Auto Fill / Float

[AZMNGuy]

Good Morning,

I've done a search and have found a few matching posts, but can't really gain an understanding if any of the issues may have been the same. I did take a short video but it looks like I am not able to upload an attachment with a .mov extension.

Our pool was completed about a month ago and to this day, the auto fill has never fully shut off. It just "hisses and gurgles." After the pool company came out a few times and simply played with the float/adjusted up/down, they finally replaced it. It continued to experience the same issue. They came out again yesterday and did something additional to it, but it still exhibits the same problem. I'm not sure what they did, but it looked like adding some kind of extension as they had to cut a bit of a hole in the cover above to allow more room for the top of the float.

The valve ran for 2-3 hours and it was clearly filling the pool, but then it went back to making the same sound with just barely a trickle of water. If I shut the valve off at the house, it stops.

We had a pool at our previous home in the same climate/sun exposure (Arizona) and this was never an issue. I find it a bit hard to believe that we could have so much evaporation that this thing fills/trickles 24/7 and never stops. To me that is concerning since it seems it would be the equivalent of a toilet leak and could have a big effect on the water bill. I read another thread for a similar issue where the person was threatened with fines from the water company as they said these things should shut off when not filling.

I have no idea what kind of auto fill it is but here is a pic:




Grateful for any ideas/advice/wisdom anyone may have.

 

[mknauss]

Mine trickles 24/7/365 unless we get rain (very rare) to fill the pool by 1/4" or so. In our climate, evaporation is constant. Just higher sometimes versus others.

I have a pressure reducing valve on my auto fill line that keeps it from making any noise. Line pressure is too much for those systems.

 

[scdaren]

You might want to do a leak test. Try the bucket method -- take a bucket and place it in a shallow step with the water level even with the pool. It should stay even, if the pool level drops below the level in the bucket you probably have a leak. Make sure you cut off the water to the autofill first.

If the autofill keeps running, and your water level stays at the proper water line, you either have a leak, or it's just evaporation.

 

[AZMNGuy]

You might want to do a leak test. Try the bucket method -- take a bucket and place it in a shallow step with the water level even with the pool. It should stay even, if the pool level drops below the level in the bucket you probably have a leak. Make sure you cut off the water to the autofill first.

If the autofill keeps running, and your water level stays at the proper water line, you either have a leak, or it's just evaporation.

That was the first thing we did. No leak.

 

[AZMNGuy]

Mine trickles 24/7/365 unless we get rain (very rare) to fill the pool by 1/4" or so. In our climate, evaporation is constant. Just higher sometimes versus others.

I have a pressure reducing valve on my auto fill line that keeps it from making any noise. Line pressure is too much for those systems.

Interesting. I see you live in Laughlin and I know you are as hot as we are (Mesa), and sometimes hotter. Used to live in Scottsdale and I never noticed this kind of issue. Would it be worth throwing a hose in and filling it 1/4 inch or so to see if it stops? It's still a bit low for my liking. I can look in to the pressure valve as well.

 

[scdaren]

Interesting. I see you live in Laughlin and I know you are as hot as we are (Mesa), and sometimes hotter. Used to live in Scottsdale and I never noticed this kind of issue. Would it be worth throwing a hose in and filling it 1/4 inch or so to see if it stops? It's still a bit low for my liking. I can look in to the pressure valve as well.

Yeah I would try overfilling it and see what happens, most likely the water level will drop back down again until the autofill engages. If the water is running, it has to be going somewhere or the water level would rise, so it almost has to be evaporation if there is no leak. You could put a solar cover on to put a stop to that, but then you're going to have pretty hot water and solar covers are a major pain in the rear to deal with all the time.

 

[mknauss]

You can add some water to see if it stops. I suspect your other home had a different valve type or was just quiet.

You should be able to adjust the valve to raise the water level. Your valve is much different than what I have. Mine is a simple float, much like found in a swamp cooler.

I hope you have your autofill connected to your softened water system, if you have one.

