Air in System

[Maxomom]

New to this forum and thought I would attempt to get some basic trouble shooting advice. Somehow my system is getting air in it. I read a previous post to start with filter basket o-ring and apply silicone spray. Is this silicone spray the all purpose variety you can buy at big box store or something more specific to o-rings? Thanks. I have lots of bubbles on top of filter basket when the system is running.

At night when the pump and filter are off I get crazy bubbling sounds that appear to be coming from the pipes that attach my system to the solar panels on top of my roof. Sometimes this bubling noise goes on all night! Maddening!

I had my Pentair pump serviced last year for whining. Shouldn't the tech have lubricated the o-ring when he re-installed? I asked him about the bubbles and he seemed pretty clueless. When the pump and filter come on in the mid-morning, lots of bubbles come out of the returns and often when the weather is nice, the water is very hot which makes me wonder if the issue is with the solar heating system.

Thanks for helping a novice out.....appreciate your ideas and suggestions!

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

Not silicon spray, but silicon pool lube. It's a grease made for O-rings and available at pool stores.

The bubbling you are seeing may be related to your solar. When the solar shuts off in the evening, it is full of water. A vacuum breaker should open when the pump shuts off and allow the water to drain out of the panels. Since yours sounds like it's draining all night, it sounds like your vacuum breaker isn't opening. It's usually located at the highes point on the panels on the side opposite where the water exits the panels. If you shut the pump off, you should start hearing a hissing noise from the vacuum breaker shortly as it opens to admit air into the panels.

The air in the morning is normal and pretty much unavoidable. As the panels drain, they fill with air. When the pump comes on, it pushes the air out through the returns. On my pool, if I get the solar cover rolled up before the pump kicks on in the morning, all the bubbling does a good job getting and insects on the surface started toward the skimmer.

 

[Maxomom]

John T -

Thanks so much! I will lube my o-ring anyway just for good measure.

Sounds like I need to get my solar guy out for a check up on my system. It's been a few years since he's been out. I replaced my panels about 4 years ago as the original ones that were here when I bought the house were starting to leak. I don't know if he replaced or checked the vacuum breaker at that time.

Really appreciate your speedy reply. Have a great day. It's supposed to be 70+ degrees in sunny San Diego today. Almost pool time!!

 

[lborne]

You should not be getting air in the filter basket. There should be a check valve right after the filter before the solar that will prevent water and air from going into the filter and pump the wrong direction.

I'd isolate the solar (turn it off and shut valves going to and from it) and see if the air purges from your system. If you are still getting a lot of air in the pump filter basket area, then you may have a suction side leak.

 

[Maxomom]

Many thanks for this suggestion lborne! I will try this today and see what happens...

Pardon my lack of knowledge but the potential suction side leak that you mention is associated with the pump? If yes, that's annoying to me since I just had this pump serviced last September. When the tech reinstalled the pump after service, there were still bubbles on about 50% of the filter basket surface water and he said that was not a cause of concern.

Thanks again!

Paula ( Maxomom)

 

[lborne]

Suction side leak has nothing to do with your pump motor, but there could be an air leak in the pump housing. This could be due to not having the filter basket cover on tight enough, not having the inlet pvc tight, crack in the housing, or a leak somewhere along the inlet lines (underground or above).

Its not a big leak because if it were you'd probably lose prime in the pump.

So - to repeat myself, IF you have bubbles in the filter basket the entire time the pump is on, then it is not caused by the solar since it is after the pump and filter.

Here is something you can do. When you shut off the pump you should see a large air bubble sitting under the clear acrylic lid. Assuming your pump is higher than the pool water line. Use a grease pencil or something to mark its outline, or just measure the diameter. Leave the pump off and check again in an hour or so. If the bubble is larger, then you have a leak in the inlet lines somewhere. More than likely, if you leave it overnight, the pump basket will be empty of water.

 

[Maxomom]

Many thanks again for your valuable input.....

I will try this suggestion this evening!

 

[lborne]

I guess I should have also mentioned the obvious for those who are not familiar with pools and just purchased a house with one - check that the water level is not too low letting air into the skimmer. The suction on my skimmer is so great that even though the water line is an inch above the bottom of the opening, it will still intermittently suck air.

 

[ntrsandman]

I guess I should have also mentioned the obvious for those who are not familiar with pools and just purchased a house with one - check that the water level is not too low letting air into the skimmer. The suction on my skimmer is so great that even though the water line is an inch above the bottom of the opening, it will still intermittently suck air.

A stuck closed or broken skimmer weir can cause similar symptoms. Debris can wedge the weir closed that the pump suction can't dislodge. Broken weir pivots allow the weir to stay open. Same results. JMHO by experience.