Hey there. I am a first time pool owner and have a very frustrating problem. My water is green and I have just found out that after buying $100 worth of chemicals and using them that my lines are apparently clogged because I am getting next to no return from my returns. I have found on YouTube where you can blow them out with an air compressor but I don't currently own one bit I do have a 180 mph backpack leaf blower and have read on other sites where you can blow the lines out with that. my problem is......HOW THE HEK DO YOU DO THAT? I know with the leaf blower that I have to go through the skimmer but which hole? the one that is covered with a screw on cap or the one that has a moveable cover that I can't seem to move completely off of it? also, I am not sure if I need to be ready to plug each return as they blow or what? I AM SO FRUSTRATED, I just want to get my water clear for my four girls this summer. I have a 10,000 unground pool with a sand filter. I am very close to converting to salt. The water is green because I apparently have a flow problem due to the line blockage so no good filtration and no circulation for chemicals to work. Thank you for your time and patience with me.
Pool lines are blocked! Please help
- Thread starter donnie025
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
Have you already cleaned/checked the filter to make sure there aren't problems there?
What does the filter pressure gauge read when the pump is running? When the pump is off?
Are the any valves on the pipes near your pump/filter other than the main valve?
Have you already cleaned/checked the filter to make sure there aren't problems there?
What does the filter pressure gauge read when the pump is running? When the pump is off?
Are the any valves on the pipes near your pump/filter other than the main valve?
Thank you and yes, I checked the filter and it is all clear. Please forgive me for my lack of knowledge when it comes tithe names of the parts of the pool. Have recently changed the pressure guage because my old one got water in it during winter and supposedly cracked. I installed the new one (used thread tape and everything) but have yet to get any reading. stays at 0. local pool guy over phone says that this is ok that it's my "starting pressure" and that once it gets 10 psi over starting pressure, backwash. I haven't seen pressure on any guage since winter. am beginning to think that my old guage wasn't broken. I did not winterize, I just kept the water clean and kept chemicals current. it is a vinyl pool. sorry, trying to think of anything that can help. there are so many on/off valves and what not coming off the pump area that it's too confusing. do u think I should try the leaf blower through the screw off hole in the skimmer and get ready to plug each return until the obstruction has been blown loose?
Hi, Donnie,
Welcome to the forum.
The leaf blower will not help you.
If the guage reads zero and is not broken, you are not getting water into the pump. Somewhere in between the skimmer and the pump there is something preventing water from flowing into the pump.
Because pools are so new to you, I suggest you call a service man to come get you started up. Short of that, you will have to carefully inspect that portion of your system until you discover what the problem is.
Welcome to the forum.
The leaf blower will not help you.
If the guage reads zero and is not broken, you are not getting water into the pump. Somewhere in between the skimmer and the pump there is something preventing water from flowing into the pump.
Because pools are so new to you, I suggest you call a service man to come get you started up. Short of that, you will have to carefully inspect that portion of your system until you discover what the problem is.
Also, I would hold off on running the pump anymore until you locate the problem. The pump is designed to lubricate and cool with the incoming water. Sorry for your troubles!
I suggest you get a drain king, which is a fitting for your garden hose used to clear out clogged drains. Open up the pump strainer basket and insert the drain king into the pump intake pipe (you may need to remove the strainer basket to have enough room to get it in). Then run the water and try to flush the clog back towards the skimmer. (A rag wrapped around the end of the garden hose can be substituted for a drain king, though it is trickier to get it to seal the pipe properly.)
Edited for politeness
Jason gave you a great idea, drain king!
this is a great place, stick around
Jason gave you a great idea, drain king!
this is a great place, stick around
ok but in the skimmer, which hole to stick the drain king in? the one that is partially covered or the on that is covered by a screw on cap. Plus, there is water going into the skimmer and then into the pump. it is full of water and when I turn the filter on, I see the water being pulled into the pump filter from the pool (glass screw on top).
What is partially covering the hole?
I'm also going to suggest the same thing as Duraleigh. Call a local, reputable, pool dealer and or service company in the area. Have them come out, look at your system, show you how everything operates, and give you pointers. You have a lot of questions that are pretty difficult to answer without pictures or a lot more detail about your system including pool type, filter, pump, number of returns, skimmers, main suction, valves, etc. Lots of knowledgable people here to help you, but I think you are so new to all this that you really need someone to help you understand your equipment and what everything actually does.
I'm also going to suggest the same thing as Duraleigh. Call a local, reputable, pool dealer and or service company in the area. Have them come out, look at your system, show you how everything operates, and give you pointers. You have a lot of questions that are pretty difficult to answer without pictures or a lot more detail about your system including pool type, filter, pump, number of returns, skimmers, main suction, valves, etc. Lots of knowledgable people here to help you, but I think you are so new to all this that you really need someone to help you understand your equipment and what everything actually does.
If you see flow, your guage is broken or perhaps the tip end of the guage got mistakenly covered by teflon tape when you installed it.
bk406 said:
I second this. Also, take a good look at pool school and particularly this page to see what kind of equipment you have and where:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/visual_encyclopedia
the guage is brand new. I checked and no thread tape over end. what is partially covering the one whole Is a slide cover that is always left partially open. I thank you for the advise and I guess I will have to just pay for someone to come out but maybe it will help me in the long run. thanks again.