Lost pressure - have I screwed up?

[Ewok500]

Brand new, inexperienced pool owner here - just learning about all the new equipment at our newly purchased house. Was checking out the pump and noticed some leaves in the filter basket so I opened the cap on the filter basket which released the pressure and all the water starting draining down. Pressure gauge on filter reads 0 now. I've closed and sealed the window/cap to filter basket now. When the pump starts up again (it's on a circuit) will I have caused some damage by letting air in and pressure down the pipes?

Sorry to sound so ignorant.
thanks

 

[linen]

It should be fine. Do you have an inground or above ground pool. If it is an inground, most likely the pump is self-priming so put the lid back on and start the pump and see if it primes and starts pumping water out of a pool return. If it is an above ground, leave the lid off until the basket fills then put it back on and start the pump.

 

[Suziqzer]

A little bit of occasional air in the system shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't do it all the time or let it get air for long, but you should be fine.

That being said.. If your vacuum uses the skimmer or pools suction, when you hook up your vacuum hold the hose to the return jet to fill it with water prior to hooking it to the skimmer, that way your pump doesn't get a hose full of air.

 

[stew930]

I'm having a similar problem too. Pool store opened the pool last week and I felt like I had more suction during vacuuming right after the opening. I didn't know I had to connect my hose to a disk then put it in the skimmer. I just took the skimmer basket out and plugged the hose after filling it with water into the port at the bottom of the skimmer. The second time I vacuumed it don't feel like port at the bottom of the skimmer grabbed the hose like it did the first time.


I have been running the pump overnight and during the day I empty the baskets and the water does sound like it drains from the plumbing. I pour some water into the pump to help start the prime but most of the time it runs down the plumbing. Once I start the pump it takes maybe a minute or less to prime.

I don't have much suction at the skimmer. I always see debris floating around above the skimmer which I would assume should be pulled down and caught in the basket. There is some debris in the basket but I would expect more.

The sand filter pressure had risen since opening and I have backwashed it. Jumped from about 14PSI to just above 20 so I backwashed it and now it is back down to 14PSI.

When the pool store opens a pool are they supposed to open the release valve on the filter to let air out? I never saw them do that. I have done that and air comes out and a little water which seems like it was a little foaming like water/air mixture.

Thanks

 

[duraleigh]

Ewok500,

What happened to you is perfectly normal...you lost "prime"

As long as the water refills into the pump basket whenyou turn the pump back on (even it takes a minute or two) everything is fine and to be expected.

Stew930,

Once I start the pump it takes maybe a minute or less to prime.

That's perfectly normal.

With the pump running and after it has primed, can you still see air bubbles in the pump basket?

 

[stew930]

I can see some bubbles but it just looks like a torrent of water through the pump basket.

 

[duraleigh]

Stew930,

You have a suction side air leak. Start a new thread so we can respond and help you and then help Ewok seperately.

Simply say that there is a torrent of water in your pump basket and that your suction is not as strong. I or someone will answer and help you get it fixed.

 

[Ewok500]

Thank you all for the quick response. yes - the pump self primes. There were a few bubbles in the filter window this morning but now that it's been running a few hours they've all been pushed out.