Trouble getting filter running (newb alert)

[d_ethier]

Heyo,

Found your trusty forum through some Google searches and read quite a few threads, but I'm so out of my element that I'm not sure what some of the terminology means. This is our first pool and we moved into the house during the winter, so no experience in closing it or seeing it in operation.

We opened our pool yesterday and everything was looking alright (water relatively clear, nothing past the tarp, pump would turn on etc.). However, once we got the pool filled up past the skimmer, the problems started.

So, details:
- IG pool
- solar heating on the roof.
- 1 skimmer
- What appears to be a puck dispenser unit, but I'm not sure
- MagneTek pump
- Hayward filter
- Jandy levelor which appears to control water flow to solar heating panels

I've attached pictures of the filter, pump and line setup with annotations. The annotations are drawing out the existing labels on the lines. There are no other labels than the ones identified.

When I initially started the pump, nothing but air bubbles would come out the jets and there was no suction in the skimmer. I ran a garden hose down the both of the intake/outakes (?) in the skimmer to see if there were any blockages, but it seemed fine.

Then, I read the instructions next to the Jandy Levelor that said to fill the pump with water and re-seal it, which I did. Once done, I turned on the filter and everything appeared to start working as expected for a minute or so.

Then, the line on the right (the one not labelled FROM SOLAR) started sputtering and water was jetting out the pipe seals. So, I immediately turned off the pump.

I tried various toggles on the Jandy (there's an ON 1, OFF, ON 2 switch on the bottom) but the water kept backing up out of the seals.

So, that's where I am right now. I'm really not sure what to do next, but it seems like either a valve is not open or one should be closed if the solar heating is turned on.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Richard320]

How long did you run it after it primed? It could just be a lot of air trapped in the filter and the pipes and the solar.

 

[d_ethier]

Not that long, as the pipe seals on the right separated and water went everywhere. I didn't want to do any more damage to the system.

 

[jblizzle]

Are those pipes connected with solvent or threaded? Either way, they should not be leaking at all and it appears you need to do some replumbing.

Also not this tutorial since you are not going to attach many more pictures: How To Post Pictures

 

[mas985]

Was the solar valve in the position it is in the picture when you tried to prime the pump? It looks to have solar engaged and it will be nearly impossible to prime a pump with solar on. Turn solar off before priming.

 

[d_ethier]

Are those pipes connected with solvent or threaded? Either way, they should not be leaking at all and it appears you need to do some replumbing.

Also not this tutorial since you are not going to attach many more pictures: How To Post Pictures

They're connected with ties. It looks like the water should be running down through that pipe though, but I'll consider re-plumbing it anyway. Thanks for the notice on images. I thought it was a per-thread limit, not total.

 

[d_ethier]

Was the solar valve in the position it is in the picture when you tried to prime the pump? It looks to have solar engaged and it will be nearly impossible to prime a pump with solar on. Turn solar off before priming.

I honestly can't remember at this point. I was trying a few different configurations and I can't recall what the open position was for the solar. That's good to know though. I'll turn it off and try again to prime the pump.