Greetings, This is my first time posting, I found this board a few years ago and I can't say how many times you've helped me out. I've recommended this board to many a pool owning friend.
Background. Purchased house with pool 5 years ago. First year or so used pool service, found this board and it's been a pretty pleasant pool/human relationship since. This year has just gone a bit awry.
20,000 gallon inground plaster, (it was re-surfaced at some point). Pool put in 1981. Hayward self-priming 1 hp superpump, Hayward Pro Series high rate sand filter, Model S244T/ 300lb 62gpm. Not sure how old the equipment is; 6 maybe 7 years?
2 years ago I replaced the sand in the filter, last year replaced lateral assembly too.
Just before I closed the pool last year replaced the valve cover for the vari-flow control, just the part with the handle and markings, not the whole control. The pump also started screaming. I closed the pool, and figured I would change the bearings in the pump during the winter.
Well, I wasn't able to address the pump until last month. Got the pump fixed (bearings and seal), hooked it back up and followed my usual opening routine.
Turned on the pump and all looked good, except I forgot to turn the filter to "filter" and had left it on "closed". I realized this pretty quickly, wasn't more than 5 maybe 10 minutes. Shut pump off, opened filter, restarted and monitored for a bit. I needed to retighten the pump connections, but otherwise all looked good.
Returned several hours later and found water spewing out from under the new valve cover, the collar between the filter and flow valve, and the drain plug.
Shut off the pump, refitted the drain plug and surprisingly there wasn't a gush of water. Checked the screws holding the cover and collar, and backwashed the pump thinking there might be a ton of debris in the filter. (Water is disgusting, but I have managed to remove most of the large stuff). It backwashed and rinsed perfectly and I restarted the pump. No spewing water and I could see the water moving well in the pool.
Came out less than an hour later and water is again spewing from under the cover.
Shut pump down. Removed valve cover to see if there was any debris preventing it from sitting flush, could see nothing, wiped and replaced it.
Now, I may have done a silly thing. I took off the collar and lifted the whole flow-valve to check that water was actually making it down into the filter. I didn't raise it a great deal, just enough to make sure there was water. I fitted the flow valve back on without much fuss, tightened the collar.
I removed the valve cover again to check for some sort of blockage or debris, all looked well, replaced it.
I then tried to backwash the filter, nothing came out the waste hose. A small glurg of a puddle, then nothing.
Shut off pump, switched to rinse because I'm the curious sort, turned pump on again, and a large bolus of something started moving down the waste hose (like Jerry the mouse running under the carpet to escape Tom) and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but approximately 10lbs of shining filter sand. Then some water and then some more sand, then some more water mixed with sand.
At this point,(after hitting the pump off switch) I did the only sensible thing; had a beer and went to bed.
So. I'm thinking I probably need a new lateral or whole lateral assembly. But what's causing the 360 degree spit take from under the valve cover?
I would love to salvage the rest of the season, (and I have to fix this or I won't be able to close the pool)
Oy. Sorry for the lengthy saga, any help is greatly appreciated. Would love to see blue water in my yard again...
Thanks for any suggestions...
Background. Purchased house with pool 5 years ago. First year or so used pool service, found this board and it's been a pretty pleasant pool/human relationship since. This year has just gone a bit awry.
20,000 gallon inground plaster, (it was re-surfaced at some point). Pool put in 1981. Hayward self-priming 1 hp superpump, Hayward Pro Series high rate sand filter, Model S244T/ 300lb 62gpm. Not sure how old the equipment is; 6 maybe 7 years?
2 years ago I replaced the sand in the filter, last year replaced lateral assembly too.
Just before I closed the pool last year replaced the valve cover for the vari-flow control, just the part with the handle and markings, not the whole control. The pump also started screaming. I closed the pool, and figured I would change the bearings in the pump during the winter.
Well, I wasn't able to address the pump until last month. Got the pump fixed (bearings and seal), hooked it back up and followed my usual opening routine.
Turned on the pump and all looked good, except I forgot to turn the filter to "filter" and had left it on "closed". I realized this pretty quickly, wasn't more than 5 maybe 10 minutes. Shut pump off, opened filter, restarted and monitored for a bit. I needed to retighten the pump connections, but otherwise all looked good.
Returned several hours later and found water spewing out from under the new valve cover, the collar between the filter and flow valve, and the drain plug.
Shut off the pump, refitted the drain plug and surprisingly there wasn't a gush of water. Checked the screws holding the cover and collar, and backwashed the pump thinking there might be a ton of debris in the filter. (Water is disgusting, but I have managed to remove most of the large stuff). It backwashed and rinsed perfectly and I restarted the pump. No spewing water and I could see the water moving well in the pool.
Came out less than an hour later and water is again spewing from under the cover.
Shut pump down. Removed valve cover to see if there was any debris preventing it from sitting flush, could see nothing, wiped and replaced it.
Now, I may have done a silly thing. I took off the collar and lifted the whole flow-valve to check that water was actually making it down into the filter. I didn't raise it a great deal, just enough to make sure there was water. I fitted the flow valve back on without much fuss, tightened the collar.
I removed the valve cover again to check for some sort of blockage or debris, all looked well, replaced it.
I then tried to backwash the filter, nothing came out the waste hose. A small glurg of a puddle, then nothing.
Shut off pump, switched to rinse because I'm the curious sort, turned pump on again, and a large bolus of something started moving down the waste hose (like Jerry the mouse running under the carpet to escape Tom) and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but approximately 10lbs of shining filter sand. Then some water and then some more sand, then some more water mixed with sand.
At this point,(after hitting the pump off switch) I did the only sensible thing; had a beer and went to bed.
So. I'm thinking I probably need a new lateral or whole lateral assembly. But what's causing the 360 degree spit take from under the valve cover?
I would love to salvage the rest of the season, (and I have to fix this or I won't be able to close the pool)
Oy. Sorry for the lengthy saga, any help is greatly appreciated. Would love to see blue water in my yard again...
Thanks for any suggestions...
