Fisrt, Sorry - I Know weve been through this topic...

[happyheathen]

Looks like I just managed t kill another pump (Hayward Super Pump 1.5 hp single speed) due to inlet clogging.
I forgot the bizarre tree needles we get here, and just let the (shock) run overnight.
Next morning, lots of waves in the pool.

The pump basket was plugged around the inlet port, blocking the water flow. Cleaning and attempting to re-start produced the infamous "pulse" behavior - the water in the basket (yes, bleed valve open) would begin to rise, then fall back, then rise, then fall...

If you were to split a flat toothpick down the middle and then glue the halves together at a 15 degree angle at on end, you'd have an approximation of these things - they go through the skinner - its basket was completely empty. The finer openings in the pump basket catch them.
Short of cleaning the pump every 3 hours, any ideas? The idea of putting the filter BEFORE the pump has occurred to me - that is the level of desperation.
Aside from blowing $1000 on the state-of-the-art pump (to get a thermal trip?),
any ideas?

As a frame of reference, the only stuff which will trap them 100% is window screening.

Does anyone make a filter which is designed to sit between the skimmer and the pump?

I am not above the truck-rope-and-blue-tarp level of problem solving - at least the equipment is far from the pool :-D

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Why not use the skimmer basket liners they sell?

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[UnderWaterVanya]

They make skimmer basket liners that filter really tiny debris.

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[happyheathen]

Yeah, I just saw skimmer basket socks mentioned in another thread (Leslie's doesn't seem to carry much- maybe why I've never heard of them before.
Read first, then post.. read first, then post... read fir...
At least it would take longer to plug an entire skimmer basket than a 2"x3" patch of a pump basket.

For those facing needles and other particularly nasty obstructions: how long to clog the sock vs the pump basket?

Thanks to all!

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Do you have a main drain?

Reference time: no way to know without trying it at your pool. Conditions vary too much.

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[happyheathen]

Yes, there is a floor drain - this is an oddball with a single suction line from the skimmer to the pump - the drain is plumbed to the bottom of the skimmer, so a blocked skimmer would not be a problem - it could still draw from the floor - no valves involved (this also solves the need for a second drain).

I guess I'll put "Skimmer Socks" right under "replacement pump".

I may luck out on this one - I replaced the pump before realizing the problem was a crapped-out filter cart - I may have pulled a perfectly good pump - luckily, I kept it. Not its plumbing, but that's cheap.

 

[happyheathen]

And, to check the obvious...

This "surging" action I'm seeing when trying to start the pump Does mean the pump (or at least the motor) is shot, correct?

There is nothing too large or too obvious that this boy can't miss...

 

[jblizzle]

If the motor is spinning it is not shot.

Sounds more like it is struggling to prime. My guess is the impeller is just clogged up with all the pine needles. Pull the motor off and inspect the impeller.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

If the motor is spinning it is not shot.

Sounds more like it is struggling to prime. My guess is the impeller is just clogged up with all the pine needles. Pull the motor off and inspect the impeller.

X2

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[Richard320]

Yeah. Probably a clogged impeller. Pine needles can slip right through the holes on a basket.

A knee-high nylon works well as a skimmer sock.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Yeah. Probably a clogged impeller. Pine needles can slip right through the holes on a basket.

A knee-high nylon works well as a skimmer sock.

Can a sock be used on the pump basket?

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[happyheathen]

Before I knew better...

My method of seeing if the pump was working was to remove the filter cover & cart - I could see the geyser from across the yard.
After I let it run dry, the first symptom I noticed was the geyser - it used to be a solid 10'. Then it started to vary between 7 and 10.
Then it plain died.
This is why I thought (plus the 19 year old "expert" at Leslie's considered opinion) the surge was indicative of eminent death.
I made half-hearted effort to stick a finger into the pump cavity, but my reach was pathetic.

At least this time, the pump is on unions.

And no more glued joints - I made at least 1 joint of either wrong length or wrong orientation for each I got right,

For knee-high's: is there a re-enforced toe and/or heel which would need careful orientation? Otherwise, a great idea!

 

[jblizzle]

Have you pulled the motor to check the impeller? You do not have to remove the plumbing from the pump.

 

[happyheathen]

Sorry - I have a very bad back, and would like to have the unit on the bench, rather than trying to work in cramped quarters at ground level. If I had invested in a good cannon plug, this would be a snap to pull.
It's also 90 degree F. these days, so it may be a couple before I get back to it
I'll probably know next weekend.
Thanks again for the help - nice to know I don't have to mess with de-install.

 

[crek31]

I've seen people write good things on here about the Pool Skim.

 

[Richard320]

Yeah. Probably a clogged impeller. Pine needles can slip right through the holes on a basket.

A knee-high nylon works well as a skimmer sock.

Can a sock be used on the pump basket?

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I wouldn't risk it. Besides, they usually fit tighter.

 

[happyheathen]

I've seen people write good things on here about the Pool Skim.

As I understand that product, it is, essentially, a stand-alone skimmer - maybe if one could be positioned so that 100% of the water getting to the pump basket went through it first, I'd give it a shot, but my first choice is to never allow un-filtered* water to the pump.
Does that sound strange enough, or should I re-work it?

* Un-filtered, in this case meaning - never been through sock or screen to remove forked needles.

 

[happyheathen]

Update - the impeller is clean

Aside from mus-identifying the pump (it is a Northstar SP4015NS - I got the HP right, though).
Finally got the thing in and apart - the only obvious thing is a scorch mark around the impeller ring.
Again, assuming the diffuser was supposed to fall off when the pump assy was removed.
I have not removed the impeller and sincerely I won't have to.
I have not tried to run the motor - I have no way to control it should the torque want to make it spin short of re-assembling the pump.

So - any chance that he scorched impeller ring would cause the pump to almost prime, drop back, try again - water level in basket varying between 1/2 and 3/4 full?

edit:
Never mind - a 1/2" open-end wrench less than 1/4" thick and at least 5" long should work to hold shaft
end edit

Thanks again for the incredible patience and assistance