Pump losing its prime

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V

Vtfanatic

0
May 17, 2015
73
Herndon/va
All,

I need some troubleshooting advice on pump losing its prime. I have a return line that I use that is designed for a vacuum. It has a Jandy Energy filter connected to it. When using that setting the pump holds its prime and runs. However if I turn that valve off and try to use return lines that run directly through filter then my pump loses its prime. I also have a heat pump that runs when the Jandy Energy filter is off. I have not turned on the heat pump yet as I was trying to get the pool cleared up first. Thoughts on what could be my issue and where to begin to troubleshoot? Thanks.
 
So to add to the above. If I move the multiport valve to recirculate, the pump holds its prime and runs correctly. I assume this means that my issue is somewhere with my filter, correct? Could it be that my filter is sucking in air somewhere or possibly a bad lateral?
 
v,

So I see that no one has responded yet to your problem.. this may be because on the surface it does not make sense... :p

So maybe we just don't fully understand the issue...

Normally, when we say a pump does not hold a prime, we are talking about when you turn the pump off, and the water drains back into the pool. When you turn the pump back on, the pump has to fill the pump basket again... It does not sound like this is the problem that you are having..

If the pump seems to run ok when in recirculate, but not when in the filter mode, then the most likely problem is that water is unable to pass through the filter...

Tell us about your water... is it green? Have you used Floc or Clarifier lately? Both of these can plug up a sand filter..

Have you backwashed lately? If so, does the pump work ok for a little while and then quit working?

The output side of the pump, including the filter are all under pressure, so it is unlikely that you have an air leak...

Is your Jandy Energy filter the white device with the pressure gauge on it?? If so, that is on the pressure side of the pump and does not appear to go through your main filter...

On the surface it appears to me that your filter is just clogged...

Please tell us a little more about what the pump does when it is not working? What is the filter pressure when in the filter mode???

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Pump runs fine when in recirculate and when in filter and the water flows back through jandy energy filter (Yes that is white device with gauge). When I say lost it's prime, the pressure and water level drops at the pump and water flow coming in is not full, but only when going through filter only. My water is cloudy. I have only added some pH reducer prior to SLAM, stabilizer, liquid bleach and 2 pucks. It was a real swamp when I opened it. I started a SLAM but was also stuggling with low CYA (below 20). I put in necessary stabilizer to raise but it did not go up. I was frequently backwashing so I then thought I was pushing out all of the stabilizer, so I reapplied and have not backwashed. Now my problem has been the monsoon over the last week, so I have not been able to get an accurate reading on the CYA. I checked FC levels earlier tonight and they were still at around 10. I also used 2 pucks since i figured that would help with chlorine and raise my CYA too. The pump has always worked fine while backwashing.

Pressure gauge does not vary between running in filter with water going through jandy filter and bypassing. It reads at 10PSI. One last note, I do appear to have some sand in the pool I have noticed from the robot vacuum as well as on the steps.

Is there an option to post a video? I could show the pressure differences. I also need to bypass the jandy energy filter to get the heat pump to turn on. It would turn on and stay on when in recirculate but also displays low pressure reading when in filter mode.

Thanks so much for the help.
 
Why is this Pool Return off? See red circle below ...

Pool Plumbing1.jpg

When you turn the cleaner that is powered through the Jandy Energy Filter off does the pressure on the Jandy Energy Filter go to 0?

When you have the Jandy Energy Filter on it diverts some of the water from the filter through the Jandy to power your cleaner. With the Jandy off all the water should flow through your filter.
 
Vtfanatic said:
When I say lost it's prime, the pressure and water level drops at the pump and water flow coming in is not full, but only when going through filter only. ...
Pressure gauge does not vary between running in filter with water going through jandy filter and bypassing. It reads at 10PSI.
Click to expand...

When was the last time you checked or replaced your filter pressure gauge?

The Jandy is on the output side of your pump. The behavior of your pump sounds like when you put all the water to the filter the back pressure is too high and it can't pump it through the filter alone. Opening up the Jandy to your cleaner relieves some of the filter pressure and lets the water flow split between the Jandy and filter.