 

[jtpipkin]

FWIW - My pool came with the house, so I'm speaking in terms of 'to the best of my knowledge'. I've fiddled with my autofill for years. Trying to determine which water level I liked the best. I'm almost positive my pool also has an over limit drain. Where it is, I have no clue, but I suspect it's in the same compartment as the autofill. Point being, if you have one (auto drain), know where it is and what level it's set at. I'm pretty sure I was pumping water in only to have it drain out somewhere for a while before I figured it out. I guess it's possible that the folks working on your fill valve may not be the ones to understand the auto drain levels? Hope you get it figured out - I know mine drove me crazy for a while.

 

[AZMNGuy]

You can add some water to see if it stops. I suspect your other home had a different valve type or was just quiet.

You should be able to adjust the valve to raise the water level. Your valve is much different than what I have. Mine is a simple float, much like found in a swamp cooler.

I hope you have your autofill connected to your softened water system, if you have one.

Thanks Marty - last question - I put my hand in front of the outlet and could barely feel any water coming out, yet it is making noise. Is this truly similar to a running toilet and will get a surprise with the water bill? Or, is it minimal or not even an issue? Other home had a different type of float. After a few years it starting showing the same issue (making constant noise), and it was replaced and the issue went away.

 

[mknauss]

That picture is what I have. Works fine. Never shuts off except those rare days we get rain.

I suspect the pressure of your system is high. And that is what is making the noise.

 

[AZMNGuy]

FWIW - My pool came with the house, so I'm speaking in terms of 'to the best of my knowledge'. I've fiddled with my autofill for years. Trying to determine which water level I liked the best. I'm almost positive my pool also has an over limit drain. Where it is, I have no clue, but I suspect it's in the same compartment as the autofill. Point being, if you have one (auto drain), no where it is and what level it's set at. I'm pretty sure I was pumping water in only to have it drain out somewhere for a while before I figured it out. I guess it's possible that the folks working on your fill valve may not be the ones to understand the auto drain levels? Hope you get it figured out - I know mine drove me crazy for a while.

Thanks for the feedback and at this point, who knows. I will reserve comment on the experience we had with many aspects of the build, but the service techs that have been out work for the builder. I sure would hope they know what they are doing. I'll ask about the drain you mentioned but it doesn't ring a bell.

 

[mknauss]

It is very unlikely an overflow drain is installed in a pool in Arizona. You would need 6 inches of rain in a short time to need one. We have not had 6 inches in rain total over the last several years.

 

[AZMNGuy]

That picture is what I have. Works fine. Never shuts off except those rare days we get rain.

I suspect the pressure of your system is high. And that is what is making the noise.

Thanks Marty. That does make sense and I'll take a look in to the theory. Overall I don't think our pressure is considered "high," but I am not sure the try definition. We had high pressure in Scottsdale, and here it's only 50-60 PSI.

 

[AZMNGuy]

It is very unlikely an overflow drain is installed in a pool in Arizona. You would need 6 inches of rain in a short time to need one. We have not had 6 inches in rain total over the last several years.

I here you on that. Thanks for the quick education.

 

[mknauss]

Thanks Marty. That does make sense and I'll take a look in to the theory. Overall I don't think our pressure is considered "high," but I am not sure the try definition. We had high pressure in Scottsdale, and here it's only 50-60 PSI.

Most pool autofill are set up to run on the same system as your sprinklers, so before the house shut off (and typically the house pressure reducer) so you can turn the house water off and leave the sprinklers and pool on when you leave. Might check that.

I have my autofill set to reduce the pressure at the float valve to around 15-20 psi.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I think Marty is probably right on. The instructions for my autofill, albeit a different type of valve, basically a toilet tank valve, stated a max inlet pressure of 60 psi. My autofill is run off of a tap on my household plumbing manifold. I run my household pressure about 65-70 psi, so I installed a pressure reducing regulator in the line to reduce down. I have it set to 40 psi I believe, and no noise. I did have some of the noise when it was running at the higher household pressure.

--Jeff

 

[AZMNGuy]

Thanks for all of the great feedback. I'm confident the answer is within this thread. I'll run with this.