Spa mode is pumping water out of spa

[sparkysarah]

I have a Hayward system with a pool that has a spa with spillover. When I turned it to spa mode & filter from my Aqua Pod remote control all of the water drained out of the spa.

I was able to get water from hose to stay in the hot tub when I changed it to pool mode with filter off. This happended one time a couple months ago and the pool guy said my actuator (far right in pic) was broken and he replaced it. He said it was a fluke that my spa drained. The pool is only 2 years old...

These arrows in the picture are which way the actuator handle is pointing.


pic above in spa mode with filter on
text boxes on pipes from left to right: main drain, deep skimmer, shallow skimmer, pool return, waterfall, bubbler fountain


pic above in pool mode with filter off. both actuator handles are are pointing inward

The last pic is me trying to fill spa with a hose. Water will only stay in spa if I change to pool mode with filter off. I think last time this happened, we did pool mode with filter on and the spa filled from pool water (no hose needed)

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! Usually when the spa drains into the pool it is due to a faulty check valve. There is a check valve on the far right pipe. Has it been serviced or replaced?

 

[sparkysarah]

The check valve on the far right has never been serviced or replaced. Is there any way I can check it? Is it normal for it to break so soon? I had to get a check valve installed by the actuator on the left a few months after my pool was installed.

It sounds like my repairman was not too knowledgeable if he thought it was a fluke. He said he couldn't think of any reason my spa would completely drain.

Should I call the pool repair company and ask for a diff technician?

Thanks for your fast reply!!

 

[JasonLion]

My suspicion is that it has something to do with the valves/actuators. In particular, if the suction valve switched to spa mode, but the return valve did not switch it would drain the spa just as you describe. So I would start out by looking at the return valve/actuator and make sure it turns appropriately when switching between spa and pool mode.

Various things can go wrong. The cable between the control system and the actuator can come unplugged, or get cut. The actuator can be setup incorrectly, or outright broken. The valve can be broken, even while the actuator works correctly, and so on.

Depending on how DIY you are feeling, that might mean that it is time to call a service tech, or it might not.

 

[sparkysarah]

Zea and Jason, ty for your advice. The pool guy replaced the check valve on the far right pipe in March and the problem has been resolved. Thanks for helping me