Today I ran the vacuum and had an odd thing happen. I think I got too close to a main drain because it sort of felt like I got sucked in. Then when I went to remove hose from skimmer hole it was lose and basically floating. Now the skimmer has little suction and the returns aren't putting out the proper amount. Any suggestions?
Pressure issue after vacuum
- Thread starter Rere
- Start date
Sounds like your pump dropped prime. Is there air in the pump strainer basket or just water? What is your current psi? What is normal psi?
We cleaned pump strainer basket and now there is very very little air in there. One teeny pocket at the top. We have an issue knowing psi as our gauge froze this winter and although I have purchased a new one, my dear husband has not replaced it.
Rere. That's an easy fix. Ask him where the plumbers tape is and take that out to the pump with you. Unscrew the old gauge and wrap a bit of plumbers tape around the threads of the new one and screw it in. Done 
Rere. That's an easy fix. Ask him where the plumbers tape is and take that out to the pump with you. Unscrew the old gauge and wrap a bit of plumbers tape around the threads of the new one and screw it in. Done
Haha. Sounds easy, but I'm not the best with electronics. He's the pump guy, I'm the chemical girl. But I might give it a go.
I get ya Rere. My husband won't do much of anything with the pool though. That was the deal when I got him to agree to put one in. I was afraid of everything at first. But over time there have been hurdles overcome.
If it's a regular dial gauge. It is that easy. Unscrew the old......screw in the new. Been there done that.
If it's a regular dial gauge. It is that easy. Unscrew the old......screw in the new. Been there done that.
n240sxguy
Well-known member
No problem because it's not electronic; its mechanical. It's pretty easy. You shouldn't have much problem. Good luck.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
True....not electric. An example of how pathetic I am with those sorts of things.
Any ideas on the pressure issue?
Any ideas on the pressure issue?
n240sxguy
Well-known member
Only thing I could think of was the pump losing prime. The pump lid may have leaked air in when you did it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
n240sxguy
Well-known member
If it was just the lid that leaked; take it off, lube the o-ring, put some water in the pump, put the lid back on, start the pump. If that doesn't work, there's more brain storming to do.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
n240sxguy
Well-known member
Assuming you have a tube of o-ring lube, which you should, just put a dab on your fingertip and run along the surface of the o-ring. It keeps it from getting bound up and not forming a good deal.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Slow down, folks! If there is very little air in the pump strainer basket, then dropping prime is not the issue.
Since your system is primed but you don't have any flow, my suspicion is something got sucked into either your main drain or perhaps the skimmer and you have a blockage. A working gauge would tell us that for sure but perhaps you can go backwards through the pump strainer basket with a plumber's snake to see if anything is blocking the flow to the pump.
.Not having a working pressure gauge is a problem and you should get that fixed.
Since your system is primed but you don't have any flow, my suspicion is something got sucked into either your main drain or perhaps the skimmer and you have a blockage. A working gauge would tell us that for sure but perhaps you can go backwards through the pump strainer basket with a plumber's snake to see if anything is blocking the flow to the pump.
n240sxguy
Well-known member
I missed that post. Basket already cleaned and very little air - check. So much for being something easy.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ok. Thanks. I will remedy the gauge tomorrow and report back. I was so busy with my SLAM, I wasn't worried about the gauge as I was back washing a lot. A blockage makes sense since I was using the vacuum. However, the floating hose when I went to pull from strainer was odd to me.
And it's definitely coming from the skimmer. I can put my hand in there and feel the lack of normal pressure.
I am thinking it is filter is clogged if you got the air out of the line. You had just cleaned the pool and if it had been shocked or had sand or things too small to get caught in the basket, they are in your filter. Does backwashing help? I have only had DE filters or Cartridge filters and both eventually get clogged and backwashing doesn't help and you have to open them up and wash down the grids in the DE filter and the Cartridge in the Cartridge filter. I do not know how you clean a sand filter but assume if has to be periodically opened and cleaned, I am sure someone here can address that.
Sounds like a Honey do issue to me, when was the last time he opened up and cleaned the filter?
Sounds like a Honey do issue to me, when was the last time he opened up and cleaned the filter?
Thanks. Honey never has. The pool is just a little over two years. Seems like his list is growing. Haha.
Well the gauge is repaired. But I'm thinking it might be a prime issue. More bubbles in basket this morning and small bubbles coming out returns. Also I see air in the salt generator.