Pump Basket Issue

[heavyweight_4u]

OK,

We have opened the pool and going thru the cleaning and set up process now. We got a bunch of debris and leaves from removing the pool cover dumped into the pool. Water is clearing and continuing to scoop and net all leaves and large debris out from the darn neighbors tree.
Well wife decided to help out and hook up the cleaner... well it ran for about 4 hours before I caught it.


-When I caught it, the pump was running but the auto vac was not moving or operating. very little return pressure
-I turned everything off, removed the hoses and the vac assembly
-There had been water discharge from somewhere, (nighttime) so I could not see from where.
-left everything off until daylight.
-Could not find any visual or obvious areas of leaked or malfunction or breakage.
-Pump strainer basket is full of debris and ****.
-pump will turn on and has a decent return pressure at eyeball (just checked making sure everything was working)
-when running still no signs of leakage to be seen
**What's safest way to clean out the strainer basket, when I remove the lid it starts shooting water everywhere. I do not have a valve in place to isolate the pump from the intake skimmer.
** What could have caused there to be water discharge around pump and equipment. Is there a pressure relief? pop-off?

Any advice would be great, hope we didn't break anything or tear anything up.

 

[woodyp]

Is the water actually "shooting" out of the pump basket or just...........flowing? Is the pump off when doing so?

 

[heavyweight_4u]

I haven't completely removed the lid... When I turned it to remove it water was coming out at a pretty high rate. I immediately closed it as not sure. The pump is off during this process.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[Beens]

I have little screw in plugs for my inlet and return. I now have standard 1.5" hayward fittings from leslies and the plugs were only $4.99. I don't have a "real" skimmer though so my intake and return are identical fittings. It seems like there should be a skimmer plug available though.

Before I had my new fittings I had the intex plunger valves. They were old and didn't seal all the way so I know what you're talking about with opening that lid and having water flow out.

A hint for the lid, once you get to removing it if it has an o-ring make sure you lubricate it before you screw it back on otherwise they get really hard to open!

I'm sure someone with a "real" AGP will be here to help soon!

 

[CB]

As mentioned above these work pretty well.$10-$15 for 2 @ Lowes,home depot,ACE
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/038753/038753334011lg.jpg (plumbing test plug)

Just find the correct size for your skimmer hole and your return hole. Just put them in and snug up the wing nut,no need to tighten them super tight.
If you can't find a test plug for your return try a rubber stopper,the kind you would use for a bath tub or sink.If you can't find one of those have someone hold a rubber ball over the return hole,it won't be perfect but it will work.