Pump won't move any water

[dayhiker]

Is that "normal" on the 3-way valve? When I first tried to get the pump running I didn't have the 2nd cutoff valve installed yet. It was just the 3-way. I had the handle in the vertical direction s that it looked like it would run through and no water came out of the solar line. I slowly turned the handle to blow some water through it and clear debris. I'm going to rotate the secondary cutoff to make sure water comes out.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding a 3-way. Maybe it's not to divert water here and there, but rather an all off or all on type of valve? Is that really what it does?

 

[joenj]

The 3way diverts the path of the water. If you look at the pic from the solar discussion, you can see the relationship of the handle and the diverter, with the small hole.

picture of solar diverter solar-install-plumbing-questions-t11573.html

You may also see the word "close" on the 3way. Your 3way is working correctly. The other valves are called ball valves and the position of the handle indicates the position of the opening inside the valve.

BTW, if you had the 1/8" hole in the diverter, you would not need to open everything up as suggested by the solar guy. When the solar is on and the pump shuts off, then yes the panels will drain since the 3way is open towards the solar.

But if the solar was on and you then shut just the solar off, sun went away, they may not drain even when the pump is off without you opening the 3way again. They would drain with the solar off and having the hole. Just saving an extra manual step.

As soon as I shut my solar off, with the pool pump still running, the panels drain.

 

[dayhiker]

Thanks.

I feel like somewhere a village is missing it's idiot.