Random vortex suck from jet

[grahamscrackers]

Good evening all,

I have been in this home for ~3 weeks now and have come to notice something odd with the pool.

Pool is 16x32 in ground.
shallow end 3', deep end 7.5'
Two return jets (right word for those?)
1 skimmer (pool company told me it is jacuzi)
1 lower drain

The strange issue! Randomly, my deep end return jet (closest to the pump) will turn from a return and generate a sucking sound and a vortex like you are draining the bath tub. This lasts about 10 seconds then returns to normal operation. I dug up the first 1' down at the jet to see it has a 90 degree elbow, not showing a leak there.

The second issue is the pool is losing water at about a little less then an 1inch a day. at 16x32' that is killing me with water bills.


Any ideas about the jet randomly turning into a vortex? Tips for leak detection without having to pay a pool company?

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and time.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, grahamscrackers

If I am understanding the sucking you describe, I would guess it is caused by the high return flow rate and is really not a problem. You may be able to stop the vortex by slightly changing the return eye so that it points down a bit more. One thing you can be sure of, if it is a return (a return is one that "returns" water back to the pool), it is definitely not a leak causing the vortex.

I would perform a bucket test to confirm, but it sounds like you have a leak. Take a look at this pool school article for details: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/leak_detection

 

[Bama Rambler]

My return will create a vortex in the water if it point it straight out or straight out and down. It still flows water out its just the shearing of the flow stream that creates a vortex that sucks down air.

Is yours still flowing water out the return?

You should run a bucket test to see how much your pool is leaking and how much is evaporation.

 

[grahamscrackers]

I will do the bucket test tomorrow.

As for water loss, we had ~5 inches of rain one week. The pool when we bought the house had the water at the very top of the skimmer (over filled). Within 7 or 8 days the water was down low enough that when I turned on the pump there wasn't enough volume into the skimmer to run the system.

Buck is a good starting point. The liner has pulled out corners as well.