Air in Pool Pump Removed after Filter Backwash

[pool_question]

My pool pump started losing prime. After replacing the O-ring on the seal, which fixed things I thought, the pump lost prime again over night. I decided to go ahead and backwash the filter because I had not done so in over a month. After the filter backwash and fired up the pump and it removed most of the air (small bubble at the top).

I'm curious how backwashing the filter has an impact on the air in the pump?

Related facts:
*The flow/pressure of the return jets in the pool increased tremendously
*The suction in the skimmer increased as well
*Do not see air bubbles in the return
*There was an increase in air in the pump 24 hours later, but the return jets still had good pressure

Just curious. Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Jimrahbe]

PQ,

Pretty normal with a really dirty filter.

The less water that can leave the filter, the less water that can enter the filter.

Dirty filters are the primary reason for low flow and low pressure at the return jets. It also has a corresponding effect on the suction.

It is kind of a closed loop, and failure or blockage in one part of the loop effects the operation of the whole loop.

You probably have a very small suction air leak. The dirty filter just made it look worse.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

My pool pump started losing prime. After replacing the O-ring on the seal, which fixed things I thought, the pump lost prime again over night. I decided to go ahead and backwash the filter because I had not done so in over a month. After the filter backwash and fired up the pump and it removed most of the air (small bubble at the top).

I'm curious how backwashing the filter has an impact on the air in the pump?

Related facts:
*The flow/pressure of the return jets in the pool increased tremendously
*The suction in the skimmer increased as well
*Do not see air bubbles in the return
*There was an increase in air in the pump 24 hours later, but the return jets still had good pressure

Just curious. Thanks for any ideas!

As long as there is water in the pump basket to the bottom of the inlet, the pump has not lost prime. Any tiny leak, even a slightly bad air bleed fitting, will allow air into the system when the pump turns off. If the filter is dirty it restricts flow and a very dirty filter can have so much restriction the pump can't evacuate all the air.