Pool pump keeps losing water/pressure

[FlyersDude21]

I noticed there was bubbles coming out of the pump holes in both the spa and the pool. I went and checked my pumps in the pool pump. Looked like it was filling up with water and then draining it and filling up with water and draining it. I put on the blower and cleaner and then turn them off and air released again out of the spa and pool pipes.

I took a video which starts in spa mode and then moves to pool mode. It doesn't look like the one checked valve closes all the way and I'm wondering if that could be the issue. At the end of the video when it looks like the pool pump is full, it then drops the level all the way down again.

I turned the blowers on in the spa and then when I turn them off i also noticed air coming out of both the pool pipe as well as the spa pipes. When the pool pump is off you can see one of the check valves open. I wonder if this could be the issue?

On a side note, it looks like our pool doesn't have weirs and I'm not seeing any holes where to add them. Do we really need? Have a weekly pool cleaning service.

Video of problem

 

[1poolman1]

I noticed there was bubbles coming out of the pump holes in both the spa and the pool. I went and checked my pumps in the pool pump. Looked like it was filling up with water and then draining it and filling up with water and draining it. I put on the blower and cleaner and then turn them off and air released again out of the spa and pool pipes.

I took a video which starts in spa mode and then moves to pool mode. It doesn't look like the one checked valve closes all the way and I'm wondering if that could be the issue. At the end of the video when it looks like the pool pump is full, it then drops the level all the way down again.

Video of issue

Acting like a weir stuck in the up position, or a very clogged skimmer basket.

 

[FlyersDude21]

Acting like a weir stuck in the up position, or a very clogged skimmer basket.

The pool was just cleaned yesterday so there's nothing in the skimmer baskets.

I just looked and we actually don't have weirs.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I just looked and we actually don't have weirs.

21,

Are you sure??? Skimmers without weir door do not work very well..

Show us some pics of your skimmers, where the weir doors should be, and your equipment pad.

The number one reason for a pump to operate like you said above, is either very low water level, or a stuck weir door.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FlyersDude21]

21,

Are you sure??? Skimmers without weir door do not work very well..

Show us some pics of your skimmers, where the weir doors should be, and your equipment pad.

The number one reason for a pump to operate like you said above, is either very low water level, or a stuck weir door.

Thanks,

Jim R.

I just uploaded photos in the main post with video

21,

Are you sure??? Skimmers without weir door do not work very well..

Show us some pics of your skimmers, where the weir doors should be, and your equipment pad.

The number one reason for a pump to operate like you said above, is either very low water level, or a stuck weir door.

Thanks,

Jim R

 

[Jimrahbe]

21,

Thanks for the pics..

Of course, you were correct, your weir door is gone.. You should look into replacing it.

Your water level looks awful low but that could be the pic...

Your pump is definitely surging... Usually caused by a stuck weir door (not your problem) or the water level being way too low at the skimmer mouth.

It could also be a clog in the intake pipe from the skimmer... What happens when you move your Intake valve, and suck from the pipe on the left (which I assume is a spa)???

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FlyersDude21]

21,

Thanks for the pics..

Of course, you were correct, your skimmer is gone.. You should look into replacing it.

Your water level looks awful low but that could be the pic...

Your pump is definitely surging... Usually caused by a stuck weir door (not your problem) or the water level being way too low at the skimmer mouth.

It could also be a clog in the intake pipe from the skimmer... What happens when you move your Intake valve, and suck from the pipe on the left (which I assume is a spa)???

Thanks,

Jim R.

I'm going to try that out and see what happens. It looks like that one check valve behind the chrorline filler is stuck open when I turn off the pool. I'm wondering if that could be the issue.

I'll turn the spa on and see what happens instead of the pool.

As mentioned earlier too, I was playing around with the app and turned on the bubbler/blower for the spa. Water bubbled out of both the spa and the pool. When I turned the blower off the last of the air was also released into the spa as well as the pool while the system cleared itself out.

Lastly, when I run the pool cleaner as well, the pool pump drains all the way down. Is that normal?

Again, I'm wondering if it all comes back to that check valve

On a side note, when you say replace the skimmer, you mean the weir? I'm not seeing any holes on where I could snap the weir in. I'm wondering if the pool ever even had one.

 

[Jimrahbe]

On a side note, when you say replace the skimmer, you mean the weir? I'm not seeing any holes on where I could snap the weir in. I'm wondering if the pool ever even had one.

21,

Yes, I fixed by post, I meant to say 'weir'..

The holes for your weir door appear to be gone... You can buy universal spring loaded weir doors.. Just have to measure the space you have and get one that is close to the right size.. I have a rent house with one of them installed, and they work pretty well..

The check valve between your tab feeder and your heater. The only reason for that check valve is to prevent the 'low pH goop' in the feeder from flowing back into your heater and eating it alive...

The check valve that is right below your automated Return valve is part of a system that adds water to your spa, when in the pool mode, so that your spa spills over into your pool. Neither should cause the problem you are having with your pump.

