Pump problems

[kdubya815]

Hello all! I am opening my pool and I got the pump running. The problem is that the part where you can see the water (I don't know the technical term!) never fills up all the way. The motor runs fine, there is water coming out of the returns into the pool, with lots of big bubbles and gurgles. After awhile of letting the pump run, water pools underneath it. I am thinking that it may be cracked. I have examined all the equipment and piping to see if I can trace down the origin, which I can't. That leads me to believe that it must be cracked in that area and it must be cracked on the bottom. Is there any hope of repairing it or do I just need to replace it? As always, thank you for your help!!

Kelly

 

[karmabiker]

I think your assessment is correct. Can you post up details of what pump you have? Most of them have parts available. Step one will be to find the crak if it is one that can be repaired.

 

[patrick3229]

A few other things you may want to check...

1. Is the water line very low on your skimmer? If so than fill the pool so water is half way up skimmer opening.
2. Have you completely cleaned your pump basket, filter and skimmer basket?
3. You can spray soapy water around fittings and the pump and if you have a leak on the return side it will bubble up and on the suction side the soap will get pulled in.

Can you post the make and model of your pump as this would help us determine the part you would need if in fact the pump housing is damaged, thanks!

 

[zea3]

I have a couple of questions for you. Did you winterize the pool, as in drained below the skimmer and return, cap them off, drain the plumbing including the pump and filter? If not did you have a hard freeze?

 

[duraleigh]

I wouldn't be in a big rush to assume you have a crack. Your description does not indicate that. What you DO have for sure is a suction side air leak. That CAN be a crack in the pump strainer basket housing or it could be anywhere along the suction side of your system....all the way back to the skimmers.

If the pump strainer basket housing was cracked, I believe you would see water accumulate under the housing with the pump off.....not with the pump on.

I would inspect that housing carefully for an obvious crack and, if you don't see it, read the article in Pool School on suction side air leaks and go from there.

 

[Richard320]

Check the pump drain plugs. Someone might have forgotten the O-ring when they put them in after winter.

 

[kdubya815]

Thank you for all your help! My pump is a Hayward Super Pump single speed 1 hp. I did not winterize my pool And yes, unfortunately we did have a pretty harsh winter. I was scared silly to even try to assess the equipment. Never doing that one again!

I actually drained the pump to inspect inside and I did not see any cracks. I know I have one leak in the plumbing which I am going to fix. However, I know this leak is not the cause of the severity of the issue because I had that same leak last year minus this problem. Another interesting observation is that when I cut off the pump, of course water rushes back to it from the filter. When this happens, a mini flood occurs underneath the pump.

I am off to read Pool School. Any further help is appreciated!!

Thank you!
Kelly

 

[karmabiker]

Sounds like a shaft seal to me.

 

[kdubya815]

I am not sure what a shaft seal is. Please explain a little further for me. Sorry to be a bother.

Thanks!
Kelly

 

[karmabiker]

No worries. Currently have a 3 month old I'm rocking. May take a few...

 

[duraleigh]

After awhile of letting the pump run, water pools underneath it.

when I cut off the pump, of course water rushes back to it from the filter. When this happens, a mini flood occurs underneath the pump.

Well, that second quote is different......that would indicate the housing is indeed cracked.

Does the housing leak when the pump is off or on?

 

[karmabiker]

Part number 10 on this schematic.
http://www.aqua-man.com/schematic.asp?kc=S848
Pool supply world sells a full gasket kit that has the shaft seal in it. I think it is called a go kit.

 

[mas985]

Are you sure the water is not coming out of the pump lid? Pump basket lids are not meant to seal when under pressure so when the pump shuts off and the air in the filter pushes the water back through the pump, the water can easily squirt out of the lid. Next time you turn off the pump watch the pump lid and see if the water isn't coming out there.

BTW, a bad shaft seal will leak more when the pump is running than when it is stopped so I don't think it is a shaft seal.

 

[kdubya815]

While the pump is running, water pools underneath it but not a huge volume. It never fills completely up, only about to the top of the skimmer basket. When I shut it off, water rushes back to the pump from the filter and momentarily fills it up all the way. Immediately water just rushes out. Once it rushes out, I don't see any further leaking, but the pump is filled about half way with water still. So, after watching it closely several times, I think I may need to replace the o-ring (or gasket) to the drain plug on the front. Now I am wondering though if there is a bigger problem that I can't see which causes the water to rush out as I turn it off. Hopefully I am making more sense?

- - - Updated - - -

I thought about the pump lid too, but I have ruled that out. I watched it several times and it comes from underneath.

 

[mas985]

As I posted earlier, water rushing out of the pump basket when the pump is shut is a consequence of air in the filter which in turn is probably caused by an air leak in the same pump basket lid. In other words, these two issues could be related and caused by a bad pump lid gasket. I would replace that first before proceeding to anything else.

However, if you are getting water under the pump while the pump is running, that is probably a bad seal.

 

[zea3]

Can you post a video of the problem?

 

[karmabiker]

Can you post a video of the problem?

GREAT idea

 

[kdubya815]

I will post a video ASAP. It is about to storm here so it may be tomorrow.

 

[kdubya815]

How do I post a video?

 

[kdubya815]

I think I might have figured out how to post a link to my video. http://www.dropshots.com/kward815

I did try to replace the rubber gasket on the drain plug in the front but it wasn't the correct fit so I know there is water coming out there. Even still, this is pretty much what was happening before I tried that. I am really concerned that it won't fill up any more than it does while the pump is running. I need to begin the SLAM process asap but I am not sure if I should until I get this problem fixed. Thoughts?

Again, thanks for all your help!
Kelly