles in each corner, one fixed nozzle in the centre of one side, and the drain in the centre of the side opposite the fixed nozzle. The corner nozzles (used to) pop up in sequence and blow water jets across the bottom of the pool - each time they pop up they rotate a little. The fixed nozzle blows a water jet across to the drain.

The system works off my filter pump - the filter is a Hayward sand filter. The pool is salt chlorinated. The return water splits into two - one pipe to the fixed nozzle which is always on (when the filter is running), and the other pipe goes to a Paramount 6-port water valve which distributes the water to the floor corner nozzles (two nozzles are plumbed to two ports each, and the other two nozzles to one port each, so no port is plugged).

The system was installed when the pool was installed about 8 years ago, and worked fine up until about a week ago when I noticed that all floor corner nozzles were up and blowing water. The troubleshooting guide suggests this is due to a lack of water pressure at the distributor valve, and sure enough, when I check the pressure gauge it is at about 20kpa (3psi). The pressure at the filter is 100kpa (15psi). This is a little lower than spec, but it has always run at that pressure - the filter is about 16m (about 50 feet) from the skimmer and distributor valve, and about 2m (6 feet) above water level (the distributor valve is at water level).

All leaf/lint baskets are clean. I have tried the bypassing the filter (set to recirculate), but no change - so the sand is not a problem (have backwashed and cleaned the sand anyway).

What could be the problem? I can't see how the pressure at the distributor valve can be so much less than the pressure at the filter. The salt cell is new (ish - about 5 months old) and is clean. As far as I know, the salt cell is the only thing between the sand and the distributor valve. Since the pipe to the distributor valve is on the downstream side of the sand and salt cell, I can't believe it is blocked in any way - for any debris to make it into that pipe it would have to get through the skimmer basket, the hair/lint basket at the pump, the sand and the salt cell.

Is it possible the distributor valve module (Paramount 6-port valve module) is broken, causing all valve to open thus causing the low pressure?

The pressure gauges at the filter is the same age as the salt cell - about 5 months - and the one at the distributor valve is brand new.

I'm lost - any tips would be very much appreciated.

 

[jblizzle]

I know the caretaker systems have a mesh screen just above the dome valve system. Does your system maybe also have a final screen that could be clogged?

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[Pool Clown]

Is it possible the distributor valve module (Paramount 6-port valve module) is broken, causing all valve to open thus causing the low pressure?
You are spot on

I'm lost - any tips would be very much appreciated.

Hey Jr, and welcome to the forum. You seem to know the system well! So i wont drone on about what and why things are happening. Of course i will if you want. The long and short of it is... You need a new 6 port valve mod. when you take the old valve out, you will see that you are indeed correct, all the valves are open.

 

[jrdaneel]

Is it possible the distributor valve module (Paramount 6-port valve module) is broken, causing all valve to open thus causing the low pressure?
You are spot on

I'm lost - any tips would be very much appreciated.

Hey Jr, and welcome to the forum. You seem to know the system well! So i wont drone on about what and why things are happening. Of course i will if you want. The long and short of it is... You need a new 6 port valve mod. when you take the old valve out, you will see that you are indeed correct, all the valves are open.

Well thanks. Actually I don't know that much - all of that was just deduction from looking at the pipes and watching water flow as I turned valves on and off. Always willing to learn more if you're willing to teach.

I did pop the module out, and the valves do hang down a bit. Are they supposed to snap back into place when there is no water flow? The gears are working, and the inner part of body rotates when I turn the gears. The impeller turns freely, and when the filter is running I can hear the gears turning. The mechanism seems to be that little plastic balls cover holes in each of the valve enclosures until each is displaced (in turn) by the rotation of the gears, then the valve opens because water pushes it open when the ball is displaced - is that right? I suppose the water pressure keeps the balls in place until it is their turn to be displaced and open. I'm almost surprised they don't float off when the filter isn't running.

 

[Pool Clown]

Yes, the valves hanging down are bleeding pressure/flow and not allowing the one valve that should be open from operating the popup head(s). You can push them back down, but that is not a fix. They will just hang open again the next time they are cycled. Replacement of the valve should bring you back to the way it worked before your problem.

You can ask questions either here, in a new thread, or PM me. What ever works best for you.

 

[jrdaneel]

Thanks. Yeah, I figured it was broken. Just wondered if they're supposed to snap back into place (when it's working properly) or wether the water flow is supposed to keep them closed. No matter really - I've ordered a new one.

Thanks again for your help.