Spa leaking down again

[bware]

My attached spa is once again leaking down to pool level. This happened last summer and after replacing the check valve for the second time in ten years, it stayed at the right level with the pump off. I've noticed one of the 3 way valves is not making it's complete 180. The other 3 way was replaced last summer when it stopped functioning at all. Is the position of the valve on the right enough to make it leak down after the pump cuts off? Is it time to replace this 3 way also?
Thanks.

 

[bdavis466]

That orientation for the check valve is the least desirable. It relies solely on spring pressure to stay closed.

The partially cracked 3 way could also be the issue. Is that the suction side plumbing?

 

[bware]

That orientation for the check valve is the least desirable. It relies solely on spring pressure to stay closed.

The partially cracked 3 way could also be the issue. Is that the suction side plumbing?

Yes, suction side. I think I'll replace the 3 way since the return side went bad last summer...probably time for this one to croak.

 

[bdavis466]

What exactly went bad in the valve? Are you sure the actuator isn't the issue? That would seem more likely.

 

[gary300]

The handle on the actuator MUST be in line with the piping, yours does not appear to be so. You need to adjust the cams inside the actuator to get the handle to be parallel with the pipes or you will get the spa drain down symptom you mentioned. Here is an instruction sheet on how to adjust the cams:

http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/CVA24TIG.pdf

 

[bware]

The handle on the actuator MUST be in line with the piping, yours does not appear to be so. You need to adjust the cams inside the actuator to get the handle to be parallel with the pipes or you will get the spa drain down symptom you mentioned. Here is an instruction sheet on how to adjust the cams:

http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/CVA24TIG.pdf

Thanks for this link and info. I made the adjustment yesterday and no drain down today.

 

[pooldv]

Good news!

 

[bware]

Well the good news didn't last long. When I turned to spa mode, the pressure side (right side in pic) valve did not rotate the required 180 so the spa continued to spill over. I had already gotten a new valve so I just finished installing it thinking this would get it done, but it did not rotate at all when activating spa mode until I moved it manually with the toggle switch on the valve. That stopped the overflow, but why is this valve not moving with the automation when I kick it into spa mode?
Any thoughts from the pros?

 

[bdavis466]

The right side of the picture is the suction side, not the pressure side. If that valve is not rotating, check the speeds for your feature circuits.

The spillway mode (or Pool mode) must be a lower speed than the spa mode. If that is not the case, then that is your issue. With Pentair products, the feature with the highest speed wins when multiple features are overlapped.

 

[bware]

The right side of the picture is the suction side, not the pressure side. If that valve is not rotating, check the speeds for your feature circuits.

The spillway mode (or Pool mode) must be a lower speed than the spa mode. If that is not the case, then that is your issue. With Pentair products, the feature with the highest speed wins when multiple features are overlapped.

Yes, stand corrected...right side, suction side. Brian, I have no idea about the speeds of the feature circuits or where they are adjusted..talk country to me.
Thanks.

 

[bdavis466]

Do you have a variable speed pump?

Are you putting the pool into SPA mode by pushing the V (valves) button?

 

[bware]

Do you have a variable speed pump?

Are you putting the pool into SPA mode by pushing the V (valves) button?

No. Single speed pump and I put the pool in spa mode by pushing the spa button on the panel inside the house or using the remote from anywhere outside.

 

[bdavis466]

And that worked before but not now? What changed? Any settings?

 

[bware]

And that worked before but not now? What changed? Any settings?

No changes made. As shown in first pic, the valve began staying open just enough to drain the spa to pool level in 20 minutes or so. Replaced with new valve aligned same as pressure side. Turned spa on with remote and pressure side moved 180, but suction side stayed put. Used toggle to move it 180 and all worked well, ie; spillover stopped, spa heated. Turned off spa, turned on pool, pressure side valve moved 180, suction side did not move, spa drained. Toggled suction side 180 and spa filled back up so nothing is working any better with the new valve. Is there some other adjustment that I'm missing?

 

[bdavis466]

Did you change the port that the valve actuator is plugged into inside of the intellitouch panel?

 

[bware]

Did you change the port that the valve actuator is plugged into inside of the intellitouch panel?

No.Three prong plug right back where the old one was.

 

[bdavis466]

If you are certain the plug is back in the correct slot (2nd from the left) and the actuator toggle works, then the only other possibility is the settings were changed or one side of the micro switches lost its connection.

 

[bware]

If you are certain the plug is back in the correct slot (2nd from the left) and the actuator toggle works, then the only other possibility is the settings were changed or one side of the micro switches lost its connection.

The plug is back in the correct slot for sure and the toggle switch works...don't know about the settings? (which settings?) or the micro switches. Where are they?

 

[bdavis466]

The micro switches are inside of the actuator. The settings are the way the IntelliTouch tells the valves to operate. Either of those been messed with, even accidentally?

 

[gary300]

What position is the switch on the malfunctioning actuator in? If it is in the center position, the actuator will not respond to remote control. It needs to be in one the two on positions. Use the switch to position the actuator the same as the other actuator and leave the switch in that position. Do not put it in the center position.

One other thing to try is isolating the fault by swapping the actuator connectors on the control board. If the actuator which was not functioning now works, then the fault is not with the actuator but rather on the control board.