Brand new pool owner, struggling to figure out my equipment

[poolSquirrel]

Aloha TFP,

I just moved into my new home and I am trying to understand my pool equipment. I was told the booster pump, which was for vacuuming and bubbler fountains is inoperable. The previous owner left a quote to replace the pump for $2,700. I was hoping that it might be possible to diagnose the problem and save myself some money.

Among other things left in the garage was a Hayward pump. I do not know if it is operable/repairable.

Is there any advice on troubleshooting and diagnosing my pumps? Thanks in advance.

 

[poolSquirrel]

Aloha TFP,

I just moved into my new home and I am trying to understand my pool equipment. I was told the booster pump, which was for vacuuming and bubbler fountains is inoperable. The previous owner left a quote to replace the pump for $2,700. I was hoping that it might be possible to diagnose the problem and save myself some money.

Among other things left in the garage was a Hayward pump. I do not know if it is operable/repairable.

Is there any advice on troubleshooting and diagnosing my pumps? Thanks in advance.

Aloha TFP,

I just moved into my new home and I am trying to understand my pool equipment. I was told the booster pump, which was for vacuuming and bubbler fountains is inoperable. The previous owner left a quote to replace the pump for $2,700. I was hoping that it might be possible to diagnose the problem and save myself some money.

Among other things left in the garage was a Hayward pump. I do not know if it is operable/repairable.

Is there any advice on troubleshooting and diagnosing my pumps? Thanks in advance.

Additional pad photos

 

[poolSquirrel]

Aloha TFP,

I am a new homeowner and new pool owner. I am trying to understand all of the information here on TFP and my pool equipment. I am looking for some help with the setup to automate my Sun Touch. Where do I start? Thanks in advance.

 

[ogdento]

hi and welcome!

I'm not a suntouch user myself but I checked the wiki and there's nothing for the Suntouch (Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading), so I'd start with the Pentair documentation that you can find here... SunTouch® Control System.
Give that a look and post any other questions!

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

Pentair makes it next to impossible for any new person to understand their automation logic...

Please tell me what you would like to happen and 'maybe' I can translate their manual for you....

I too am not a SunTouch user, but it should be similar with the EasyTouch, logic wise..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Which pump are you calling the booster pump?

The pump on the left is not connected to a filter and would not be good to vacuum.

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

I'm trying to map out your equipment pad and need more pics as you have a weird set up..

Please show me pics from both sides so I can see where all the pipes go.. A couple from the top would also help.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[poolSquirrel]

PS,

Pentair makes it next to impossible for any new person to understand their automation logic...

Please tell me what you would like to happen and 'maybe' I can translate their manual for you....

I too am not a SunTouch user, but it should be similar with the EasyTouch, logic wise..

Thanks,

Jim R.

After reading several threads in the forums I think I would like to try to let my filter and pump run 24/7. I have a lot of plant debris that blows into the pool and it sounds like trapping it in the skimmer is better than letting it settle to the bottom. Once I have it running I would like to fine tune the RPMs to the lowest speed that will keep the pool clean.

 

[poolSquirrel]

Which pump are you calling the booster pump?

The pump on the left is not connected to a filter and would not be good to vacuum.

My apologies, I'm trying to learn the lingo. The pump on the pad that is on the left looks to be tied to the bubbler fountains. That is the pump that I was told was inoperable and needs to be replaced. I am hoping to troubleshoot and determine what exactly is wrong. I would like to think that some things can be fixed rather than just replaced.

I guess I made an assumption that it was for the vacuum because the real estate agent said that it was inoperable and the previous owners bought a robot cleaner to keep the pool clean. Between this pump and Hayward I found in the garage I would like to think I could repair one of them and get the fountains working.

 

[ajw22]

My apologies, I'm trying to learn the lingo. The pump on the pad that is on the left looks to be tied to the bubbler fountains. That is the pump that I was told was inoperable and needs to be replaced. I am hoping to troubleshoot and determine what exactly is wrong. I would like to think that some things can be fixed rather than just replaced.

Start with seeing if you have 240V between L1 and L2 at the pump.

What happens when you try to power on the pump?

The pump has a capacitor in the hump. Check the capacitor as described in Pump Capacitors - Further Reading

Report back what you find.

I guess I made an assumption that it was for the vacuum because the real estate agent said that it was inoperable and the previous owners bought a robot cleaner to keep the pool clean. Between this pump and Hayward I found in the garage I would like to think I could repair one of them and get the fountains working.

Lots of YouTube videos showing people fixing pool pumps to learn from.

 

[poolSquirrel]

PS,

I'm trying to map out your equipment pad and need more pics as you have a weird set up..

Please show me pics from both sides so I can see where all the pipes go.. A couple from the top would also help.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Are these any better?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Are these any better?

PS,

Yes, much better...

I'll look at them after lunch..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

Please tell me about your pool...

I assume you just have a pool, and no spa.. Correct?

How many skimmers? I assume one, Correct?

Do you know where your Single speed pump gets its water?? I assume from your main drain, but you may have another input in the pool??? How many drain covers do you see in your pool?

How many returns do you have in the pool? A "Return" is where your filtered water is sent back to the pool. They usually have an "eyeball" that you can adjust for direction of water flow.

I assume you have 4 bubblers.. is that true??

Do you also have a waterfall or any other water feature?

Do you plan to use the solar system??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[poolSquirrel]

PS,

Please tell me about your pool...

I assume you just have a pool, and no spa.. Correct?

How many skimmers? I assume one, Correct?

