Pool Filter Losing Prime

[wuzzup]

Here's the problem:

I went to clean the strainer basket from my Pentair Whisperflo WFE-3 and observed the following:
A. Flow in the strainer basket chamber is very weak and only half full.
B. The temperature got so hot inside the chamber that the plastic basket actually melted!

Other conditions:

1. Pressure gauge was reading less than about 3 psi. Normal is about 15 psi. I just cleaned and recoated grids three days before.

2. Pump motor was running; internal thermal breaker never tripped.

3. Pool has heavy algae and was undergoing treatment.

4. Pool water level was normal and flapper was operating normally.

5. I use a Kreepy Krawley that was operating normally the day before.

What condition(s) would cause my filter to lose it's prime? It's never done this before; I've had the system in place for about 4 years.

Thanks!

 

[waste]

Welcome to TFP!!

A clog in the suction line or debris clogging the impeller could do this - what you've got going on is called cavitation - the impeller is turning at normal RPMs, but not enough water is flowing through the pump. I'd try (with the pump off ) reaching behind the basket to see if there is a bunch of stuff in the impeller and also wrapping a garden hose with a rag and stuffing it into the front port of the pump and see if a bunch of debris comes out in the skimmer (a Drain King is even better)

Do you vacuum through the skimmer without the basket in?

If I haven't quite hit on the problem here, someone else will be along to help. Speaking of help - if you could set up a signature telling us the specifics about your pool, it would REALLY help us help you, so that we don't have to guess about your set up 8)

 

[Casey]

Welcome to TFP!

I was gonna guess clogged too!

 

[wuzzup]

Welcome to TFP!!

A clog in the suction line or debris clogging the impeller could do this - what you've got going on is called cavitation - the impeller is turning at normal RPMs, but not enough water is flowing through the pump. I'd try (with the pump off ) reaching behind the basket to see if there is a bunch of stuff in the impeller and also wrapping a garden hose with a rag and stuffing it into the front port of the pump and see if a bunch of debris comes out in the skimmer (a Drain King is even better)

Do you vacuum through the skimmer without the basket in?

If I haven't quite hit on the problem here, someone else will be along to help. Speaking of help - if you could set up a signature telling us the specifics about your pool, it would REALLY help us help you, so that we don't have to guess about your set up 8)

CLOG makes sense...

Since I use a Kreepy the majority of debris gets sucked by this guy.

I disconnected the Kreepy suction hose at the skimmer port, shoved a garden hose at full blast but couldn't get motor to prime.

Therefore, the clog may be between the skimmer and my filter? Wow, hard to believe something making it all the way through the Kreepy hose but getting trapped just before the filter intake...

I will investigate further and see if I can free the blockage.

Thank you helping me troubleshoot; your logic is excellent!