Suction Side Leak?

[ycz]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 2007 Hayward Northstar Pump and lately I've been noticing bubbles under the strainer lid.

I run the pump from 7AM to 11AM. And then again from 8PM to 12AM.

The lid is mostly clear when I turn off pump at 11AM (see picture). But by 8PM, before I turn on the pump again, there are lots of bubbles (see picture.) I have been bleeding the valve on the filter to release all these bubbles every night for the past few weeks.

I've replaced the strainer lid t-seal and also tried a new lid. I've pulled out the skimmer weir and restrictor to rule out the skimmer. 4 Cartridge filters have also been cleaned (with operating pressure at 8psi)

Any ideas on where else I could check?

Thanks!!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP.

Did you lube the seal when you put it back on?
Remove and reseal the drain plug on the pump.
Check the inlet port adapter and fittings by running water over them.

 

[ycz]

Thanks for the response, Dave! The seal was lubed when it was put back on. I will check the drain plug and inlet port adapter/fittings this evening.

What is strange to me is that there are little to no bubbles after the pump completes its run from 8PM to 12AM. Most of the air leak happened when I ran the pump the next morning from 7AM to 11AM. Is there a reason why I'm not getting bubbles all the time if there was indeed a small air leak?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Are the bubbles in the picture the worse that it gets? If so then I'm not sure it's enough to worry about.

 

[ycz]

If I don't bleed the valve on a daily basis, the water under the strainer lid will become turbulent.

 

[duraleigh]

If I don't bleed the valve on a daily basis, the water under the strainer lid will become turbulent.

Does it become turbulent with the pump running or when the pump has been off and you turn it back on?

If

 

[ycz]

It happened one morning when I went to turn the pump on. I noticed that the water was turbulent, so I bled the valve to remove the air. Since then, I have been bleeding the valve on a daily basis to prevent this water tornado in the pump basket.