Another spa draining question :(

[Jjohns]

Hey guys I have a new build only a couple months old. Have only used the spa until yesterday. My son had birthday and we heated the pool and jacuzzi. 3 hours into pool party I noticed spa level was dropping quickly. Tried to adjust actuators but not sure if this is the right position? If so then it is not filling up for me. Heater also has this light and I don’t recall it being there. Not sure. Off to church but figured I’d ask now and come back and try to figure it out after. Thanks!! Oh and it does train into the pool. The water level got really high in pool after spa drained.

Update- the pool seamed really warm and steam was coming off. I turned the heater off on the app but now think it was on all night does the orange light mean that? Ugh. Thanks

 

[Texas Splash]

JJ, I'm sure others will reply, but I wanted to point out that in your #2 and #3 pic, the suction side actuator is in different positions. In the #3 pic one side of your suction (pool or spa) is closed. Not sure if you caught that. In both of those pics the pressure side (return) actuator is centered which should allow water to flow back to both locations.

By the way ...... Welcome to TFP!

 

[HermanTX]

Welcome to TFP and your first post.
The valve actuator orientation in the 1st photo shows that the suction and return valves are open. That means you are having suction from both sides and on the return, you are flowing to both sides, i.e. most likely the Pool and Spa.

However in the 2nd photo, the suction is only from the left side plumbing but the return is to both sides.
Can you identify which is pool suction, spa suction, pool return and spa return? I can guess but best if you verify.

In Spa mode, you need to have suction ONLY from the spa and return ONLY to the spa. This will heat up the spa only.
In Pool mode,,it is just the opposite. If you wish to heat up both, then your spa must be able to flow over to the pool. This way the water levels are maintained. My guess is that which the 2nd picture is showing but need to confirm which pipes lead to/from spa and which to/from pool.

To have your spa drain - you would have suction only from the spa but the return would be only to the pool. This would increase the level of the pool

 

[HermanTX]

I turned the heater off on the app but now think it was on all night does the orange light mean that? Ugh. Thanks

I am not familiar with your heater but a heater will stay on to heat the water to the desired temperature, then the burners will turn off however, the heater is still "enabled" (that could be the orange light), which means, if the temperature of water decreases then the heater will turn on (burners kick in) again to raise the temperature.

 

[Jjohns]

Thank you guys. I will be looking at all the responses after church! As far as the current setting and the one the PB said it is currently in the bottom close up position pic. Thank you guys so much h

 

[bradgray]

3 hours into pool party I noticed spa level was dropping quickly. Tried to adjust actuators but not sure if this is the right position? If so then it is not filling up for me.

Adjust, meaning you flipped the toggle switches on the back or adjusted the cams inside them? I'm assuming the former.

Heater also has this light and I don’t recall it being there. Not sure.

Lights are fine. Nothing strange. "bO" is Haywards delination for a heater that is controlled by the Omni panel. Though they do indicate you actually have it set to "standby. The yellow/orange light should be at either the middle or bottom position while still in bypass operation (bO) in order to heat when your panel calls for it.

Oh and it does train into the pool. The water level got really high in pool after spa drained.

Drained, like after equipment was shut off? Or when you put it back in pool mode?

Update- the pool seamed really warm and steam was coming off. I turned the heater off on the app but now think it was on all night does the orange light mean that? Ugh.

If you have mismatched actuator positions, your water would have been shared between the pool and the spa to a greater degree than it should. So if you had a call for heat in your spa to, say 104, the constant dilution of cold water from the pool, OR, the constant loss of the heated water to the pool, OR, both, would have caused that to try and heat the spa all night because it would be mixing constantly with your colder pool.

Based on that last detail, it looks like you have an issue with actuator alignment. So this is what we'll need to troubleshoot. When you get home, set your Omni Panel to Pool mode and take a photo of your system as you did above. Then do the same for Spa mode. It seems clear your left side is Pool intake and return and your right side is spa intake and return.

I don't think you have a bad check valve (the black thing in your spa return with the plastic see-through window) because that's only an issue when the system is not running and your last statement about overheating your pool suggests bad actuator positions.

 

[Jjohns]

Adjust, meaning you flipped the toggle switches on the back or adjusted the cams inside them? I'm assuming the former.

Lights are fine. Nothing strange. "bO" is Haywards delination for a heater that is controlled by the Omni panel. Though they do indicate you actually have it set to "standby. The yellow/orange light should be at either the middle or bottom position while still in bypass operation (bO) in order to heat when your panel calls for it.

Drained, like after equipment was shut off? Or when you put it back in pool mode?

If you have mismatched actuator positions, your water would have been shared between the pool and the spa to a greater degree than it should. So if you had a call for heat in your spa to, say 104, the constant dilution of cold water from the pool, OR, the constant loss of the heated water to the pool, OR, both, would have caused that to try and heat the spa all night because it would be mixing constantly with your colder pool.

