Newbie - Pool Jets are not pushing out water -

[meestahmarc]

Hi - new pool owner here. I really tried this weekend... got very far and feel good about my effort coming up the curve, but I am stuck.

I have a pretty standard pool, concrete, two skimmer baskets, 3 return jets and the booster pump going to the vacuum robot. I have a DE filter. Jacuzzi side with 4 jets and two drains in the jacuzzi.

My system has 3x 3-way Jandy Valves. Suction side seems good, I did find an air leak on one of the Jandy valves and sure enough had a broken o-ring which I replaced. Now no more bubbles in the pump basket window.

On the return side, I am getting little/no flow out the return jets. I moved the Hayward filter to both recirculate and filter and nothing changes (so ruled out the filter being gummed up and i did do a backwash and refill with the DE). The Jandy valve on the return side goes to both the Jacuzzi jets and/or the main jets. When I close off the pool jet side I do get decent pressure out the jacuzzi jets. I disassembled this Jandy value and admit is near the end of its life. The square seal was degrading, little/no grease on it and has a very very minor drip that only appeared after I put the thing back together and could not find my o-ring lube sealant (doh). I will say that when I move the valve to close off the jacuzzi side, I do not think it is completely closing that side off. Nonetheless, I am getting no pressure out the two farthest return jets and very little out the one closer pool jet. On the return pool jet side after the Jandy valve, there is a tie-in to the booster pump when I open that knob valve and turn on the booster, it really pushes out water from that single return port very well and the vacuum robot works nicely.

When Filter is set to waste or backwash, get a lot of flow, so I think the pump is working.

Would like help thinking out my plan of attack (other than calling the pool guy) - I think I have a blockage on the return jet side below where the booster pump ties-in. Since the Jandy valve doesnt really seal off the jacuzzi side, I guess I am not building enough pressure to push out the blockage... that or maybe there is a crack in the underground pipe, but it was sealed by a professional company and air did come out when I pulled the plugs (I think). I ordered a bladder and will try and stick it into the Jandy Valve opening going to the pool return jets.

Any other thoughts of what to do next? I know I need to replace that return side Jandy Valve, but I don't think alone would cause me to not have pressure at the jets. It's definitely not spraying water out.

I love learning new things and look forward to taking care of this pool with ease in the future. Thank you!

 

[needsajet]

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here

This is a stab in the dark, but just want to double-check that the return eyeballs in the pool got put back in all three returns. If you're getting flow at the first outlet, but less at the other two, there could be too much water flowing out of the first.

Hopefully someone with better ideas comes along. What pressure do you see with just the spa, and also with the spa off and all the flow going to the pool?

 

[meestahmarc]

Hi -

NO eyeballs were not put on in the pool jets... I saw one or two from the previous owner in a buckets, pretty beat up and not really a complete set.

The first jet was pushing, but pretty weak... nothing like I would consider normal or overpowered.

thanks.

 

[needsajet]

Pick up some new ones, or put the old ones in. If they vary in orifice size, put the smaller one in the near jet, larger ones on the longer lines, and see how it goes. If there's no eyeballs, the flow will feel pretty weak coming out of the open pipes.

 

[meestahmarc]

thanks. also going to get a drain king and try to blow out the line... I ordered one from amazon, but am afraid it might pop and get stuck in the line. Going to go with the name brand one!

I know I can fix it, pressure is on. Kids want to swim and season is passing by fast!

 

[meestahmarc]

Update - but still looking for guidance/help.

Went back to the pool last evening. Pump basket had lots of air in it... Filled a bucket and poured it over all the suction joints, nothing obvious. Took off the pump basket cover and then retightened it, which seemed to do the trick. It also tightened further than previously before, but not all the way tight. I am afraid to break it or not be able to get it off.

To the jet issue - I decided my Jandy valve on the return side is not really sealing properly, so I put the plugs into the jacuzzi jets to stops the return of water. Then my pool jets started to push. I also plugged up the closest jet. When I did that, a lot of air came out the 2nd pool jet, then I put my hand over it and a lot came out the 3rd jet... when I moved to recirculate I was getting a lot more pressure than on filter. Filter pressure is reading about 23lbs. I did backwash and add DE this past weekend. 23 seems high to me. Skimmer baskets are all clean and clear. I left the pump running on filter with the two jets open.

I did try the eyeball, but it seems that my pool jets are angled into the sidewall, no threads and the jets do not really fit into the hole. When I did put the jet in, after my adjustments - there was good pressure.

How do I know if I am getting the "proper" amount of pressure out of my jets? Is there a way to measure this pressure?

Next steps - Blow the line out with my Drain King, Replace the Return Side Jandy Valve, Grease up all my orings and seals,

Anything else?

 

[mknauss]

You get flow out of your returns. If the flow is strong and your filter pressure is normal, that is all good.

The Jandy valve can be rebuilt. Look for a rebuild kit.

Use MagicLube on orings, etc. I get mine at Home Depot.

 

[meestahmarc]

Thanks. I got the parts... I have the original 3-way valve with the grease cup.

This is what I think I have. No big loss if I ordered wrong. Price to pay to learn!

Valve: #1154
Diverter: #3045
O-ring: O-158 x2 / O-248

I am going to take apart my DE filter this weekend and make sure the inside is spotless.

 

[meestahmarc]

Rebuilt the two suction side valves... and cleaned out the DE filter by opening it up and washing it off... Now pressure is pretty good. My 2nd jet still feels a little weak, but the pool water is clean and testing well. Vacuuming was a PITA and I did clog the line from the skimmer to the pump one time, but I was able to get it dislodged, I think. Thanks.

 

[needsajet]

I did try the eyeball, but it seems that my pool jets are angled into the sidewall, no threads and the jets do not really fit into the hole. When I did put the jet in, after my adjustments - there was good pressure.

How do I know if I am getting the "proper" amount of pressure out of my jets? Is there a way to measure this pressure?

I don't know a way to measure it, but this might be useful. I do one pool that has this situation. Someone in the past did repairs and bypassed the original eyeballs and put 1.5" pipes through the concrete at approx a 30* angle. So the pool circulates OK, but so vigorously that the surface debris wasn't getting to the skimmer. It's a free form figure 8 shape and just had two big circles happening, so I needed to break that up somehow. I couldn't find any eyeballs that would go into an angled pipe, but maybe someone more experienced has seen such a thing.

At any rate, I used some 1" pipe and a 45* elbow, nothing glued. I played around with length until I could get the 1" pipe to stay inside the 1.5" just from friction (long enough to catch on a fitting back inside the 1.5" pipe, but short enough that the 45* elbow didn't stick out very much. These have stayed in place for over a year now, and I'm able to adjust the water circulation pattern a fair bit; not perfect by any means, and certainly a hack, but it works.