Air bubbles from spa return

[tethys]

Hello TFP,

I'm completely out of ideas on how to remedy air coming from one of the 6 return lines in my spa. This is the only return line with bubbles, and it is a small amount of fine bubbles that come out. If I turn the fitting off for that specific jet in the spa, the bubbles will relocate to another return until I re-open that fitting, and then they move back.

I know from reading through other forum entries that the general consensus is that this is a suction side leak, but I have now almost run out of potential plumbing areas to look at. Here is what I have tried:

1. Removed my (unused) in-line Rainbow chlorinator, and capped off the plumbing (good riddance!)
2. Replaced all 4 check valves, ensured that gaskets had some magic lube applied
3. Replaced the air relief valve on top of my Hayward filter, and lubed the gaskets (it would drip every so often, so needed to be fixed anyways)
4. Replaced the pump lid and gasket
5. Spotted and fixed a hairline crack in one skimmer wall with epoxy (2 skimmers total, the other one checks out okay)
6. Soaped up all of the other fittings on my equipment pad - including all actuator valves and drain plugs in the pump, heater, and filter - no signs of a leak anywhere

The very last thing on my list is to remove the "air blower" that is plumbed and wired in for the spa. I've never used it, and don't need it. Maybe a stretch to think this would be to blame, but I like simplifying my frankenstein plumbing regardless

Does anyone have further suggestions? Or should I just live with the bubbles?

EDIT: In case this is relevant, I see no bubbles in the pump basket...

--tethys

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

How do you chlorinate the pool water?

 

[tethys]

Welcome to the forum!

How do you chlorinate the pool water?

Usually liquid chlorine, sometimes bleach...

 

[mknauss]

Ok - great. Wanted to be sure the bubbles were not from a SWCG.

You can get air into the system via the spa returns. If there is enough flow, the venturi will pull in some air. Regardless of the blower being off.

Turn off the valve to spa returns. See if the bubbles come out of the pool returns.

 

[tethys]

Ok - great. Wanted to be sure the bubbles were not from a SWCG.

You can get air into the system via the spa returns. If there is enough flow, the venturi will pull in some air. Regardless of the blower being off.

Turn off the valve to spa returns. See if the bubbles come out of the pool returns.

Wow, great suggestion!

Ok, here is what I observed. First, a bit on my setup. I have 3 sets of returns: 1 set feeds the spa (6 jets total), 1 set feeds vertical returns on the sun ledge, and the 3rd and final set feeds the pool returns.

If I just run the pool returns, I don't see any bubbles

If I run the pool and sun ledge returns, I don't see any bubbles

If I run the spa returns and the sun ledge returns, I get bubbles out of all 6 spa fittings

And if I run the spa returns, the pool returns, and the sun ledge returns (e.g., normal operation), I get bubbles out of only 1 spa fitting

Not sure what all of that tells me though

 

[mknauss]

You are pulling air in through the air line (your blower may be on it, but air can still get pulled in). This is normal when you use the spa. You must have a pretty good flow going to the spa jets when in Pool Mode.

Do you have automation? Can you reduce the flow going to the spa jets?

 

[tethys]

You are pulling air in through the air line (your blower may be on it, but air can still get pulled in). This is normal when you use the spa. You must have a pretty good flow going to the spa jets when in Pool Mode.

Do you have automation? Can you reduce the flow going to the spa jets?

There are 2 spillways, so the spa needs a fair amount of flow so that the water doesn't just run down the face of the spa (it's raised).

I suppose I could try to partially close the spa return isolation valve? Not sure if it's a good idea to run with a valve partially closed or not.

 

[mknauss]

It is not necessarily good to run the spa spillover all the time. It pushes the pH higher, and that means more acid use. If you have automation, you can schedule Spillover to run a couple times per day to flush the spa water and keep it chlorinated.

Fill out your signature if you want to discuss ways to improve your water handling system.

I would assume you have Jandy Neverlube valves. They can be run partially closed without issue.

 

[tethys]

It is not necessarily good to run the spa spillover all the time. It pushes the pH higher, and that means more acid use. If you have automation, you can schedule Spillover to run a couple times per day to flush the spa water and keep it chlorinated.

Fill out your signature if you want to discuss ways to improve your water handling system.

I would assume you have Jandy Neverlube valves. They can be run partially closed without issue.

Got it. I do have a Hayward eCommand4 control center, but no actuator on the spa return unfortunately. I can obviously switch between spa and pool mode, but pool mode pushes some water through the spa returns via a manual isolation valve.

 

[mknauss]

eCommand is pretty basic as I remember. I am not sure if you have a Spillover function in it.

The bubbles are not hurting anything.