Help reguarding circulation

[littleblue]

We have been trying the BBB method to get our pool up. The problem is that it only filters for a few minutes when you turn it on. The pump has been running 24/7, we have backwashed, cleaned the filter and the results are the same- after a few minutes, water just quits moving.

Help please? We don't know if the filter is bad or the pump. The equipment was put in place with the pool when the pool was built about 12 years ago by the original owner.

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

You probably need to open up the filter and do a through cleaning of the grids/fingers, particularly if that hasn't been done in a long time. It could be the pump, but that seems much less likely.

 

[littleblue]

That was one of the first things we did since the previous owners never cleaned it and it had to be replaced last summer.

 

[JasonLion]

When you look in the pump strainer basket is there normally water in there?

How many skimmers do you have and main drain or not?

Does the pump make any strange noises?

 

[littleblue]

Yes, there is normally water in the strainer. We have 1 skimmer port, a main drain and 1 vaccum port.
Pump seems to sound the same as it always has.

 

[JasonLion]

One more question. What is the filter pressure when water is flowing and when water is not flowing?

 

[littleblue]

The pressure is 22 when we start it and 23 when the water stops flowing.

 

[littleblue]

I forgot, that is after we have freshly backwashed. Same before we backwash.

 

[mas985]

When you say the flow rate stops, does it reduce in flow or actually stop (i.e. no flow at all)? Have your checked all of the returns and is the low/stopped flow the same in all?

Also, how old is the filter and pressure guage?

With just a 1 PSI rise, it is unlikely that the flow rate is stopped or even that much lower. If you can feel a measurable change in the flow rate, then perhaps your filter guage has a problem as well.

If the flow has actually stopped, then the pressure guage should read well over 30 PSI.

 

[mtheaded]

Your situation sounds almost exactly to the one I just went through!

The pressure reading moved very little on the gauge, but my flow would decrease to almost nothing after running the pump for a little while and my filter was not clogged at all. For me, it turned out that the returns were clogged with old DE. I recommend you get a Drain King and try blowing out your returns. it's only about $10 and should probably be a part of any pool owner's arsenal of weapons. It's pretty clear your have a flow interruption somewhere!

 

[JThomas]

It seem like I have the same problem. What is a drian King and where do I get one from. Thanks.

 

[Denali]

A drain king is a cloth doohicky <--(technical name) you attach to a garden hose. You push it into your pipe. When you turn the water on, the cloth expands closing off that end of the pipe and forcing water out the other end. It also comes in a rubber model.

You can get them at hardware stores, pool stores and home centers in the plumbing area.

 

[mtheaded]

I got mine from Ace Hardware. It was $12.99 I believe. You can get in from their web site if you don't have one near you, but most decent hardware stores should carry them.

 

[littleblue]

I finally found a drain king, now, where do I put it? In the return that seems to be clogged?

TIA

 

[JasonLion]

Sure, trying to flush out the return is a good place to start. You want to turn off the pump and run the flow from the drain king in the opposite direction from normal flow. You can try the returns and also the intake pipe that should be inside the pump strainer basket area.

 

[littleblue]

Can you put it in the vac port?

 

[JasonLion]

Sure, if it fits it will work and if it doesn't fit they sell smaller ones that will fit.

 

[littleblue]

Thank you That was the problem. DE blocking the vac port. Now we can finish cleaning.

Thanks for the help.