Water not circulating?

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vapool

LifeTime Supporter
Aug 2, 2007
94
PB just opened our new construction pool last week (finished last winter; hasn't been used yet), and is coming tomorrow for our pool school...we're really pretty clueless until then.

Since opening our pool, though, the water doesn't seem to be circulating, either coming out of the inlets or being swept through the skimmers. There is water in the pump -- I can see it bubbling about in the glass window -- and the filter (sand) seems to be filtering something. But when I put my hand by the inlets I don't feel any stream of water, and the skimmers aren't "slurping" -- the same couple of leaves are at the top of the skimmer water level that were there last week. The pool has definitely cleared up, color and clarity wise, from the murky opening, but it still has the layer of scum/pollen on top that hasn't changed.

I should add that the line that feeds the Polaris cleaner is working. Also water level is holding steady; no signs of any leakage.

Does any of this make sense? Am I just expecting more "action" in the skimmers/inlets than is normal, or did the PB forget to open something up (or may he have intentionally not opened something up until we were "educated")? I guess I'll find out the answer tomorrow, but would just like input in the meantime...

TIA
 
Well, it certainly sounds like he has forgotten to open a valve. Pressure from the returns is unmistakeable. Suction into the skimmers is normally VERY obvious unless the water level is too high.

What does the pressure guage on the filter say?
 
If it's more than about 35 or so, the guage is broken. Constant speed pool pumps can't produce more than that.

Now, that's not the problem with circulation...I still think a valve is closed. Presure around 35psi would've confirmed that.
 
It might be in a mode where water is drawn from the main drain and is mostly going to a pressure side cleaner. That would not be a great way to have things setup as the pump would be over pressurizing the filter, but one day of that probably won't damage anything. If you can figure out which valves to open to turn on the returns that would be great, but at this point you could also just wait for tomorrow.
 
Yes, if it was really 60 psi then it would be best to turn off the pump. But the 2 HP WhisperFlo can't produce 60 psi. The highest it might get would be 37 or 38 psi. So I am just assuming that the gauge is broken, which is common enough. Cavitation could also be an issue but that would result in a loud noise that would surely have been mentioned.
 
Ok, I rechecked the gauge and yes, it is flickering at around 35 (not 60!). All the valves seem to be open, however, except for the one leading to the water feature.
 
Take your skimmer baskets out and feel the suction hole at the bottom. If there is suction your skimmers are on. Do you have weirs in your skimmers? The weir is the flap in the mouth of the skimmer. Could've been forgotten about during the construction but shouldnt have. This would give the skimmer the appearance that it is not sucking. What water features do you have? Try turning them on and see if you have any flow from your returns. Plumbing could've been screwed up.
 

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Ok...turns out filter just needed a good backwashing (told you I'm a complete newbie!). Oh, and one of the skimmer's weirs was missing. Seems to be working fine now. Thanks for your help!
 
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