air in spa filter basket housing

[enjoyjoshua]

New pool and inground spa owner here. We truly appreciate the wealth of knowledge here.

This thread refers to our spa.

Both pool and spa are fiberglass, completely independent of each other (separate SWG, filters, pumps and heaters).

Our spa pump (Hayward Tristar VS 900) has never fully primed. There's always a lot of air in the filter basket housing. There seems to be enough water for it the run, but there is a good amount of air, about 2 full inches of air, always.

We don't have a check valve, or any valve on the suction side.

We've tried bleeding air out of spa filter valve, magic lube on filter housing lid o-ring, checking for suction side leaks with soapy water (none found, above ground anyway).

PB suggested lube on the o-ring, which we had already tried. They'll be back in 6 weeks to finish our patio and will look at it then, but kind of wanting to figure it out more quickly.

We do have an air bubbler, but even when it's off, there are always steady small bubbles coming out of the returns, even with the pump on low and even when SWG is off. Is this normal for spas due to the plumbing? Is air always introduced since we have a bubbler installed, even when it's turned off? Could these consistent bubbles be caused by the air in the pump? Could the air in pump be caused by the plumbing for the bubbler? I've heard of some kind of "loop" used for spa jets, but don't fully understand and am not sure if ours is plumbed that way.

Thank you!

 

[ajw22]

Post pics of your spa equipment.

We do have an air bubbler,

Air bubbler or powered air blower?

but even when it's off, there are always steady small bubbles coming out of the returns, even with the pump on low and even when SWG is off. Is this normal for spas due to the plumbing?

Depends how the air system was setup.

Is air always introduced since we have a bubbler installed, even when it's turned off?

Depends. Where is the air pipe? Put a cap or tape over the air pipe and see if the bubbles stop.

Could these consistent bubbles be caused by the air in the pump?

Yes, in which case you have a suction side air leak.

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

Could the air in pump be caused by the plumbing for the bubbler?

No, The air from the bubbler goes through separate pipes to the jets.

I've heard of some kind of "loop" used for spa jets, but don't fully understand and am not sure if ours is plumbed that way.

Do you have any pics of the spa during installation?

 

[enjoyjoshua]

Post pics of your spa equipment.

Air bubbler or powered air blower?

It's an air blower.

Depends how the air system was setup.



Depends. Where is the air pipe? Put a cap or tape over the air pipe and see if the bubbles stop.



Yes, in which case you have a suction side air leak.

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

That was our fear and since we've soaped up all the unions above ground, we're worried it's underground.

No, The air from the bubbler goes through separate pipes to the jets.



Do you have any pics of the spa during installation?

Unfortunately no pics during install... We were focused on the pool install. In hindsight, we should have been out there several times every day taking pictures of plumbing and everything else.

We twisted the return jets and the bubbles seem to have stopped, so maybe that's some function of the jets we received.. still not sure how it would be getting air with the blower off though.

 

[ajw22]

The air in your spa pump is not normal and is not caused by your blower.

It was up to your builder to pressure test the lines and confirm their integrity before anything was buried.

 

[1poolman1]

New pool and inground spa owner here. We truly appreciate the wealth of knowledge here.

This thread refers to our spa.

Both pool and spa are fiberglass, completely independent of each other (separate SWG, filters, pumps and heaters).

Our spa pump (Hayward Tristar VS 900) has never fully primed. There's always a lot of air in the filter basket housing. There seems to be enough water for it the run, but there is a good amount of air, about 2 full inches of air, always.

We don't have a check valve, or any valve on the suction side.

We've tried bleeding air out of spa filter valve, magic lube on filter housing lid o-ring, checking for suction side leaks with soapy water (none found, above ground anyway).

PB suggested lube on the o-ring, which we had already tried. They'll be back in 6 weeks to finish our patio and will look at it then, but kind of wanting to figure it out more quickly.

We do have an air bubbler, but even when it's off, there are always steady small bubbles coming out of the returns, even with the pump on low and even when SWG is off. Is this normal for spas due to the plumbing? Is air always introduced since we have a bubbler installed, even when it's turned off? Could these consistent bubbles be caused by the air in the pump? Could the air in pump be caused by the plumbing for the bubbler? I've heard of some kind of "loop" used for spa jets, but don't fully understand and am not sure if ours is plumbed that way.

Thank you!

If you can continuously bleed air from the filter it is a suction leak. That's the key. Your jets, even at lower water speeds, can pull air from the blower line.

If you can't continuously bleed air, it is somewhat nomal for TriStar pumps. The only difference between your new and my 13+ year old one is the motor. I have very seldom ever seen the pot completely full of water but I have no air in the filter. TriStars have always acted thet way, even before they became VS.

 

[enjoyjoshua]

If you can continuously bleed air from the filter it is a suction leak. That's the key. Your jets, even at lower water speeds, can pull air from the blower line.

If you can't continuously bleed air, it is somewhat nomal for TriStar pumps. The only difference between your new and my 13+ year old one is the motor. I have very seldom ever seen the pot completely full of water but I have no air in the filter. TriStars have always acted thet way, even before they became VS.

Thank you.. When we've had the lid open to empty basket, then cover and turn on and then bleed, we get 5-6 seconds of air, then water. Any other time we bleed with pump running, it's about 1/2 second of air and then continuous water.

That said, the pool pump is a TriStar also, and the pot is almost always full with occasional small bubble.

 

[1poolman1]

Thank you.. When we've had the lid open to empty basket, then cover and turn on and then bleed, we get 5-6 seconds of air, then water. Any other time we bleed with pump running, it's about 1/2 second of air and then continuous water.

That said, the pool pump is a TriStar also, and the pot is almost always full with occasional small bubble.

Doesn't sound like a suction leak or a very tiny one. Pool TriStar sounds normal, they don't always eliminate all the air from the pot, but that isn't a suction leak.