Air in the pool

[roquejpm]

I am losing the little hair I got left. There is air in the pool, and the pump is not priming all way (1/3 of the pump basket has no water), and yes, the water level is mid-level to the skimmer. To try and fix it this is what I have tried:

1. Replaced the pump. The old was over 15 years old. The new pump is the INTELLIFLO3 VSF VARIABLE SPEED AND FLOW POOL PUMP
2. . All the seals were checked, and no air leak was detected (tested with water and smoke)
3. All the connections and values were replaced. Again, all the seals were checked, and no air leak was detected (tested with water and smoke)
4. A professional checked every line for obstructions using air and water. Again, nothing.
5. The skimmer was checked for air leaks, and nothing was found. However, it is the only piece of equipment that has not changed.

Does anyone have a suggestion that I still need to try?

JP

 

[mas985]

Welcome to the forum!

By "Air in the pool" do you mean there are air bubbles coming out of the returns?

Do you have a SWG? Bubbles out of the returns is normal while the SWG is active.

Do you have pool solar panels? Are they active when you see the bubbles? What is the filter pressure? How high are the panels?

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[roquejpm]

Thank you for the question. As reflected in the enclosed picture, is not a few bubbles. The pump is NOT filling with water. Even after emptying all the air, it never fills, and a few minutes later, the air is back in the filter. Didn't have this issue for ten (10) years. It all started about six months ago. Hence the reason I started updating and replacing components. However, nothing I have done seems to help.

 

[mas985]

First, using water or smoke may not always reveal air leaks.

So a few more questions:

Have you visually inspected the pump lid gasket for cracks?

Have you tried using pool lube on the pump lid gasket and drain plugs to help seal them?

In #3 above, did you mean to say that you replaced all the valves? If not, the o-rings are another source of air leaks.

Can you also take a wider picture of the entire suction side plumbing equipment on the pad?

 

[duraleigh]

The two most common sources for the issue you are describing are

1. A suction side leak........by far the most common

2. Impellor has come loose from the shaft (that's a DISTANT # 2)

Have you read the article on suction side leaks in Pool School? It may help you.

The large O-ring sits in it's groove nicely and the cap lid goes on easily using only hand tight pressure.

Checked the lid carefully for cracks from over tightening.

When you turn on the pump, is it pulling water through the pump at all?