hi there. Hoping for help finding an air leak. My inground pool has air bubbles shooting out of several of the Jets. I still seem to have full pressure though. I don’t see any dirt or sediment coming out. Is a significant amount of air. This started when I didn’t realize that the skimmer was blocked, and I believe that this created suction that resulted in the issue.
Air Leak - Must Be Above Ground?
- Thread starter Reeeba1
- Start date
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,264
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do you have a SWG? When producing, it’s not uncommon to see bubbles coming from the jets.
It’s a little hard to see inside the pump, but again when we first start it, it runs normally with only a little bit of air at the top and then as it runs some of the air bubbles start to bleed back in, which is what looks like is happening now. I didn’t seem to be able to post a video.Here are some photos of the set up. Please don’t look at the leaves! Just blew out the gutters last week.
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,264
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Can you show a photo of pump side on the side of your filter?
Did you recently clean your filter and pump basket? Perhaps open both, lube, then secure again to see if the bubbles go away.
Did you recently clean your filter and pump basket? Perhaps open both, lube, then secure again to see if the bubbles go away.
Sure. I’ll get a picture. I actually did clean the filter and the pump basket. I bought a new gasket for the pump basket lid, replaced it and added silicone. Also removed and replaced the gasket on the filter which is less than a year old and put silicone there too. I just keep thinking that with the system, retaining pressure, if there were a leak in any of those areas, wouldn’t it be more likely for water to leak out rather than air to leak in? That’s what really has me thinking. It must be somewhere inside the pump. I just don’t know the pump function well enough to figure out where.
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,264
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Did you remember to tighten the pressure gauge on top of the filter?
I was just thinking about areas where air could come in.
I was just thinking about areas where air could come in.
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,264
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You mentioned skimmer was temporarily blocked. Have the bubbles decreased while the pump is running for a while?
Outside of my above recommendations, I’m not sure what else it could be. Hopefully someone else here has some ideas of where else you can look.
Outside of my above recommendations, I’m not sure what else it could be. Hopefully someone else here has some ideas of where else you can look.
Pump lid O ring needing lube or replacing.
Inlet plumbing to the pump including the pipe nipple, a union, and any valve that is before the pump.
A bead of silicone sealant around the area where the inlet pipe goes into the pot can seal a leak there. That's a small amount.
Union may need tightening if there.
There are 3 O rings in a valve that can leak air, the two on the stem and the lid O ring itself.
Nothing after the pump, including the outlet itself, will cause that air. That would be a water leak.
Thank you. Bubbles do not decrease. I really wish I could figure it out!! Appreciate the help…