Learned a lot on this forum and, thanks to that I had my pool humming along all summer. Mixing chemicals and adding bleach - got the whole thing to be pretty routine.
But I just created a new issue and I don't know how significant it is.
My pool has several fantail-shaped "fountains" (they look like big (1.25") versions of brass sprinkler heads) coming out of the side wall. There is a diverter valve on the pump outflow that turns them on. Next to the diverter valve is another valve. Since I bought the house law winter, I'd never used the fountains for more than just a second or to to check and make sure they worked.
So I turned them on this weekend, and decided to use them for the day. Very cool. Curiosity got the better of me when they were on and I turned the other valve. It's a flow control, like a faucet - when I turned it counterclockwise the fountains shot all the way to the decking on other side of the pool, and when I turned it clockwise, they barely dripped.
So I set them to a level that was pretty high - about 3/4 way open. Then when we were done with the pool I turned the fountains off with the diverter valve -- I didn't touch this "faucet" valve again.
The next day when the pump came on, water started dripping from every pipe joint and every valve in the pump area. Turns out that "faucet" valve controls the overall outflow from the pump regardless of whether the fountains are on. To illustrate, when I turned it fully open, the pressure on my filter dropped about 15psi. But with it fully open, the drips at the joints and valves became a steady flow.
Now I can turn this flow control down enough to mostly, but not entirely, stop the drips, but is that a good idea? Should the pump be impeded like that? Is that a problem?
Also, shouldn't the PVC joints and valves handle the pump at full flow? I don't think I "blew" the seals by turning it up as much as they just couldn't handle it.
Most importantly, how big a deal is this? When I turn the "faucet" valve down enough, everything works with just a minor drip. Can I leave it this way for the rest of the season (a couple of weeks to a month here), or do I need to fix this immediately?
Thanks for the help!
But I just created a new issue and I don't know how significant it is.
My pool has several fantail-shaped "fountains" (they look like big (1.25") versions of brass sprinkler heads) coming out of the side wall. There is a diverter valve on the pump outflow that turns them on. Next to the diverter valve is another valve. Since I bought the house law winter, I'd never used the fountains for more than just a second or to to check and make sure they worked.
So I turned them on this weekend, and decided to use them for the day. Very cool. Curiosity got the better of me when they were on and I turned the other valve. It's a flow control, like a faucet - when I turned it counterclockwise the fountains shot all the way to the decking on other side of the pool, and when I turned it clockwise, they barely dripped.
So I set them to a level that was pretty high - about 3/4 way open. Then when we were done with the pool I turned the fountains off with the diverter valve -- I didn't touch this "faucet" valve again.
The next day when the pump came on, water started dripping from every pipe joint and every valve in the pump area. Turns out that "faucet" valve controls the overall outflow from the pump regardless of whether the fountains are on. To illustrate, when I turned it fully open, the pressure on my filter dropped about 15psi. But with it fully open, the drips at the joints and valves became a steady flow.
Now I can turn this flow control down enough to mostly, but not entirely, stop the drips, but is that a good idea? Should the pump be impeded like that? Is that a problem?
Also, shouldn't the PVC joints and valves handle the pump at full flow? I don't think I "blew" the seals by turning it up as much as they just couldn't handle it.
Most importantly, how big a deal is this? When I turn the "faucet" valve down enough, everything works with just a minor drip. Can I leave it this way for the rest of the season (a couple of weeks to a month here), or do I need to fix this immediately?
Thanks for the help!
