I just had our pool opened up for the year by the company which made the pool originally 12 years ago, and who has always done our major pool service (opening and closing). This year, we had them to open the pool, and they got it up, primed, and running successfully. Water is green and cloudy, a bit worse than usual but nothing out of the ordinary. However, after being shut off overnight, I can no longer get the system to prime. Details:
22000 gal in-ground salt-water pool, sand filter, Hayward 1 HP single speed motor (probably 12 years old). 2 skimmers, and 1 main drain, no changes at all to the configuration since it has been built originally 12 years ago. The pump is probably 3-4 feet higher than the pool water level, and is approximately ~15 fret from the pool itself, all due to landscaping/yard layout.
Normally after opening, I have to backflush the sand filter 4-5 times over the first few days (often 2-3 times the first day) to keep the pressure within normal range. Because it was higher algae, they recommend not backflushing for 24 hours to let chlorine/algicide do its thing. I had to perform 2 short backflushes within the first 2 hours just to get pressure down to normal (spiked up to 25, 30psi), down to it's normal 17psi.
I had to leave home and left the pool running, and when I got home that night, the pressure was up to 30psi. I shut off the pump, quick backflush, turned it back on and it was down to the normal 17psi. At that point, I decided to leave it off overnight and kick it on again in the AM. When I went to turn it on in the morning, I can no longer get it to prime. I cannot get ANY water to flow into the pump skimmer section from the pool side. It was fine the night before, and now I can't get any water to flow into the pump. I've checked everything I can think of and I'm at my wits end! Here's what I've done:
Each time I fill the pump skimmer fully before attempting to prime. Pump sounds normal, same as it always has. When I turn on the pump, it nearly INSTANTLY sucks all the water in from the skimmer and discharges it, no problem. However, when I run the pump with the skimmer lid on it and the Janky 1-way valve lid off, I was expecting to feel a vacuum with my hand over the janky and I don't feel any suction. Should the pump generate enough vacuum that I should be able to feel it with my palm covering the Janky 1-way valve? I am wondering if my pump somehow isn't pulling enough vacuum to suck the water from the pool?
Nothing of the layout/configuration of the pool has changed at all since it was built and it's been fine for 12 years.
It is strange to me that the pump sucks water up quickly and discharges it just fine, I can't find any leaks, and all was working fine the night before, and after sitting overnight I can no longer get ANY water to come down the suction side via the pool pump. I could see if the guys opening the pool couldn't get it the day before, but they got it all started up and it was fine, until sitting overnight.
Any next steps would be most appreciated. I don't want to have the pool company out and pay a major premium for a new pump and labor if I can do it myself... what would be the next steps? Should I try to rig a vacuum gauge to the drain valves on the pump? or if there are any other tests I can do to verify if the pump is bad or if it's something else? My only other idea is to take the pump off, disassemble it and inspect the impeller etc... but again it seems strange that it sounds fine, sucks water out of the skimmer very quickly, and worked fine the prior night.
Please help
22000 gal in-ground salt-water pool, sand filter, Hayward 1 HP single speed motor (probably 12 years old). 2 skimmers, and 1 main drain, no changes at all to the configuration since it has been built originally 12 years ago. The pump is probably 3-4 feet higher than the pool water level, and is approximately ~15 fret from the pool itself, all due to landscaping/yard layout.
Normally after opening, I have to backflush the sand filter 4-5 times over the first few days (often 2-3 times the first day) to keep the pressure within normal range. Because it was higher algae, they recommend not backflushing for 24 hours to let chlorine/algicide do its thing. I had to perform 2 short backflushes within the first 2 hours just to get pressure down to normal (spiked up to 25, 30psi), down to it's normal 17psi.
I had to leave home and left the pool running, and when I got home that night, the pressure was up to 30psi. I shut off the pump, quick backflush, turned it back on and it was down to the normal 17psi. At that point, I decided to leave it off overnight and kick it on again in the AM. When I went to turn it on in the morning, I can no longer get it to prime. I cannot get ANY water to flow into the pump skimmer section from the pool side. It was fine the night before, and now I can't get any water to flow into the pump. I've checked everything I can think of and I'm at my wits end! Here's what I've done:
- Used plumbers bladder in both skimmers, to ensure water freely flows just fine all the way to the pump
- Disassembled, inspected reassembled the Janky 1-way valve before the pump (cleaned, lubed o-ring)
- Purchased new o-ring seal for skimmer basket lid, cleaned and lubed with Jacks 327
- Stuck my finger in to check for debris from skimmer side, its clean and spins freely (pump does sound normal as well when running)
- Got dishsoap bubbles, put bubbles all over all accessible areas on the suction side, I cannot see any bubbles getting sucked in anywhere (including skimmer lid and drain valves)
- Primed both skimmer lines with water using plumbers bladder (pushing water in from pool side), closed the valves after filling, fill skimmer basket with water, open valves while simultaneously kicking pump on
- Repeated different combinations of valves to have 1-skimmer on, 2-skimmers on main off, 1 skimmer on main on, etc. with filling the pump skimmer with water before turning on pump
- Turned sand filter to bypass, bypass to waste, and tried all of the above
Each time I fill the pump skimmer fully before attempting to prime. Pump sounds normal, same as it always has. When I turn on the pump, it nearly INSTANTLY sucks all the water in from the skimmer and discharges it, no problem. However, when I run the pump with the skimmer lid on it and the Janky 1-way valve lid off, I was expecting to feel a vacuum with my hand over the janky and I don't feel any suction. Should the pump generate enough vacuum that I should be able to feel it with my palm covering the Janky 1-way valve? I am wondering if my pump somehow isn't pulling enough vacuum to suck the water from the pool?
Nothing of the layout/configuration of the pool has changed at all since it was built and it's been fine for 12 years.
It is strange to me that the pump sucks water up quickly and discharges it just fine, I can't find any leaks, and all was working fine the night before, and after sitting overnight I can no longer get ANY water to come down the suction side via the pool pump. I could see if the guys opening the pool couldn't get it the day before, but they got it all started up and it was fine, until sitting overnight.
Any next steps would be most appreciated. I don't want to have the pool company out and pay a major premium for a new pump and labor if I can do it myself... what would be the next steps? Should I try to rig a vacuum gauge to the drain valves on the pump? or if there are any other tests I can do to verify if the pump is bad or if it's something else? My only other idea is to take the pump off, disassemble it and inspect the impeller etc... but again it seems strange that it sounds fine, sucks water out of the skimmer very quickly, and worked fine the prior night.
Please help