Metallic little balls in my pump basket

[Pierrot]

Hi there,

I regularly find metallic little balls in my pump basket (see pictures). Is that my pump disintegrating?
I'm using skimmer socks so nothing that big should ever enter the suction line. I also don't have any robot: I manually vacuum the pool, and when I do I install a vacuum plate on top of the skimmer basket (this one), so again nothing should get passed the skimmer sock.

 

[Mdragger88]

Got any kids who play with bb’s ?

 

[Pierrot]

Got any kids who play with bb’s ?

nope. Previous owner might have, I have no idea.

But in any case, if I had these balls in the bottom of my pool and I were vacuuming them, they would end up in the skimmer sock of the skimmer basket, not in the pump basket. That's why I'm confused.

 

[JamesW]

Do you have a main drain?

It looks like ball bearings from a Polaris wheel.

 

[Mdragger88]

Do you have an auto cover? Any fancy weird jets? Anything else that may contain ball bearings? Or perhaps a crafty child that uses beads?

 

[Pierrot]

Do you have a main drain?

It looks like ball bearings from a Polaris wheel.

I do have a main drain but I don’t have a diverter valve in the skimmer so always assumed there were no flow in the main drain. Is that assumption incorrect ?

I don’t use any pool bot bit the previous owner had a zodiac robot cleaner.

 

[Pierrot]

Do you have an auto cover? Any fancy weird jets? Anything else that may contain ball bearings? Or perhaps a crafty child that uses beads?

I don’t have any of those.

But given that I always use a skimmer sock, wouldn’t any of these ball bearings, wherever they come from, be caught in the skimmer basket?

 

[JamesW]

Can you show the system?

 

[PoolStored]

I do have a main drain but I don’t have a diverter valve in the skimmer so always assumed there were no flow in the main drain. Is that assumption incorrect ?

What does this mean?

I don’t use any pool bot bit the previous owner had a zodiac robot cleaner.

Likely the source...

But given that I always use a skimmer sock, wouldn’t any of these ball bearings, wherever they come from, be caught in the skimmer basket?

Ball bearings do not float. They sink. Only source in the pump basket would be from main drain.

Can you show the system?

^^^This. Post pictures of the pool, including main drain, skimmers and the equipment pad.

The only logical conclusion is that bearing from a previous owner have been rolling around, got to the main drain, and ultimately to the pump basket...

Unless there is some *really* odd equipment on the suction side.

 

[Lake Placid]

I manually vacuum the pool,

Are you using a vac head similar to this?



They have ball bearings in the wheels. As the head ages you they come out and end up in your main drain.

 

[Pierrot]

Are you using a vac head similar to this?

View attachment 607921

They have ball bearings in the wheels. As the head ages you they come out and end up in your main drain.

More like this one:

^^^This. Post pictures of the pool, including main drain, skimmers and the equipment pad.

Here is the main drain:



The skimmer:


Plumbing before the pump (the valve was in that position when I noticed the balls. Sucking from the pool only, not the spa):


The old robot the previous owner was using (that I haven't used in 6 months, one wheel doesn't turn anymore)

I do have a main drain but I don’t have a diverter valve in the skimmer so always assumed there were no flow in the main drain. Is that assumption incorrect ?

What does this mean?

As you can see, there are two openings at the bottom of my skimmer—one leading to the pump and the other to the main drain. I initially thought that controlling the water flow from the main drain would require additional equipment to balance the suction between the drain and the skimmer. Since I don't have such a device (like this one) , I assumed the pump was drawing 100% of the water from the skimmer and none from the main drain.

 

[Lake Placid]

When you vacuum the vac plate restricts flow from skimmer. It’s very likely you’re inducing draw from the main drain during the process. Much like if the float valve assembly would close due to insufficient water in the skimmer.

Does your vac head have wheels?

 

[sktn77a]

one wheel doesn't turn anymore

Could be old bearings from that wheel. Not sure why the sock isn't catching them.

 

[JamesW]

Do they stick to a magnet?

They might have been in the skimmer line or the main drain line for a long time and they are only coming through now for some reason.

Maybe higher flow rates?

 

[Bill1974]

If you have calibers you can measure then to see if they are bearings or BBs. BB's are Ø.177 or Ø.25 they are usually copper coated steel (the copper make have been dissolved off). Check for holes in your skimmer socks.

If they were from your pump you would know it. It would be loud or not running and also likely leaking badly as well.

 

[JamesW]

If you have calibers you can measure then to see if they are bearings or BBs.

With the size and weight you can get the density, which would be useful.

If you have an XRF gun, you can get the elemental analysis of the metals.

Then, use the FBI evidence analyzer website to identify the product.

 

[Lake Placid]

If they were from your pump you would know it. It would be loud or not running and also likely leaking badly as well.

If they were from the motor bearings there is no way in this physical universe they would end up in the pump strainer basket. I guess if the bearings gave up the ghost so violently they scattershoted through the motor housing, seal plate, lid, and strainer basket they might end up in the basket. But the first clue would be the house burning down from the electrical fire after the motor seizure. At that point the pump would definitely be leaking badly for sure.

 

[Newdude]

So, you don't have kids with BBs, but do the neighbors ?

 

[JamesW]

The balls look like stainless steel and the smoothness indicates that they are likely to be balls from bearings.

 

[Pierrot]

If they were from the motor bearings there is no way in this physical universe they would end up in the pump strainer basket.

I guess that's what I wanted to hear. Not sure where they come from, but pump is alright so I'm re-assured.

Now, if you want to continue the investigation, here are some answers:
- these balls are attracted by magnets,
- their diameter is about 3.5mm, so their volume (if I'm not wrong) should be 22mm3
- they weigh 0.262g
- so density is about 11900kg/m3

I didn't find any metal attracted by magnet whose density was close to 11900kg/m3 so I must have messed up somewhere

Neighbors are 90 years old, no children at home anymore and I don't think they play with BBs.

When you vacuum the vac plate restricts flow from skimmer. It’s very likely you’re inducing draw from the main drain during the process. Much like if the float valve assembly would close due to insufficient water in the skimmer.

Do they stick to a magnet?
They might have been in the skimmer line or the main drain line for a long time and they are only coming through now for some reason.
Maybe higher flow rates?

That must be it then. When I vacuum, water gets pulled from the main drain line, balls must have been stuck there. They bypass the skimmer sock and end up in the pump basket.
I didn't find any balls at the bottom of my pool, so they must be in the main drain line. That's fine I guess.