When did you last open up your filter and check and clean it?

I think you have a filter problem of some sort.
 
I must have been tinkering with it. It is usually with the pool drain return as off but honestly, I have never been sure which of these settings should be on or off. Can you provide a recommendation here?

- - - Updated - - -

filter gauge is fairly new. Maybe a year old or so and I remove it and store it in a shed each winter.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Jim. I will do this tomorrow and report back. QQ though, how do I know if my laterals are good or bad or is that also discussed in video?
 

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Vtfanatic said:
I must have been tinkering with it. It is usually with the pool drain return as off but honestly, I have never been sure which of these settings should be on or off. Can you provide a recommendation here?
Click to expand...

I am an amateur about pool plumbing. Do you have any water flow out of your pool returns? It looks to me that on that valve setting you are recirculating your filtered return water right back to the skimmer inflow plumbing without it going to the pool. That may explain why your pool water continues to be cloudy.

I would check carefully the water return outlets into your pool and adjust the valve accordingly.

Hmmm ... that valve setting may explain what you are seeing. With the Jandy off the pump is recirculating water from the filter right into the skimmer circuit. The skimmer is probably not sucking much water. And you are seeing the pump lose prime because of that valve setting.

When you turn on the Jandy you are returning some water through the cleaner and your pump and skimmer are seeing at least some normal circulation.

I am making a bunch of assumptions here but I would look carefully at the return flow into your pool with the Jandy on and off and then change that valve to OFF on POOL DRAIN RETURN and check your pool returns again.
 
Allen,

When the multiport is in the recirculate position, the filter is bypassed but the rest of the plumbing is the same... So, basically, water is sucked from the skimmer by the pump and then pushed "around" the filter and then through the heater and back to the pool... It cannot go back to the skimmer...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Allen,

When the multiport is in the recirculate position, the filter is bypassed but the rest of the plumbing is the same... So, basically, water is sucked from the skimmer by the pump and then pushed "around" the filter and then through the heater and back to the pool... It cannot go back to the skimmer...

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

It's not his multiport in the recirculate position. It looks like he has a Jandy valve that shuts his POOL RETURN off and diverts the water back to the skimmer input side of the pump. It took me a while to stare at his plumbing and visualize the flow from the pictures and valve position he posted.
 
Red arrows show the way I think the water is flowing with the valve settings. Flow is off to the POOL RETURN.

Pool Plumbing2.jpg
 
When the Jandy Cleaner valve is open some flow is sent out to the return cleaner line - blue arrows. But main return is still off and skimmers are probably not pulling at full strength.

Pool Plumbing2a.jpg
 
Jimrahbe said:
Allen,

Please look at post #4...

But I agree that it is pretty hard to completely understand what is going on.. It is making my head hurt!!! :p

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Yup, I saw your comments in post #4 and agree that it looks like there could be a filter problem.

The way it seems he has his valves set is asking the pump to support a flow it is not designed to handle. That valve setup is not a normal pool flow from pool skimmers though pump through filter to return and back to pool.

I have not seen many pool plumbing setups and have never seen a valve connected the way that valve is between the RETURN and the SKIMMER circuits. At least that is the way it looks to me from the posted pictures. From the label it has something to do with draining the pool.
 
This pic shows what I believe should be the normal pool flow path. The black X is where there should not be any flow in normal operation.

I sure welcome other interpretations about this plumbing setup. I drew these pictures since this is where a picture is worth 1000 words.

Pool Plumbing2b.jpg
 
Where you have the black X is the way it is normally configured and set to off. It is set to off that way now and I still have the issue described above. Thanks again guys for the comments. I will report back tomorrow after deep clean but I appreciate the assistance.
 
A few quick additional observations:

Deep cleaned filter today rather easily. Water was mostly clear though it had a little foam to it for a bit.

Gauge was broken so I need a new gauge. I noticed sand in it too. Not sure if that means anything

I also noticed that the filter itself is not sitting level. I am draining it again and will get it level before reconnecting everything.

Anything else I should check or do before reassembling?
 

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