Air Bubbles from Pool Retuns

[agent86]

Pool is about 12 years old now and this is the first time I've had really any issues with regards to plumbing. About a month ago I noticed a couple of the of the pool returns (including Polaris return) shooting a constant flow of bubbles. When the filter shuts off I can hear the filter emptying the water at a fairly fast pace. In the morning after the filters have been off I notice the filter is pretty much half empty. There are no leaks anywhere that I can see either. I've tried using a water hose by pouring water over various potential trouble spots but didn't find anything. When the pump is running there's no bubbles that I can see within the pump itself.

The pump on the right is the infinity edge pump and that's fine....

The main pool pump is on the left, then the Polaris pump next to that....

Also, when the pump has been running for a while and I go to let any air out of the top of the filter hardly any seems to come out, just water....

I've also switched pump lids and that didn't make a difference....

Appreciate any suggestions....

 

[crabboy]

Air bubbles in the line show that its a suction side leak. Anywhere from the impeller back to the drains or skimmers. If I were a betting man, I'd say it was the gasket on the pump basket housing. Remove that, clean it and put it back on and see if that helps.

If you are still seeing bubbles, I'd suggest closing that Jandy valve right on the end of the pump. These 3 way valves usually have a stop to were it can't rotate toward the pump, effectively closing only the line to the pump, but it can be easily snapped off. I'd try to turn off the pump, close the valve leading only to the pump and see if you are still taking on air. This would show you that the pump itself is leaking (which is good).

Try the large housing gasket first and let us know, that is the likely culprit.

 

[agent86]

Couldn't stay out there long (getting eaten alive by mosquitos) but I did close the larger Jandy valve (thereby closing off two skimmers) and it seemed to stop emptying....

Will troubleshoot more tomorrow during day on which potential valve is the issue....

Thanks!

(will provide what the ultimate problem was hopefully)

 

[agent86]

Ended up being split o-ring seal in the Hayward Chlorinator lid...

 

[jmsilhy]

But isn’t the chlorinator and its lid on the pressure side of the pump?

I’m having some similar issues with bubbles, my biggest problem right now is that my jandy valves have actuators and they’re not working (broken wires, I opened a different thread on that), so I can’t test that... unless there’s a way to move those valves without the actual actuator doing it?