When I turn the pump off for the night and come back out the next day to turn on air is blowing out of the return lines causing bubbles. I turned the pool off this evening to see if I could hear anything and it sounds like a whistle very close to the sand filter. I need some help as to where the air is getting in and what I need to do to fix this.
Air getting in
- Thread starter Jcsmith9
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,071
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Could you share some pics of the filter and entire equipment pad please? Different angles would help. I'm sure we can help point you in some directions to find the pesky air leak.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,071
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
It could be the pics are too large in size. You could try pics at a lower resolution, or if on a computer resize for easier upload.
- May 3, 2014
- 62,732
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
What kind of glue can go around the fittings? It looks like an epoxy gel like glue was around it before which now looks cracked. I think it needs a fresh line around it to stop the air leak.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,071
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
PVC glue is used to connect the plumbing. The blue is either a blue colored glue or a purple primer. Still not able to show us pics?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,071
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Pics! 
Remember, air can get sucked in while the system is running which is anywhere from the pump backwards to the pool skimmer. That's a suction side leak. But air can also get pulled IN past the pump (pressure side) towards the filter when the system is off. Sometimes you see a water leak pushing out (pressure), but not always. So when you hear air and water sloshing around when you turn the system off, air is seeping "IN" just about anywhere on that equipment pad.
Start slowly and methodically from the pipes that come up & out of the ground towards the pump, then inspect everything along the way until the lines go back to the pool. Make sure the pump lid and drain plugs have silicone lube. Be weary of those old ball valves. They can go bad and allow air in. Unions along the PVC line are great, but check them too since they have a small O-ring inside. The filter pressure gauge can also leak air in. Just take your time. It's a tedious hunting expedition, but you can get it. Process of elimination.
Remember, air can get sucked in while the system is running which is anywhere from the pump backwards to the pool skimmer. That's a suction side leak. But air can also get pulled IN past the pump (pressure side) towards the filter when the system is off. Sometimes you see a water leak pushing out (pressure), but not always. So when you hear air and water sloshing around when you turn the system off, air is seeping "IN" just about anywhere on that equipment pad.Start slowly and methodically from the pipes that come up & out of the ground towards the pump, then inspect everything along the way until the lines go back to the pool. Make sure the pump lid and drain plugs have silicone lube. Be weary of those old ball valves. They can go bad and allow air in. Unions along the PVC line are great, but check them too since they have a small O-ring inside. The filter pressure gauge can also leak air in. Just take your time. It's a tedious hunting expedition, but you can get it. Process of elimination.
Thanks! I will try that and let you know what I find or what issues I may have.Pics!
Start slowly and methodically from the pipes that come up & out of the ground towards the pump, then inspect everything along the way until the lines go back to the pool. Make sure the pump lid and drain plugs have silicone lube. Be weary of those old ball valves. They can go bad and allow air in. Unions along the PVC line are great, but check them too since they have a small O-ring inside. The filter pressure gauge can also leak air in. Just take your time. It's a tedious hunting expedition, but you can get it. Process of elimination.
Apparently I don’t hear the air releasing anymore. I tightened the drain plugs on the pump as I was able to turn them. No idea how they got to where you could turn to tighten them but that seemed to do it.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,071
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Take that as an easy victory and move on. One less thing to worry about for now.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,071
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You'll probably need to lift that MPV off the filter body to inspect the collar and bottom of the MPV assy. Should also be an O-ring around that collar that perhaps needs to be replaced or just some pool lube. If you do lift the MPV up, be very careful that the center standpipe doesn't try to lift upwards with it.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,476
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Post a wider shot of the pipes into the MPV. You need to be able to remove the pipes from the MPV first.
However, yes, remove these bolts on either side of the valve clamp, and pull the mpv up slowly.
You can then inspect the matching faces on the MPV and tank, and the inspect the quality of the o-ring (#3)...which might need to be replaced. In either case, when you reassemble, use a silicone LUBRICANT on the o-ring.
