I have a large in ground Spa Pack that uses a 1.5hp pump for recirculation and filtering and a 2 hp pump for for the 8 jets that it has.It has 2 vent lines sticking out of the ground about 18inches that make a gurgling noise when the pump is running. When I turn the pump on that controls the jets they will start up and have plenty of bubbles and agitation but with in a minute or two the bubbles and agitaion stop. The pump continues to run but the strainer basket in the front of the pump will empty and try to refill. After another minute the strainer will fill and the jets will go back to work again for another minute or two and the basket will empty again and finally refill and go back to work again for 2 minutes. The jets don't seem to be clogged and this pump does not have any filters to be clogged. The impeller seems to be in good shape and the veins are not clogged with something. The distance between where the pump is at and where the hot tub is at is about 20yards. When the hot tub was new it seemed to work fine but there has been an ongoing issues with the jets that has something to do with this probably. Any thoughts or ideas short of filling it in with dirt and making a planter out of it...
problems with air bubbles
- Thread starter MikeLaw
- Start date
Likely either a restriction between the tub and the pump, or more likely an air leak in the strainer basket lid or the lines going from the tub to the basket. Is there an elevation difference between the pump and the surface of the water?
I've checked for leaks at all the fittings and the gasket on the strainer is almost new and has a sealant gel on it. There doesn't seem to be any difference in the elevation of the pump and surface of the water other then maybe the height of the Sta-Rite pump, maybe 8-12 inches at the most. I was concerned that the line from the pump to the jets (20yards) may be cracked or partially crushed from the pavers that cover the entire area. Is there an easy way to seal off both ends of that pipe, from the jets to the pump, and pressurize it or pull it into a vacuum to see if it is crushed or broken some where?
Have you checked the O-ring on the strainer drain plug?
Depending on what you have at the ends, you can use a test plug to seal one end. You can cap the line at the other either through a union or by gluing a cap on that has a pressure gauge and schrader valve installed to put air in the line and see if it holds.
Depending on what you have at the ends, you can use a test plug to seal one end. You can cap the line at the other either through a union or by gluing a cap on that has a pressure gauge and schrader valve installed to put air in the line and see if it holds.
I just checked the "O" ring and it was in bad shape so I replaced it but it didn't help any. I was never very impressed with the company that installed the hot tub and olympic sized pool and I've had one problem after another with the hot tub. This problem with the jets has been going on for several years although never as bad for such a long amount of time. It would seem like someone would complain the jets weren't working and they would be fine when I checked them. It's been acting up now all the time for about 2-3 weeks with no improvement at all. I think I can plug each jet with a rubber stopper and plug the two vent pipes and cut the pipe at the pump and put a cap with a shrader valve on it and try pressuring it up. Hopefully I can hear or see if there's a leak in that pipe. Other then that I can't think of anything else that could cause this problem