With the power off, you can also remove the pump lid and feel where the pump impeller is, and make sure it is not full of leaves...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FlyersDude21]

21,

Yes, I fixed by post, I meant to say 'weir'..

The holes for your weir door appear to be gone... You can buy universal spring loaded weir doors.. Just have to measure the space you have and get one that is close to the right size.. I have a rent house with one of them installed, and they work pretty well..

The check valve between your tab feeder and your heater. The only reason for that check valve is to prevent the 'low pH goop' in the feeder from flowing back into your heater and eating it alive...

The check valve that is right below your automated Return valve is part of a system that adds water to your spa, when in the pool mode, so that your spa spills over into your pool. Neither should cause the problem you are having with your pump.

With the power off, you can also remove the pump lid and feel where the pump impeller is, and make sure it is not full of leaves...

Thanks,

Jim R.

So first off, does that valve need to be replaced between the feeder and the heater since it's stuck open? Tons of air and fizzy water was in there when I turned to the pool on.

Secondly, there shouldn't have been any leaves or anything in the pump as we don't have any trees around or the pool and they're rarely is anything on top.

I already replaced the check valve a few months ago as the spa was draining so that one should be good. Also the water level is right below the overflow pipe as I just filled it today before posting pictures.

So you think there might be something stuck in the pipe and if not what else could it be?

 

[FlyersDude21]

21,

Yes, I fixed by post, I meant to say 'weir'..

The holes for your weir door appear to be gone... You can buy universal spring loaded weir doors.. Just have to measure the space you have and get one that is close to the right size.. I have a rent house with one of them installed, and they work pretty well..

The check valve between your tab feeder and your heater. The only reason for that check valve is to prevent the 'low pH goop' in the feeder from flowing back into your heater and eating it alive...

The check valve that is right below your automated Return valve is part of a system that adds water to your spa, when in the pool mode, so that your spa spills over into your pool. Neither should cause the problem you are having with your pump.

With the power off, you can also remove the pump lid and feel where the pump impeller is, and make sure it is not full of leaves...

Thanks,

Jim R.

Here is the video of the SPA mode running. Seals itself off and fills up with water normally.

Moved back to POOL mode and surges again. I removed the basket and reached in and they felt to be nothing in there.

No. After 2 minutes however in POOL mode the pump fills back up and seems to not be surging. This video is right after the one above.

 

[Jimrahbe]

21

If the pump works ok in the spa mode, then that means that pump, the filter, the heater and the water return path are ok..

Since the pump does not seem to work in the pool mode, something in the input to the pump has to be the problem.

It is hard for me to keep up with the videos, but it appears to me that your Intake valve is not moving correctly..

The automated Intake valve that is right in front of your main pool pump, should be fully in the Pool mode or fully in the Spa mode. In your pic it appears to be half pool and half spa..

I'd want to know if that valve is working or not. In the pool mode, the handle of the valve should point to the right shutting off the spa pipe completely.. In the Spa mode, the handle of the valve should point to the left, shutting off the pool pipe on the right.

Some things that you can try is to remove the actuator that is above the valve, and then take the top off of the valve and make sure nothing is broken inside. We have seen the diverter valve shaft sheared in half, so that it appears to move when it does not. The actuator and the valve cover use two different screw lengths, so make sure the right screws go in the right holes.

If the valve looks ok, then while you have the valve top off, you can use a Drain King and try to back flush water back from the valve into the skimmer to see if you can get anything stuck in the line to move backwards into the skimmer.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FlyersDude21]

21

If the pump works ok in the spa mode, then that means that pump, the filter, the heater and the water return path are ok..

Since the pump does not seem to work in the pool mode, something in the input to the pump has to be the problem.

It is hard for me to keep up with the videos, but it appears to me that your Intake valve is not moving correctly..

The automated Intake valve that is right in front of your main pool pump, should be fully in the Pool mode or fully in the Spa mode. In your pic it appears to be half pool and half spa..

I'd want to know if that valve is working or not. In the pool mode, the handle of the valve should point to the right shutting off the spa pipe completely.. In the Spa mode, the handle of the valve should point to the left, shutting off the pool pipe on the right.

Some things that you can try is to remove the actuator that is above the valve, and then take the top off of the valve and make sure nothing is broken inside. We have seen the diverter valve shaft sheared in half, so that it appears to move when it does not. The actuator and the valve cover use two different screw lengths, so make sure the right screws go in the right holes.

If the valve looks ok, then while you have the valve top off, you can use a Drain King and try to back flush water back from the valve into the skimmer to see if you can get anything stuck in the line to move backwards into the skimmer.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Here are the valves in pool mode. They then both switch 180° when I turn on SPA.
As shown in the last video above after running pool for about 2 minutes, everything seemed to run normal again. this is when going from spa to pool after surges it just stopped. I'm going to test it tomorrow for a few hours and see what happens.