No filter/pvc leaks but can't achieve 100% prime

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Keylesjo

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Jan 17, 2014
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Vitals: 16x32 in ground, 1/2 hp superpump, older Sta-Rite filter, psi at baseline 12, no chlorinator, have been following BBB method for 12 of my 13 years here in AL. Four hrs sunlight, keep CYA around 40. As always, clear sparkling pool. Opened 10 days ago after extensive work.

Filter base feet began cracking over the years. This spring leaning so much intake and discharge pvc's leaking. Ordered a new one and nonpool but brilliant guy friend mounted and leveled filter on new stand. 13 yrs no sand change so added 300 #'s of silica pool filter sand. Added water first and as added sand made sure inside baffle pipe was perfectly centered (measured it along the way). He glued the white plastic moon-shaped thing onto valve head/multiport. Redid intake and discharge pipes using two couplings on each which had become quite butchered pvc over the years. There are no water leaks anywhere, not a one, however cannot get full prime. Plenty of water for pump, plenty of suction on my manual vac, just like always. But bubbles at top of pump basket (pump is only one season old, no issues); air bubbles constantly coming out of shallow end jet (no main drain on my pool); and obnoxious water-chortling sound constantly coming from multiport (should not have any noise other than hum of pump). Following directions I backwashed and rinsed a couple times. As expected lost a little sand out of waste hose, have none in pool. Since there are no water leaks we're stymied where the source of an air leak could be. He has taken multiport off several times to reinspect. Seal on pump basket good. New o-rings on the 4 new pvc couplings. Everything is level and tight. Put some dye in skimmer and see no leaks. Once upon a time it had a nonfunctioning main drain, had new liner guy 6 yrs do away with it so that 2nd port in skimmer is always closed.

Any ideas? We are plumb out of any! Thanks a lot.

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hmmm, try shaving cream around the valve, pump or anywhere you suspect an air leak (on the suction side)... You can try lubing the o rings and see if that makes a difference...
 
Casey is on the right track.

Keep in mind that you can have an air leak and never leak a drop of water.

Air in the pump basket and out the return(s) is from a suction side leak. You can discount anything after the discharge of the pump.

I'd start by lubing the o-ring(s) and removing and resealing the drain plugs on the pump.
Another common place is the threaded pump suction fitting and around valve handles.
 
Perhaps you've exhausted this link: Pool School - Suction Side Air Leaks

Curious though ... are you saying you had no such problems before the filter housing swap and repairs? Any system integrity issues "after" the pump should not be a factor in a suction side leak, but seems like everything was fine until the system was opened for maintenance. Is that true?
 
Yes, correct. Have never had loss of prime before. I don't think he lubed any of the o-rings anywhere and I did not know I should lube drain plugs (my doing in March to run pump to assess CL). I have an old tube of pool lube that never came out. Also we're pretty sure the drain plug to filter is not the correct one (hey anybody who glues the filter to the base--we got heat gun and scraped it off). The current and forever filter drain plug automatically cross threads and has to be torqued with a big channel lock so much that it is unreal. He is coming over for coffee and we will review all your comments, thanks so much.

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Problem of prime fixed

Merged by Divin Dave

Sorry, tapatalk is so foreign to me, cannot locate my orig post. Friend took everything apart today--multiport, new couplings, and lubed all and now getting 100% prime. Thank you all for helping. 20 minutes, some channel locks, a phillips and magic pool lube. Never happier. Don't forget the lubr. Thanks so much for all the responses, sorry I cannot find my orig thread.

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Dave, how thoughtful of you. We were crossing all fingers and toes. Incredible how important lubing is. Friends say my humble 16x32 should be in a mag it is so sparkling, clear and sanitized. A little dpd powder, 0871, R003 and a third of a gallon of the concentrated nonscented bleach most nights. It's so easy. pH perfect, don't bother testing TA. My day was made getting full prime, no air bubbles out shallow end jet and NO chortling from valve head/multiport. All your comments brought my stress level way down and friends and I are enjoying every afternoon in the pool. 81 deg now, expect 85-87 with long hot sunny week coming up. Thank you for redirecting this and for everyones's help. Big stuff for me. Thanks again. Sincerely,
Elsie

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P.S. And brushing every 2-3 days precludes having to vacuum. Refilters the slight algae that collects along the seams. If a leaf or big bug I just use my deep leaf net. Girlfriend has flexible toes and puts little brush between them and does crevices. Then scuba and mask to brush sides. I only have to brush bottom. Easy, fun work. Brushing is essential. Ok, signing off. 60 and still at it. The hard work is when it's covered 9 months a year and keeping cover clear of tree debris and pushing rainwater to Rule cover pump. Have 200 feet of hose that evacuates all cover water to street gutter. Brilliant idea of neighbor, 88, now gone. Keeps water from flooding yard and seeping under fence to other neighbors. Would love to share pics but don't see option. Last two months converted much of half acre to AL redrock (from the coal mines). Had slate stepping stones mortared in down deck stairs to filter and built a landscape log "soft" path of red mulch to lower yard grass after falling and getting massive head hematoma. Deep red rock hard to walk on. But has reduced so much labor. Beats hauling 150 bags of cypress in every spring. And between the landscape fabric beneath tons and tons of redrock, covered up all the vermin holes that an aggressive strain of bees began hijacking and sending me to UC every week (allergic). Quite a stunning yard and pool for living in the hood. Wish I could somehow share pics. For now, just overjoyed to have full prime and quiet hum of pump. There's nothing like the BBB method, tho mine just needs bleach. So simple and inexpensive. I don't even bother with an algaecide in fall. Have never opened after 9 months to anything but blue, crisp and clear. Sorry for being so long. Thanks all -
Elsie

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