I have an Intel pump with my sand filter. Got it last summer and at first it worked well. Towards the end of summer it began losing the vacuum in the pre-filter. It would draw air into the pre-filter and then lose suction. I'd let the air out, restart and it would be fine for awhile and then back to the same thing. I ended up closing the pool, planning to look at the pump during the winter and of course completely forgot about it until I opened it today. Same thing, only this time it also leaks water around the housing where the pre-filter fits onto the pump. I took it all apart, cleaned it, applied petroleum jelly to the O rings (which still look brand new) but it's still leaking and of course losing pressure as well. It's filtering some water but not doing very much and of course I can't vacuum at all.
loss of vacuum, leaking pump
- Thread starter KarenT
- Start date
Don't use petroleum jelly on rubber components. It causes the rubber to break down. Instead use a silicon pool lube on the o-rings. Check that the drain plug on the front of the pre-filter is tight, and check the hoses for air leaks from the pool to the pump.
Still haven't found the leak. I tried to get new O-rings yesterday at the local pool store but they don't carry Intex's very specific sizes, so I just ordered them off the Intex site. The O-rings all look fine, no cracking or anything so I'm not confident that's the problem. I checked the water line and can't find a leak there, but I've also ordered new valves for both intake and outflow ports, as I have the old T-style ones and they are at least 7 years old, and very difficult to push/pull. So when I put the new ones on I can check all the fittings there too. I tried running water over the port and didn't get any improvement in suction, but it's also still leaking at the spot where the prefilter attaches to the pump, and the only thing I can think to change there is those O rings.
btw, if this should be moved into the Pumping station folder please do so.
btw, if this should be moved into the Pumping station folder please do so.
Update - after getting all new O rings and still having the leak, I finally found that the housing of the prefilter itself was cracked. Since I didn't want to wait on ordering again from Intex, I found some marine epoxy at Home Depot and put that on. Seems to have done the trick! however, after vacuuming all day yesterday, the hose from my skimmer to the strainer broke so off to order another new part!