Suction side air leak

Seems to me that if the shaft seal is not leaking water out, it won't let air in. That may not be true at all, so we will all wait with bated breath for your test results. :mrgreen:
If you think about a suction side leak and the valves, I think they may act like a check valve. The two o-rings and hard ring around the shaft, I think, can act like a check valve. Under pressure, they are pressed against the shaft. Under suction, I think, they can allow air to pass (like a check valve and allow air in). Now, why 1000s of other's pools, with these valves on the suction side, don't act the same, I have no clue.

Either way it will be another day before I can rebuild the suction side without valves. They are refinishing the pool deck (another thread).

The anticipation is killing me.
 
Well I guess I lose $1000.

Put in the PS-3867. Perfect.

Rebuilt the suction side, inbound on pad to pump. All cement joints and threaded to pool and pump. IT GOT WORSE!!!

Swapped out o-rings. AGAIN. WOULD NOT PRIME.

Went back to previous setup. (pic at start). WOULD NOT PRIME.

Sat and thought about it. What if I smoothed the faces of the union. 320 and 400 wet or dry. Clean/relube.

Wanna guess?

NO BUBBLE! Woo Hoo!!!
 
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PS,

What union are we talking about???

Got a pic??

Thanks,

Jim R.
Original picture I posted. Two unions to the skimmers, one to the pump and the basket lid.

I spoke too soon. Went back after 15 and bubble is back. It won't make it 24 hours without losing prime. With Superflo, I can't leave here and I need to be able to leave. Looks like there is an intelliflow or some other pump that has more programming time slots. Intelliflow has 8, so I could clear pump every 6 hours. Trying to track one down. Grrr.

Will have to test tomorrow to see if there is a set point 2200, 2300 etc. where I get no bubble. Prolly do that when I have to leave.
 
Still thinking about this stupid air bubble. As a result, I learn that I'm such a newbie. @Jimrahbe talked about the bubble getting bigger when the filter is dirty or flow routed to heater.

Why didn't I backwash then? Because my filter has zeolite and runs at like 5psi and doesn't climb. I backwash when I think about it. I guess I should baseline the filter after backwash at higher rpms note my clean pressure and do the same to check for rise at same RPM. Would that be the advice I would give? Yup. Stupid is as Stupid Does.

So I backwash and Voila...no bubble for 24 hours. UGH. As my mother would say, that is the price of an education.

Also, put in the ps-1901 shaft seal on my last attempt. Hopefully that one will last a while.

Animated GIF
 
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