Pool spillover bowl dripping backwards

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cagryinside

Member
Feb 22, 2025
5
Orlando
Hello, I'm a relatively new pool owner, having had my pool for about a year. Recently, I noticed that my pool spillover bowls started dripping water back onto the platform during the winter. I replaced the pool filter with a high-quality one, which temporarily resolved the issue for about a week, but the dripping returned. I've ensured that the filter is clean and the pump is generating sufficient flow.

The dripping is causing water to seep through the ground from the side of the platform where the spillover bowl is located, which then runs onto the pool deck, causing a constant flow of water. This issue has become quite frustrating.

I'm looking for advice on what further steps I can take to fix this problem, or what type of repair specialist I should contact for assistance.

Thanks in advance.

1000007456.jpg
 
It relates to flow and the edge on the spout of the bowl.
Can you adjust the flow to the bowl? Low flow will cause the issue which you temporarily solved with a new clean filter then the flow reduce, maybe ever so lightly, that causes this to happen again.
Also is the bowl level - have you put a level on it?
Maybe @JamesW has some ideas.
 
Dry the underneath real good and stack a few small pieces of tape at the front edge where it's running back. A rubber band may work as well. Basically you're just trying to make a barrier strip that's lower that the rest of it.

Once that front corner edge is lower than the rest of it, the water won't run uphill.

Once you prove it's worth more effort, use epoxy or clay to make a lip /strip where the tape was.
 
Do you have any installation information from the manufacturer of that bowl? Do you know who made it?

Can you throw a level on the bowl and check its level front to back?

Can you give overall dimensions of the bowl and the position of the spillover like relative to the edge of that platform?

From the picture you posted, the bowl may not be installed correctly.
 
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HermanTX said:
It relates to flow and the edge on the spout of the bowl.
Can you adjust the flow to the bowl? Low flow will cause the issue which you temporarily solved with a new clean filter then the flow reduce, maybe ever so lightly, that causes this to happen again.
Also is the bowl level - have you put a level on it?
Maybe @JamesW has some ideas.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response, I put a level on it and it looks leveled. I have 2 level jandy motor, so problem happens in both low and high rpms. I tried to adjust the valves that control the water flow. But didn't make too much difference. I am not sure if there is other way to adjust the flow.

For the side note, about 2 months ago my pool guy replaced the pool filter cartridge with a cheap filter from Amazon. That worked for about a month and started happening after the weather started dropping below 40F. After that I replaced the filter with a quality one, worked for a while and started happening again.
 
Last edited:
JoyfulNoise said:
Do you have any installation information from the manufacturer of that bowl? Do you know who made it?

Can you throw a level on the bowl and check its level front to back?

Can you give overall dimensions of the bowl and the position of the spillover like relative to the edge of that platform?

From the picture you posted, the bowl may not be installed correctly.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response. I don't have the installation information. This is built 6 years ago by the previous owner. The problem started happening 1 month ago.

I checked the level front end back. It looks leveled.
 
cagryinside said:
checked the level front end back. It looks leveled.
Click to expand...
That may be part of the problem, now that there is a problem with it. Some of the water is taking the easier way back across the spout before gravity pulls it off, instead of pushing through the existing mini waterfall. . If it was a bit 'uphill' to the pot, it probably wouldn't.


cagryinside said:
This is built 6 years ago by the previous owner. The problem started happening 1 month ago.
Click to expand...
So let's brainstorm what's changed ? Clean the edge well and look for buildup of minerals. Or maybe there is a seam there in the dead center and it's got a small crack now.
 
Newdude said:
Dry the underneath real good and stack a few small pieces of tape at the front edge where it's running back. A rubber band may work as well. Basically you're just trying to make a barrier strip that's lower that the rest of it.

Once that front corner edge is lower than the rest of it, the water won't run uphill.

Once you prove it's worth more effort, use epoxy or clay to make a lip /strip where the tape was.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply, I put plastic sheet underneath (see the attached pic), it worked but it looks pretty ugly. I will try a rubber band and report back.
 

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It seems like the bowl is filling up too much. That may be due to all the rocks in the bowl. You might try adjusting the water level a bit.

Bowls like that shouldn’t be level. Installing them with a slight tilt forward aids in the flow over the edge. It’s easy enough to do with a shim when it’s being installed but after installation it’s probably not possible to fix without a lot of headache.

You can try cleaning up edge a bit and adjusting the water level in the bowl. You may be able to find an operating point that doesn’t result in water flowing back under the edge.
 

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