Another Air in Pump Basket Thread

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KSpoolguy

0
Jul 11, 2013
68
Wichita, KS
My pool is three years old and I've never had a problem with air in my pump basket. So this year, got the pool opened and boom...air in pump basket. I've checked every union at the equipment pad. I installed a new o-ring and lid on the pump. I had the pool company remove the chlorinator because I was almost positive I could air either going in or coming out when the pump was off. They also took apart the top to my sand filter and lubed the gasket. No luck. So here is what is happening....there is air bubbles in my basket when operating. My clean PSI last year was about 15 and it's about 18 this year. So when I turn my pump off in the evening and come back in the morning, the pump basket is about half full (sometimes more, sometimes less. My equipment is about 3 feet above my pool (had no other choice). The pool doesn't lose prime per se, because it fills up the pump basket almost immediately, which I would think if this is a suction side leak, I would completely lose prime due to the elevation of my pool equipment. Also, if I close the suction side valves, I still getting a lot of air in the pump basket overnight. Any thoughts or suggestions? I will be spending a week at the lake several times this year and do not want to stress about this while I am gone.

As a side note, there was two days last week where it rained a lot and I had almost no air in the basket during those two days. That let me to believe there is a small leak on piping somewhere, but could just be a coincidence. My only thoughts are I have an issue with my sand filter or piping. But one would think that if the leak was after the pump and I turn my suction side valves to closed, the air wouldn't back up into the pump.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
A few more notes: I am not losing water in the pool at all. And there is no water leaking at the pool equipment either when the pump is running or off. I almost wonder if this is a Filter issue. The pool company wants to replace the pump seals inside the pump, but don't want to waste the money if that's not it.

If I can't figure this out, I may just have them replace all the piping at the pool equipment pad for peace of mind. NOt sure what else to do.
 
I had the same problem this year. My third year w the pool and never had this issue before. All of a sudden - this year - I see some bubbles through the window/door of my strainer basket.

So I grabbed a can of this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Stops-Rust-11-oz-LeakSeal-Clear-Spray-265495/203165633

I pulled the spray tip off the can and used the tip from a can of WD-40 which has the red "straw" attached. I sprayed all my suction side PVC joints aiming the tip around the perimeter of each joint. 30 seconds later - no bubbles. It's $10 buck a can and worth a try I would think....

If you do go this route I suggest doing it when the pump is off. That way there's no suction pulling any of the spray into your pump and it gives the spray some time to dry.

And wear safety glasses!! The stuff can shoot out of the straw w some pretty good force!
 
dschribs said:
Let me know if it works for you. Maybe I've stumbled upon something that can work for people in the future...
Click to expand...

Well, I didn't work. But that doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. I really think I am having an issue on my discharge side of the pump as I am not losing prime completely, just getting air backed up into the pump basket over night. Not sure what to do at this point. I feel like having the pool company redo all of the plumping at the pad, cleaning the sand filter, and go from there.

Could a clogged or dirty filter cause air to be trapped inside it which then backs down into the pump? Though it happens even if I run it on recirculate, so that may not be it either....Grrrr!!!!
 
I have a cartridge filter, not sand. What I would have sworn was a suction side leak was actually clogged cartridges that were apparently no longer cleanable, as my earlier attempt to clean them made little to no difference. I replaced all four with new ones and my significant air buildup in the pump basket is 100% gone. Air that slowly acquired in my filter that I had to bleed off daily is also gone. My gauge reading dropped 6psi, and the increase in flow, most noticeable at the spa spillover, is very significant!
 
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