1 of my 5 spa jets stopped blowing air, but water still comes out fine. (how do these things work anyway?)

[Rszimm]

I've got an inground spa/pool. The pump is probably 60 feet from the spa. The air intake is back by the pump and is "screened" with a 1-1/2" PVC cap with about 10 holes drilled into it. I've unscrewed all the eyeballs to try and figure out what's happening to no avail (I just see a little plastic hex looking thing about 8" back from the wall. See photo). I've got the pool/spa drained right now and am currently refilling the pool while I diagnose/ fix this issue. I've already replaced all 4 globrite lights in the pool (WTF? $600 apiece that fail after 4 years...but I digress).

It's been like this for a few years now (they all did work for many years originally), so many changes in filter cleanliness, etc. I've tried different speeds on the pump.

Is it possible that water got into the air line (given that the input is pointed up), and maybe that's restricting the flow? Not sure why that would cause just the one jet to stop though.

One thing I've always noticed yet never understood (even back when all five jets worked fine) is that when the jets are on, if you fully cover one jet with your hand, all the other jets stop shooting air (just water comes out of them).

 

[ajw22]

When you cover one jet with your hand the water backs up into the air line and blocks the airflow for all the jets.

Sounds like some debris is blocking the air line into the jet that does not give bubbles.

Remove all the jets and put a blower on the air intake and maybe you will blow the blockage out. All the jets are on one water loop and one air loop and interconnected. So it is difficult to isolate any one.

 

[Rszimm]

Thanks. That makes sense. Are these designed to be self clearing of water in the air line? (i.e if water gets in there, will it be 'vacuumed' out by the jet venturi? ).

When you say "remove the jets", what exactly do you mean? I've removed the eyeballs at the end, but the "jets" seem to be way back inside the wall. Is that plastic hex looking thing way back there something I can put a socket (with an extension) on and unscrew it?

 

[Jimrahbe]

I just see a little plastic hex looking thing about 8" back from the wall

R,

The little 'hex thing' is the jet.. It unscrews with the right size socket and a long ratchet extension.. Most likely at least one of them is clogged.

Lower the water in the spa and then take them all out.. Refill the spa and turn it on.. This should blow out all the debris..

Reinstall the jets..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Thanks. That makes sense. Are these designed to be self clearing of water in the air line? (i.e if water gets in there, will it be 'vacuumed' out by the jet venturi? ).

Yes, if properly designed the venturi air flow should be strong enough to clear the water in the line.

When you say "remove the jets", what exactly do you mean? I've removed the eyeballs at the end, but the "jets" seem to be way back inside the wall. Is that plastic hex looking thing way back there something I can put a socket (with an extension) on and unscrew it?

Yes, the jet has the hex face and should unscrew. The nozzle is where the air and water combine...

 

[Rszimm]

Uh, OK. I'll try. It looks plastic to me. Makes me very nervous to be unscrewing them when I don't really have a backup if it breaks off. I'll be super gentle..

 

[Rszimm]

OK, they came out easy. FYI for anyone else doing this: 9/16" socket. Mine took a full 12" extension AND I needed the deep socket. They're deep.
I'm glad they came out easy. Some of them had globs of PVC cement, but luckily not enough in the joint to seal them in there. (freakin' plumbers!)

Once I refill the pool, I'll blast them out. For now I might try putting a shop vac on the air intake and selectively block all the vents but the one that doesn't bubble. If there's something in there, maybe it'll suck out reverse...

 

[Rszimm]

This "jet" seems like nothing more than a nozzle. Is this all there is to these? Shouldn't there be something more sophisticated going on?

Incidentally, I tried pulling vacuum on the air intake and got zero flow. Then I turned the shop vac on blow and it blew fine. I wonder if there's a check valve somewhere in the system. If there is, it must be buried somewhere I'll probably never get to.

 

[ajw22]

Yup, the jet is a nozzle that reduces the pipe at that point to create the Venturi using Bernoulli Principle.

 

[Rszimm]

Just an update. Filled the pool. Everything bubbles! Thanks everyone.

 

[mknauss]

Just an update. Filled the pool. Everything bubbles! Thanks anyone.

Fantastic!
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