Are spa returns suppossed to bubble?

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Debigold

Debigold

0
Jul 1, 2018
32
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Pool Size
22000
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hello This may sound real stupid, but I want to know if spa returns are supposed bto bubble? Let me give you some background. We have been running the spa overflo into the pool. The spa return jets have been shooting bubbles. Less when the hayward pool vac is plugged in the skimmer. Friends were saying we had an air leak because of the bubbles. My boyfriend has been around since the pool was built and inherited the home. He thinks they may have always shot air out of them. But we have been running in circles trying to find air leaks that have been undetectable. Changed o rings, gaskets and checked all unions. He just cleaned out the filter and then primed the pump. Air bubbles in spa return jet like crazy no air in filter. Shut the pump off moved the diverter valves to pool/pool to get air out of pool returns within 20 no more air at all coming out of pool returns. Shut pump off to put diveter valves back to pool/spa then massive air bubbles from spa returns. Now he is wondering since there it not any spa air switch anywhere and not one single air bubble in the pool returns if there is no leak and air bubbles in spa returns is normal for this old pool set up. Please advise.
 
Yeah, sounds like you have an air leak someplace. May have been there since the pool was built.

They are often from small cracks or leaking O rings and are hard to find. Try squirting shaving cream around areas and see if it gets sucked in. Also you can try putting food wrap around areas and see if it gets sucked in and bubbles stop.

Posting pics of your pool equipment and valves may let us see what your situation is.

Happy hunting.
 
Spas are supposed to shoot bubble out of the returns. I guess it is part of the therapeutic experience. If you check your pipes at the equipment pad, you will find one that allows air into the spa returns.

- - - Updated - - -

Okay...just saw AJW's response. Maybe I'm wrong. Both pools I've owned are plumbed to allow air into the spa returns.
 
Tried the shaving cream no air leaks anywhere. We even paid for a little pressure test with leak detection company and nothing
Besides if there was an air leak wouldnt the npoil returns be shooting bubbles as well? Thats why I posted this to ask. There is no air switch on the spa. The spa returns ate the only returns with bubbles. With that being said am I chasing my tail and wasting m9ney looking for a leak thst is not there?
 
Tried the shaving cream no air leaks anywhere. We even paid for a little pressure test with leak detection company and nothing
Besides if there was an air leak wouldnt the npoil returns be shooting bubbles as well? Thats why I posted this to ask. There is no air switch on the spa. The spa returns ate the only returns with bubbles. With that being said am I chasing my tail and wasting m9ney looking for a leak thst is not there?
 
I need to see pics of the plumbing to comment. There are so many ways this stuff is built in creative ways. You can't say for sure what is going on without seeing it.
 
There are generally two types of spa setups.

One setup uses two pumps with a spa jet pump running the jets which usually have bubbles coming out of them and the main circulation pump which is used for heating the spa and water returning back to the spa through separate returns which do not generate bubbles when operating.

The other type of spa setup uses one pump, the main circulation pump, for the spa jets and in this case, there are usually bubbles all the time when water is redirected to the spa. However, there are cases where the bubbles may not be seen such as running a VS pump at lower speeds or having a blower that is turned off.

Basically, if water is flowing through the spa venturi jets, then there can be bubbles. Standard spa returns are generally not venturi returns and should not have bubbles.
 

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Thank you Mark. This pool set up is 45 years old. There is only one pump which is a single speed original pump. There is a pipe that has a hole cut out on the lower side that my boyfriend thinks is the spa bubbler pipe. It comes out of the ground not really attached to anything. It is by the heater. The only things that have been replaced since 1974 are the heater, filter and tiles. Been replastered 3 times. Everything else on equipement pad are original. There is no blower. It would makes sence that it will blow bubbles all the time with this set up. When the vac is hooked up smaller bubbles. When the vac is not hooked up very forceful bubbles. There are no bubbles coming from the pool returns except for about 20 seconds when restarted after a full filter clean or empty pump basket cause we do not have a check valve before the pump. I wish I could explain better. I was just hoping this is normal for the spa. If there was an air leak on suction side woulnt the pool returns be bubbling too which they are not? We have already spent over $1000 on an issue that may not exist. I dont want to spend more money for nothing.
 
Debigold said:
There is a pipe that has a hole cut out on the lower side that my boyfriend thinks is the spa bubbler pipe.
Click to expand...
Your bf is correct! That is a motorless Blower and you should hear the open end of that pipe gurgling when running the spa jets. Not supposed to run the vacuum when in spa mode. But I'm not an expert and not even sure if what you have are Venturi jets or just a return pipe. Perhaps some pictures may help us to help you better.

The spa jets in this youtube video has a dedicated pump for 8 jets and a motorless blower. 0-27 secs mark is the filter pump in spillover mode. Your pool can do the same with one pump, depends on the position of the diverter valve.
 
If you plug the air pipe the bubbles should disappear. You can use a PVC cap, just do not glue it on. When you want the bubbles, take the cap off.
 
Thank you. I do appreciate all who are trying to help. I do know that when people come to look at it they scratch their head and go hmmmm. Lol. I will try to post some pics of this stuff later on. I need to delete some stuff 1st. No more memory to take pics....dagnannit it just started raining where I am in California.
 
20180717_083806.jpg20180717_082524.jpg20180717_082601.jpg20180717_082601.jpg here are some pics of equipment. If you need more or close ups let me know. In the 1st one that I marked the bubbler there is a cut out close to the bottom. My boyfriend says the cap at the bottom is to direct water away from the heater as sometimes it spits at start up.
 
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Sorry, I thought that your questions were answered. The bubbles are consistent with that layout. Were there any other questions?
 
Thank you for your response. I just needed a definitive response. Someone else had also requested pics. I appreciate your help. One more problem down and few more to go. Once I decide which one I want to tackle next I'll start a new thread. Hopefully I'll get all the issues resolved by the end of summer which is fine because our pool never closes here in Southern California :cool:
 
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