Polaris 280 - Pressure Relief Valve

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jeff009

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Feb 4, 2009
16
Hello, I've tried searching but I can't find an answer to this. Bought a house with a pool and a polaris 280, the pressure relief valve went bad. I've replaced it with a brand new one, prior to the old one failing the unit worked just fine. Now with the new one in, screwed all the way in, the valve engages and my polaris doesn't move so well/at all. I've tried both the blue and the red restrictor plates. The red one has reduced the amount coming out of the relief valve. I've also cleaned the inline filter. I've checked the backup unit and it is fine, no clogs. I've taken the main unit apart and can't find any clogs. Also, I've only attached a small segment of line and the water shoots out the end, and the pressure relief valve does not engaged.

It would seem that something is possibly stuck in the line somewhere, but I don't know. Or possibly the relief valve is bad, just not sure which.

Any thoughts or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,

Jeff
 
Start off with no plates and the relief valve tightened all the way down and check your RPM. If you're over 32, open the valve until you drop into the 28-32 range. If you're under 28 RPM with the valve closed and no plates in line then we'll have to track down what the bigger issue is.
 
spishex said:
Start off with no plates and the relief valve tightened all the way down and check your RPM. If you're over 32, open the valve until you drop into the 28-32 range. If you're under 28 RPM with the valve closed and no plates in line then we'll have to track down what the bigger issue is.
Click to expand...

Ok, so I've removed the restrictor plate, my RPMs are in the mid 20s, the tail is barely sweeping. My relief valve is spewing a ton of water/pressure. If I stick my hand of the relief valve, forcing the pressure back down to the polaris, the tail sweeps and the whole thing picks up speed. Is there something special with the relief valve I need to do to make it work properly, seems to be engaging regardless - I just took it out of the plastic bag and screwed it down all the way.

Thanks,

Jeff
 
spishex said:
The valve shouldn't be allowing any water out if it is screwed down tight.
Click to expand...

Ok, uh, it won't screw in any further, I've used a wrench and it isn't going anywhere. Should the end/bottom of the relief valve (i.e. the bottom of the spring) touch the inside wall of the quick disconnect? Mine doesn't and not sure if the spring is right.

Jeff
 
Hm. I'll need to get one in my hand tomorrow to see what you're talking about. Perhaps the original problem was with the wall fitting and not the valve itself. Maybe someone with one in their backyard can answer in the meantime.
 
The valve should always be screwed all the way in. It is designed to work as a pressure relief and should only let water out the side of the fitting when the pressure in the line exceeds the spring pressure. It's there to prevent excess pressure from damaging the internal workings of the Polaris.

It's possible that there is a clog inside the Polaris, but if your inlet screen (inside the regulator fitting at the wall) is OK, then nothing should have been able to get past it. It's a very fine screen.

Another thought is that since the Polaris is plumbed in parallel with the main pool pump, is there a chance that one of the jets or other returns to the pool is clogged? That would increase the feed pressure to the Polaris pump.
 
Thanks for the tips, but still no luck. I've backwashed the filter and that didn't seem to help - though it helped some other things. I also put a new connector in the wall for the quick connect, that didn't help. I've checked everything I know to check on this pool for clogs and the such and don't see anything.

I've tried the shortening the hose a couple of times already. With no restrictor, and just the piece after the inline filter, I get nothing out of the relief valve. When I add back more, another length, then the valve starts to engage. If I add the next length, more comes out. I guess I could replace the whole hose - I've taken sections off and tried to look through them, but haven't seen anything.

Any other thoughts?

Jeff
 

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spishex said:
jeff009 said:
I also put a new connector in the wall for the quick connect, that didn't help.
Click to expand...

You mean the threaded piece with the two tabs, correct? By 'wall fitting' earlier I meant number 46 on the diagram, assuming you only replaced number 45.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I replaced the threaded piece. I have not replaced #46. When I attached just #46 and turn on the pumps, the valve does not engage, and water shoots out the end of the piece just fine. I can run out and get one to try.

Thanks,

Jeff
 
Tried one more thing, I took the hose off and blew compressed air through each of the various lengths. I didn't blow the air through the back-up valve (thought that might damage it). I also blew air through the tail sweep and the parts of the main housing. Nothing came out, put it all back together and still get the same thing.

This certainly sounds weird, I guess I will try the a new quick disconnect - #46.

Jeff
 
I have a 280, had to use the restrictor disc to slow it down . May seem stupid to ask but did you start the booster pump to run the 280? When my pump kicks in the thing runs around the pool fine.
 
Did you call Polaris? Their techs on the phone will actually help you find out the problem. Did you check the inline filter screen? Is it missing or full of debris? If so, clean it. Not sure what area of the country you live in, but Polaris cleaners don't work like they do in the summer time in cold water. Also could be your UWF o-ring is bad or missing.

Luke Pools
Polaris Warranty Center
 
lukepools said:
Did you call Polaris? Their techs on the phone will actually help you find out the problem. Did you check the inline filter screen? Is it missing or full of debris? If so, clean it. Not sure what area of the country you live in, but Polaris cleaners don't work like they do in the summer time in cold water. Also could be your UWF o-ring is bad or missing.

Luke Pools
Polaris Warranty Center
Click to expand...

Yep, done all that. I'm in central/south texas, so the water is cold, but it's 70 outside. I've looked at the o-ring, and it seems to be ok, I would think that water/pressure would be coming out the sides of the connection if that was bad, not just from the relief valve. To answer some other posters questions, the booster pump is engaged, it's when that turns on that the pressure relief valve start releasing pressure.

I'll try calling the Polaris before I buy anything, thanks for the tip.

Jeff
 
First off, just wanted to say thank you thus far for all the help and assistance.

I called Polaris. The technical support guy walked me through a number of things and he believes that it is one of two things -

1. The pressure relief valve is bad - even though it was brand new.
2. The backup valve gears are stripped or starting to strip - said this can cause a surge in pressure back up the line if they are working correctly.

So I guess I will try replacing the backup mechanism and see if that fixes everything.

Jeff
 
jeff009 said:
spishex said:
Try running it without the backup valve before you replace it.
Click to expand...

Yep, I tried that right after I posted the previous note. Didn't fix the problem, I guess I will try a new valve.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Perhaps there is a miscommunication here. If you removed the backup valve from the hoses, reconnected all hoses, and ran the cleaner and it STILL did not perform, its' not the backup valve...don't replace it. The original pressure relief valve was, I believe, black in color. The Polaris 65 (or Turbo Turtle) used to have a "manual" relief valve with holes in the threaded sides, that you could adjust. When that is screwed in all the way there is NO pressure relief. You might purchase one of those and try.
 

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