Pool Leak When Pump is off / Vacuum loses Prime

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mkpenny

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May 22, 2013
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Had a pool for years and never had this much problem getting everything ready for the season. I believe I have a leak between the skimmer and the pump. There is just one underground(under concrete) line but the funny this is I only lose water while the pump is off. Also the system is sucking air somewhere and i cant find any where in the above ground plumbing, There are no drips or leaks or any thing of that nature.

I also have a new issue that i believe may be a clog in the line. When i try to vacuum, within a couple of feet if starting its as if the vacuum line becomes clogged. The pump immediately fills with air losing the prime (Happens every time on either filter and waste). There is a lot of sand in the pool right now that I've been trying to vacuum out and i'm unsure of the effects of all that sand on the pump.

So right now i may have a leak and I may have clog but i definitely have a sandy pool that i can't vacuum. Any hints or suggestion would be much appreciated as pool season rapidly approaches!

Thanks
 
Welcome to the forum. :lol:

Taking one issue at a time, a suction side leak will always be an air leak when the pump is running and may or may not be a water leak when the pump is off but it usually isn't.

I would find that suction leak, fix it, and see if that solves the water leak issue as well.

Pump running, is there a lot of air or bubbles visible in the pump basket lid?
 
There is some air in the pump but not a whole bunch. There is a small but continuous steam of bubbles coming from the first return while the pump is running. The water level stays constant as long as the pump is running. Once i shut it down pool losses ~2-3 inches of water in a 24 hours to the bottom of the skimmer intake in the pool.

I looked inside the skimmer as best i could but didn't notice any cracks or anything. Is it possible for it to suck air from underneath in the plumbing connections below the skimmer?

Thanks for the reply!
 
I have / had a similar problem this spring that turned out to be an underground suction side leak. One thing that can help confirm the problem, with the pump turned off and pump basket open or isolated with a cut off valve if below pool level. With the pool water still try adding a few drops of food coloring to the pool skimmer basket and see if it gets sucked down the suction line.

Ike

p.s. I have fixed (or at least greatly slowed) mine with repeated doses of Marlig Fix-a-leak, this requires isolating the line from the filter and pressurizing it (I used a garden hose on a sump pump and test plugs / PVC caps)
 
mkPenny did you even find a solution?

My pump sucks a lot of air when fully open and vacuum looses prime almost immediately

When my valve from the skimmer to the pump is 3/4 open the pump has zero air but stil loses prime immediately when a suction cleaner is attached.....

Im not sure what else to try at this point....I would think a leak in the valve itself but i tried the shaving cream trick with no success
 
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