I left my filter running all day yesterday and I had the return flow directed to half spa and half return jets and it creates a light waterfall effect. I dont usually do that to often. I turned the filter off last night and the spa would have been full. This morning the spa is down 6 - 8" and I was thinking because I left it in the half way position, did the water get syphoned out of the spa and back into the pool? I can think of no reason that it could possibly go down that much over such a short period of time.
sill over spa down 6-8" overnight
- Thread starter gabagoo
- Start date
- May 3, 2007
- 16,880
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I assume you have a raised spa? Yes, leaving the valves half way will allow the water to flow out of the spa into the pool draining the spa to the same level as the pool.
mitch08
0
It is definitely equalizing itself. As long as you are only losing 6 to 8 inches its probably no big deal. You can just turn it on spillover mode to refill it in 2 minutes. 
I did the ultimate stupid thing the very beginning of the summer.
I don't know how I managed to do this but I left the suction on the spa on and left the pool returns on. Then I went inside and went to sleep. It probably took the spa about 20 minutes to completely drain.
Of course that meant my filter was running without water in it all night long
Luckily I didnt burn out the pump, but I did melt all the connections next to it. The O rings needed to be replaced and the connections re-sealed. Brilliant move.
Anyway I learned my lesson. You always need to be very careful with the spill over spas. It took me a while to learn exactly how the mechanics worked.
I did the ultimate stupid thing the very beginning of the summer.
I don't know how I managed to do this but I left the suction on the spa on and left the pool returns on. Then I went inside and went to sleep. It probably took the spa about 20 minutes to completely drain.
Of course that meant my filter was running without water in it all night long
Luckily I didnt burn out the pump, but I did melt all the connections next to it. The O rings needed to be replaced and the connections re-sealed. Brilliant move.
Anyway I learned my lesson. You always need to be very careful with the spill over spas. It took me a while to learn exactly how the mechanics worked.
mitch08
0
Another thought on this.
I usually do what you did to a small degree. In other words, I leave the suction cracked a tiny tiny bit. Not for slight waterfall effect, but for another reason. It helps with water displacement when people get out of the spa.
You know how when 4 people get in, and then get out, you water level is obviously 5" or so lower...
Well if you keep a slight crack in the suction so a drop is still coming in from the pool, it will slowly keep refilling itself.
It is very slow, but at least if you have a lot of people in and out of the spa all day you won't have the water level getting lower and lower. When you do this, the water just trickles down the spillover. Its not enough for any type of waterfall effect. Another benefit is that you get some fresh water in the spa throughout the day.
The only negative to this is that sometimes the water coming through the jets will feel a little cooler since you are pulling some pool water through it. But it isnt really noticable if you only have it cracked a tiny bit.
Now if you turn the filter off with it like this, the water will slowly drain from the spa and go to the level of the pool the same way it is happening with you. Just a bit slower since the valve is more closed off. But the next morning you will see the same exact result.
Good luck! IMO spill over spas are the greatest thing in the world. I just hate closing it for the winter
I usually do what you did to a small degree. In other words, I leave the suction cracked a tiny tiny bit. Not for slight waterfall effect, but for another reason. It helps with water displacement when people get out of the spa.
You know how when 4 people get in, and then get out, you water level is obviously 5" or so lower...
Well if you keep a slight crack in the suction so a drop is still coming in from the pool, it will slowly keep refilling itself.
It is very slow, but at least if you have a lot of people in and out of the spa all day you won't have the water level getting lower and lower. When you do this, the water just trickles down the spillover. Its not enough for any type of waterfall effect. Another benefit is that you get some fresh water in the spa throughout the day.
The only negative to this is that sometimes the water coming through the jets will feel a little cooler since you are pulling some pool water through it. But it isnt really noticable if you only have it cracked a tiny bit.
Now if you turn the filter off with it like this, the water will slowly drain from the spa and go to the level of the pool the same way it is happening with you. Just a bit slower since the valve is more closed off. But the next morning you will see the same exact result.
Good luck! IMO spill over spas are the greatest thing in the world. I just hate closing it for the winter