I don't believe them. One main return line from the pump to the pool. That line splits somewhere into 2, so there's 2 return jets. At lower pump speeds there are air bubbles coming from just one of the jets, not both. At higher pump speeds there's no air. This is a brand new pool, brand new plumbing, brand new everything. Why is there any air at all and why only at low pump speed and why only from one jet and not the other? Pool company tells me at higher speeds, the gaskets are compressed more so less chance of air. They said from one jet only because air will take the path of least resistance. I feel like they're telling me ******** so they don't have to fix something that might turn into a huge project. Thoughts on this? Normal? Sometimes normal? Or is this just wrong altogether? I don't see any way to post a video or I would.
Pool company says this is "normal" sometimes
- Thread starter crosby1612
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,602
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
It is probably normal. What model pump do you have and what speeds is it running at?
Load any videos onto YouTube, mark it Public, and post the link here.
Load any videos onto YouTube, mark it Public, and post the link here.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,602
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Show us what the air in the pump basket looks like at low and high speeds.
Last edited:
You have SWCG - the bubbles you see is hydrogen gas produced by the cell. In my pool the bubbles come from one return only as well - the one which is closer to the pump.
Interesting. I hadn't thought of that (apparently neither did the pool company). Makes more sense than what they're telling me, that's for sure. Mine is also the jet that's closest to the pump.
It's weird... At high speed (2750 rpm) there's never air under the cover and it looks completely clear, as though it's filled with air. Sometimes at low speed (1750 rpm) it's also completely clear but then sometimes there's about an inch of space between the clear cover and the surface of the water in the basket. The water level is never low enough that air would get into the main cartridge filter and then on to the return jets. Also, I've purged the cartridge filter many times with the valve on top and never get any air coming out. This begs the question: At low speed, why is there any air in the filter basket at all and how does it get there? The skimmer is under water as are the 2 main drains, so where is air being introduced on the intake side of the filter?
Last edited by a moderator:
I used to have a single pump and never saw any bubbles and the pump basket was always full. Once I put in a variable speed and run it much lower I have the same experience as you. It's all normal too.
I noticed that after it's primed or after the heater runs the pump basket is full for a day or 2 then slowly gets a little lower. From what I've read this is all normal and expected. Don't ask me the reason though
I noticed that after it's primed or after the heater runs the pump basket is full for a day or 2 then slowly gets a little lower. From what I've read this is all normal and expected. Don't ask me the reason though
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,602
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Everything you describe is normal.
The flow of water causes aeration and small amounts of air and other gasses like CO2 and hydrogen are mixed in the water. You don't see it and when the water stays still it outgasses. In a confined space like the pump basket some of the gasses can be captured.
With low speed flow some air accumulates in the pump basket. at higher flow rates the water is moving rapidly enough that it clears the air and moves it into the filter or out the return.
Thank you for this. We didn't have great experience with the project manager during our build so I really don't trust anything he tells me.I used to have a single pump and never saw any bubbles and the pump basket was always full. Once I put in a variable speed and run it much lower I have the same experience as you. It's all normal too.
I noticed that after it's primed or after the heater runs the pump basket is full for a day or 2 then slowly gets a little lower. From what I've read this is all normal and expected. Don't ask me the reason though
Thank you for the explanation; I appreciate it very much. I trust people here more than I trust the project manager we worked with
I was most of the reason mine got fired. It was little things such as "those aren't my pools plans so don't dig the pool to those specs' and 'I'm getting fiberglass stairs so don't pour concrete steps' that he forged ahead with him knowing better.I trust people here more than I trust the project manager we worked with
Evidentally I wasnt the only one getting the wrong stuff and the excavator saying 'he goes or I go' was the final straw.
But yeah. Same. And TFP was my top notch wingman every step of the way.
So much so that @JamesW got me blacklisted from every contractor north of the Mason/Dixon line, but that fault lies on the crummy subs doing crummy work. Not mine or James's.
Does the air just keep coming out like that the whole time?
That is not normal and there is no reason that you should have that much air coming out.
Hydrogen bubbles are very tiny and the bubbles are too big and too many to be hydrogen.
That is not normal and there is no reason that you should have that much air coming out.
Hydrogen bubbles are very tiny and the bubbles are too big and too many to be hydrogen.
You might get 16 grams of hydrogen per day, which is 667 milligrams per hour or 11.1 milligrams per minute or 185 micrograms per second.
Room Temperature and Pressure (RTP).
RTP refers to temperature of 25°C (298K) and pressure of 1 atmosphere.
The molar volume of any gas at RTP is 24.0 dm³ ( 24.0 L).
Assuming 8 moles of hydrogen produced, you get about 192 liters of hydrogen per day, 8 liters per hour, 133 milliliters per minute, 2.22 milliliters per second.
Room Temperature and Pressure (RTP).
RTP refers to temperature of 25°C (298K) and pressure of 1 atmosphere.
The molar volume of any gas at RTP is 24.0 dm³ ( 24.0 L).
Assuming 8 moles of hydrogen produced, you get about 192 liters of hydrogen per day, 8 liters per hour, 133 milliliters per minute, 2.22 milliliters per second.
Last edited:
The bubbles are way more than 2 milliliters per second.
You can test for hydrogen by using a flame near the top of the water to see if the gas reacts.
Also, turn off the SWG to see if the bubbles stop.
The dissolved gasses won't come out like that.
In my opinion, if the bubbles continue all the time, then you probably have a suction side air leak.
You can test for hydrogen by using a flame near the top of the water to see if the gas reacts.
Also, turn off the SWG to see if the bubbles stop.
The dissolved gasses won't come out like that.
In my opinion, if the bubbles continue all the time, then you probably have a suction side air leak.