jandy system--how do i control autofill level on pool?

[eugchen]

newbie here, im not sure what pertinent info i need to supply here, but i have a chlorine pool with a Jandy pool filtration system. ive been told i DO have an autofill feature that keeps the pool at a consistent level, as i have lived in this house for over a year now (inherited the pool from the previous owner), and ive never had to add water to the pool with a hose.

ive noticed that in the past week, the water level seems lower than normal. on the diagram im including, the red arrow shows where the current water level is, and the blue is where the level usually is. im not really familiar with a pool system, so any help would be appreciated!

 

[Dirk]

Your water level looks to be getting dangerously low. If the level drops below the skimmer opening, it could starve your pump and cause it some damage (depends on how all your plumbing works, but that's a possibility). So add some water with a hose until we sort out your auto-fill. Don't let the water get below the skimmer opening.

You did a great job supplying pictures, but you missed where the auto-filler actually is. Do you know what the lid to your skimmer looks like? Look for another similar looking lid somewhere near your pool, maybe even right next to your skimmer lid. That other lid covers a well that houses your auto-filler (probably, it could be elsewhere, but that is the most common setup). Open that lid and take a few pictures of what is inside, and we'll go from there.

 

[Dirk]

We're also going to need to identify the shut-off valve for your auto-fill system. Typically that is near the rest of the pool equipment. I suspect it is where the red arrow is pointing. Please post some pictures of that area.

 

[eugchen]

thank you for your generous postings. i finally got a chance to take more pictures. fillng the pool now with my hose too .

i have often looked for another "skimmer" cover near the pool, but dont see one. please see a video of my walk around of the pool and pool equipment.

here are some more photos of that pool equipment area as well.

 

[HermanTX]

See the photo that is marked up below- notice the area circled in RED. Can you take a straight on photo of it as that appears to be the autofil line.

 

[eugchen]

im not sure what these two things are, they look identical, upon a google search, it looks like they are pool pumps.

the one that is in front says
JANDY PRO SERIES PLUS HP MODEL# PHPF2.0

the back one is
JANDY PRO SERIES PLUS HP MODEL# PHPF0.50

let me know if you want better photos of another area. thanks

 

[Ahultin]

You have a febco 825y backflow thay likely goes to the autofill. The first valve is open but can't tell if the second one is.
There is also a vacuum breaker that could go to the autofill but it looks open.

 

[Ahultin]

Interesting - watching the video, the backflow hooks to the vacuum breaker. I'm guessing they put the vacuum breaker in, failed inspection and added the rpz but didn't remove the vb.
I don't see anything resembling an autofill at the pool ? Can you send another photo of the electronics wall?

 

[eugchen]

is this the electronics wall?

 

[Ahultin]

is this the electronics wall?View attachment 488362View attachment 488363

Everything on that wall - pull back - trying to see if you have a levelor or kona labs or ?

 

[Ahultin]

I wonder if your "autofill" is timer based within the hunter irrigation system. Where are your irrigation valves in relation to the pool? Do you know what all of the zones do?

 

[Poolbreh]

What’s in this hidey-hole?

 

[Dirk]

The RPZ leads to a tee, with half of the tee going underground, the other half leading to the BFP. The BFP is closed, so if that is supplying the auto-fill, that is why it's no longer filling your pool. Step one is to open the BFP valve to see if it goes anywhere into the pool.

It's possible the RPZ is feeding something other than the pool. Could be feeding the whole house, or maybe just the irrigation. The secondary backflow preventer (BFP) was maybe needed to pass code, to further isolate the pool water from the garden or house.

You could turn off one of the RPZ valves and see what in your property no longer works. If the house loses water, then you'll know the RPZ feeds the whole house. Or if just the sprinklers and/or drip system stops working, but the house still gets water, then you'll know the "mystery pipe" going into the ground feeds your irrigation system. Etc. Play around with the valves on the RPZ and the BFP and see what they do. As long as you restore them, you won't mess anything up.

 

[Dirk]

And it could be the other way around. Maybe the RPZ feeds the pool and the BFP, and the BFP feeds something else, that needs to be off for some reason? You just have to play around with the valves to see what's up.

Regarding the auto-filling being timer based, I doubt that. There is no indication that there is a solenoid or motorized valve for that purpose. Yes, it could be part of the irrigation array of valves, but that is also easy-ish to determine. Manually turn on your irrigation valves, one at a time, until you can identify what each of them water. If you don't know how to turn on an irrigation valve manually, post a picture of it and we'll show you how. If one of them is filling the pool, you'll probably hear it splashing in the water when you turn that one on. Sometimes the outlet for that type of filling system is in the skimmer well.

 

[Dirk]

If there is an auto-fill well, with an auto-fill valve inside it, it doesn't need to be near the pool. It could be up to 30' away. It could be near the equipment pad. Look for any kind of lid covering up something under it, at ground level. It may have gotten covered with dirt or grass.

 

[Dirk]

When the filter pump is running, you should feel water coming out of the returns in the pool. See if they all are pumping water, or if one of them is not. The one that is not could be part of your auto-fill system. That's how mine works. If you have one that is not pumping with the filter pump on, then turn on the BFP valve (the one I showed you was closed), then go feel that "non-working" return again. If you now feel water coming from it, then that confirms the BFP is for filling, and that you have an equalizer tube connecting the two. Then it would just be a matter of determining if there is an auto-fill valve somewhere between the BFP and the outlet into the pool.

 

[Dirk]

What is this round blue object? Is that just laying there? Or it is a lid to something below it? Does the wire lead into it? Or is just laying close to it? I don't recognize this thing, but it could be covering an auto-fill valve. Maybe it's a tab feeder floatie thing.

 

[Dirk]

Did you, or do you employee a pool guy? Maybe he shut off the BFP and auto-filler for some reason. I had mine shut off all winter.

 

[Ahultin]

Did you, or do you employee a pool guy? Maybe he shut off the BFP and auto-filler for some reason. I had mine shut off all winter.

SoCal - we had a Crud ton of rain ... at least for SoCal so that would make sense

 

[eugchen]

ahultin---that is a dang good point you bring up with the Hunter Irrigation system. i do know what each zone is, but they are all related to my yard/flower beds. so i have no idea which one goes to the pool, if that is the case. what is interesting is that ive had the sprinkler systems OFF this past week cause its rained here on and off, not much though. i took pics of the wall too