While I don't really want to put this thought into the cosmos -- Many builders are confused by the pre-plumbing configuration with Triac and Baker (Spillway) spillover spas. Unless the heater operation is tied to valve movement, I'd not suspect the heater. Does your prime loss occur ONLY when in "spa mode"...that is, with the spillover feature shut off? Are your pool-spa-spillover operations controlled with a Jandy/Goldline/Pentair/etc. system, or do you have to manually go move valves to change to mode? Are the valves "ball valves" or "Jandy Valves"?
I would completly agree that the builder was confused by the Baker Spa. That became apparent when they installed the spillover flush with the pool wall! The heater operation is somewhat tied to valve movemnt. When I press spa on the Intelitiouch panel the heater kicks on and the Pentair CVA24 valves move. Yes it only loses prime in SPA mode. The manual valves are Pentair branded aswell.
I've had lots of recent experience with builders making the wrong connections to the spillover spa. The Baker, for example, when ordered "pre-plumbed" assumes that the venturi intakes will be the ones ON THE SHELL, and if your builder has created venturi openings in another location, the venturi plumbing at the spa must be capped off. This is especially suspect if your builder has added a blower to the plumbing configuration. Do you ever get water squirting out of the venturi's, especially with the blower on? [quote:2znds55s]The Baker Spa was ordered pre-plumed. Are the 2 knobs on the back of the spa venturi openings? They do not really have much affect when turned either way?? Is the above ground "J" vent behind the spa a venturi vent as well? That would support your suspicion of 2 venturi openings! So are you saying that I do not need a blower and that the air bubbles should work on hydralic vacuum? That would be great because we do not use the blower because it is too over powering! Should I try capping the J vent and the Blower pipe, or will that create additional problems?