Spa but no air blower??

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Themacdadt

Themacdadt

0
Sep 11, 2013
176
Cocoa, fl
Hey all. I always knew I didn't have a air blower for my built in spa but instead a pipe coming out the ground with a grate on it that gurgles when I run the spa. So I'm wanting to understand the details of how this works. Or if anyone knows of a link showing piping schematics. I would assume when in spa mode water pulls air from that pipe after the pump and all equipment right before it enters the spa.

Thanks
 
The pipe sticking out of the ground with the grate is most likely the vacuum break connected to the spa's drain. There should be a similar pipe for the pool's main drain.

If you have a separate "air" pipe run for blower you would (may) also have a pipe sticking out and going back in ground (like an upside down "U") which is what keeps the spa water from draining into the air piping.
 
Open the filter vent and see if any air comes out. If so, then see if the bubbles stop. If so, then do they reappear after some time? If so, then you probably have a suction side air leak. However, if the leak only returns after the pump has been off, then it could be a filter air leak.

Also, do you have solar and is it running?

What kind of pump are you running?
 

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mas985 said:
Open the filter vent and see if any air comes out. If so, then see if the bubbles stop. If so, then do they reappear after some time? If so, then you probably have a suction side air leak. However, if the leak only returns after the pump has been off, then it could be a filter air leak.

Also, do you have solar and is it running?

What kind of pump are you running?
Click to expand...

No air in filter. Bubbles always there. No water is lost from pump overnite ( looking through the clear pump top). I do have solar and it is running, (I had this issue before the solar was installed). And it's a Hayward super 2
 
(I had this issue before the solar was installed).
Click to expand...
That could have been a different issue. What is your filter pressure now and when the filter is completely cleaned? A dirty filter can open the vrv and it will draw in air. Turn off solar and see if the bubbles go away.

There are only so many places that air can enter the plumbing: Pump suction side, filter (when pump is off), Solar VRV, venturi jet
 
mas985 said:
That could have been a different issue. What is your filter pressure now and when the filter is completely cleaned? A dirty filter can open the vrv and it will draw in air. Turn off solar and see if the bubbles go away.

There are only so many places that air can enter the plumbing: Pump suction side, filter (when pump is off), Solar VRV, venturi jet
Click to expand...


With solar on 28 psi, with solar off 22 psi
Put in brand new filter, with solar 20 psi with solar off 14 psi. Will check again tomorrow for bubbles.
 
Are you sure that return does not have a venturi tee? There might be a vent in the deck right above the return. This is the pool return we are talking about correct?
 
The only Venturi is in the solar pipe half way up the wall..yes pool return 1 jet has the little bubbles and the spa return( not spa jets) have little bubbles.

If I put my finger over the pool jet that has the bubbles while the pump is running and block the flow for 5 to 10 seconds and then remove my finger that jet will burp out big bubbles..
 
The only Venturi is in the solar pipe half way up the wall..
Click to expand...
That is a vacuum release valve (VRV) not a venturi tee. A venturi tee is what is used in a spa to create bubbles.

But that sure sounds like the SWG bubbles. When you tested without the SWG, did you let it run for a while without the SWG on. It can take a while to clear the pipe of all the champagne size bubbles that are created. How are you shutting it off?

Also, are you running on low speed of a two speed pump?
 
mas985 said:
That is a vacuum release valve (VRV) not a venturi tee. A venturi tee is what is used in a spa to create bubbles.

But that sure sounds like the SWG bubbles. When you tested without the SWG, did you let it run for a while without the SWG on. It can take a while to clear the pipe of all the champagne size bubbles that are created. How are you shutting it off?

Also, are you running on low speed of a two speed pump?
Click to expand...

I have 3 pipes outside the pool cage with grates on them when the spa is running I can hear the gurgling in one of those pipes. But no other Venturi t that I am aware of.

Single sped pump. And I will have to test it again with the swg off again to make sure.
 
Also you might try sealing each of those three pipes (tape and a bag) and see if the bubbles go away. One of the three might be connected to that return. Sometimes pools have venturi jets in the pool too.
 
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