Do you know where your Single speed pump gets its water?? I assume from your main drain, but you may have another input in the pool??? How many drain covers do you see in your pool?

How many returns do you have in the pool? A "Return" is where your filtered water is sent back to the pool. They usually have an "eyeball" that you can adjust for direction of water flow.

I assume you have 4 bubblers.. is that true??

Do you also have a waterfall or any other water feature?

Do you plan to use the solar system??

Thanks,

Jim R.

I have just a pool. There is one skimmer. The single speed pump is inoperable, and I do not know where the source of that water is. I see to drain covers in the pool. I can see what I think are four eyeballs (one eyeball is not returning any water) and one pool vacuum connection. I also see what looks like two drains in the side wall near the skimmer. I can only find three bubblers.

There is a waterfall feature. Although, I do not see how to control it. It just seems to stay on if the pump is spinning above a certain RPM. I do plan to use the solar system to extend my pool season into spring and fall. I imagine I won't need it in the summer.

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

I want you to run some tests... using this pic..




1. Set valve 'A' so that the handle points 180 degrees from where it is in the above pic.. (Handle points to the right)
a. I suspect that this will shut off your waterfall and send all the water back to your pool returns
b. Try that and see what happens

2. Set valve B so that the handle points to the 90 degrees to the left.. Then Set valve A so that the handle points straight up.
a. This should shut off your pool returns.
b. All the water should now go to your waterfall.

3. Set valve A back to the handle pointing to the right.. (Waterfall off, pool returns on..)

Still Puzzling... Your Single speed pump appears to be plumbed so that is sends water to your 3 bubblers and one other bubbler or something like it.. The puzzling part is that this same pump also sends water through a check valve and back to the left side of valve B for some unknown reason..

Also odd... is that your Solar valve should either be on or off.. Yours is not on or off.. For now, I would try to move it so that the handle points directly away from the solar label in my pic.. You may be able to move the valve using the little 3-way switch on the valve, or by lifting the handle and manually moving the valve. (I would not even try to use solar until you have the rest of the pool operational..

Please run the tests and tell me what you find.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[poolSquirrel]

1. Set valve 'A' so that the handle points 180 degrees from where it is in the above pic.. (Handle points to the right)
a. I suspect that this will shut off your waterfall and send all the water back to your pool returns
b. Try that and see what happens

2. Set valve B so that the handle points to the 90 degrees to the left.. Then Set valve A so that the handle points straight up.
a. This should shut off your pool returns.
b. All the water should now go to your waterfall.

3. Set valve A back to the handle pointing to the right.. (Waterfall off, pool returns on..)

1. I could only turn a 90 degrees in either direction. Turning the handle to point up shut off the water fall off. Turning the handle down seemed to stop all flow through the pump.

2. B would only turn 90 to the right. With A handle up the waterfall is off and the returns are on.

So it appears to me that I can use A to shut the waterfall off but the returns will always stay on. Is that correct?

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

I had the waterfall and pool returns backwards.. I used common sense, which the guy who plumbed your system, apparently does not have...

You really should never shut off your pool returns..

I have no clue what the B valve does, and we won't know until you get the pump on the far left repaired or replaced.

The good news is that you really only need the main pool pump to keep your pool working well..

Talk again tomorrow,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I also see what looks like two drains in the side wall near the skimmer

PS,

My 'guess' is that is where your broken SS pump is getting its water.



In this pics you can see the pipes going to the bubblers.. There are 4 pipes, so either you have 4 bubblers, or one pipe goes to something else.

You can see the PVC ball valves, mostly set to off.. I assume they are stuck in that position as that is what happens to ball valves.

Unknown check valve.. I 'assume' this check valve allows water to flow from the SS pump toward the 'B' valve.. Again I have no clue why. If you can, try to look at the check and see if you can tell the direct of flow .. There is usually a little arrow. It would not make a lot of sense to allow water to flow backwards into the SS pump.. but who knows. I'd leave valve B set to off.. (That is how it is in your last pic to me..)

Another thing you can do is remove your skimmer basket and look down.. Do you see one pipe or two?? If two pipes, are both of them open or is one capped off.. Could be capped under the skimmer.

In any case, it appears your main pump is working and you are getting filtered water back to your pool.. This means you should be ready for the swimming season, equipment wise... Now you just need to work on your water quality..

You have a SWCG.. So it should be easy.. How many hours per day do you run the main pump? What is the output % of your SWCG?

Run the tests and let us know the following...

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt.

Thanks,

Jim R

 

[poolSquirrel]

Start with seeing if you have 240V between L1 and L2 at the pump.

What happens when you try to power on the pump?

The pump has a capacitor in the hump. Check the capacitor as described in Pump Capacitors - Further Reading

Report back what you find.


Lots of YouTube videos showing people fixing pool pumps to learn from.

I used a multimeter to confirm 240 at the breaker for the pump. When I close the breaker I can hear a faint humming. But, before that I poured water into the basket and the water began to leak out.

 

[poolSquirrel]

Unknown check valve.. I 'assume' this check valve allows water to flow from the SS pump toward the 'B' valve.. Again I have no clue why. If you can, try to look at the check and see if you can tell the direct of flow

You are correct I see an arrow pointing from the pump towards the ‘B’ valve.

Another thing you can do is remove your skimmer basket and look down.. Do you see one pipe or two?? If two pipes, are both of them open or is one capped off.. Could be capped under the skimmer

I see two pipes. The one furthest from the pool wall has suction, nothing from the other.