Based on that last detail, it looks like you have an issue with actuator alignment. So this is what we'll need to troubleshoot. When you get home, set your Omni Panel to Pool mode and take a photo of your system as you did above. Then do the same for Spa mode. It seems clear your left side is Pool intake and return and your right side is spa intake and return.

I don't think you have a bad check valve (the black thing in your spa return with the plastic see-through window) because that's only an issue when the system is not running and your last statement about overheating your pool suggests bad actuator positions.

Thanks everyone. First pic is pool mode and second is spa mode when I turn the pump on. When I turn it on spa mode the water is draining rapidly from spa and filling into pool. When I put it in pool mode no water fills into spa

The top actuator valve never moved between pool and spa mode.

Pool also shows this thank you all so much

 

[bradgray]

Thanks everyone. First pic is pool mode and second is spa mode when I turn the pump on. When I turn it on spa mode the water is draining rapidly from spa and filling into pool. When I put it in pool mode no water fills into spa

The top actuator valve never moved between pool and spa mode.

Pool also shows this thank you all so much

There is a toggle switch on the back of the actuator. While in spa mode, flip that switch up or down, whichever causes the valve handle to rotate clockwise to exactly match your intake (bottom) actuator.

Then leave it. And run the test again and send new photos.

 

[Jimrahbe]

jj,

This means the Return Actuator (top one) is bad, or the switch is set to off, or your automation is bad.

Most likely, the actuator is bad.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Alaterreur]

Hey neighbor, top actuator is not moving in spa mode. If it stays in middle, the spa will drain due to the return is putting some of the spa water back in the pool..

 

[Jjohns]

There is a toggle switch on the back of the actuator. While in spa mode, flip that switch up or down, whichever causes the valve handle to rotate clockwise to exactly match your intake (bottom) actuator.

Then leave it. And run the test again and send new photos.

ok so I may have forgot which switch I moved and started fresh. Here is the current situation when both my top and bottom actuators are set to
“on 1”

I believe the top actuator was set to off which is why it wasn’t moving. I know. I’m a bozo.

I believe the spa is slowly filling up with the last picture setting and the spa pump turned on. Seems almost backwards? All pictures are labeled and this is the current settings. Thank you all so much.

 

[Jjohns]

UPDATE-spa is not filling up on that setting. When I turn on the setting like this pic the spa will fill up. But I have to manually get the levers like this

 

[mknauss]

To fill the spa, put the system in Pool Mode.

 

[Jjohns]

To fill the spa, put the system in Pool Mode.

I tried that but it doesn’t do it :/

 

[mknauss]

Odd. Your return valve (actuated) is set to let water return to the spa and pool. I suspect it is adding water to the spa but very slowly as the path of least resistance is to the pool returns.

You likely need to adjust that actuator to get your spa spillover to run properly. If this is a new pool, call the builder/installer.

 

[Jjohns]

Is it possible to have the handles installed wrong? The initial plumber set up system with no handles and then came months later to put them on. Not sure you can put them in the “wrong” position?

 

[mknauss]

If the handles are properly secured, you cannot put them on wrong.

 

[HermanTX]

UPDATE-spa is not filling up on that setting. When I turn on the setting like this pic the spa will fill up. But I have to manually get the levers like this

In this picture - you are filling the spa. It should overflow to the pool and continue to overflow as long as the pump is on.
Which valve did you turn manually - the one on top or the lower one? On your automation - what is the setting - pool mode or spa mode. Once we know this, we can guide you to turn one of the valves so they become in sync

 

[Jjohns]

If the handles are properly secured, you cannot put them on wrong.

In this picture - you are filling the spa. It should overflow to the pool and continue to overflow as long as the pump is on.
Which valve did you turn manually - the one on top or the lower one? On your automation - what is the setting - pool mode or spa mode. Once we know this, we can guide you to turn one of the valves so they become in sync

I manually turned those valves in spa mode (not pool) and that’s the only way it filled (relatively slowly but definitely filled and water was going over spa spillover down into the pool)

 

[bradgray]

ok so I may have forgot which switch I moved and started fresh. Here is the current situation when both my top and bottom actuators are set to
“on 1”

I believe the top actuator was set to off which is why it wasn’t moving. I know. I’m a bozo.

The images in this post reflect the correct rotational behavior. It appears "On 1" is your proper setting.

You will get considerably more flow in your spa in spa mode (100% in, 100% out) so thats not unexpected. But their also should be a decent flow into your spa while in pool mode based on the position your return actuator is stopping at.

I see spa mode is 85%, but what is the pump speed when in pool mode?

I'm suspicious of the pump speed and/or your check-valve (the square item inline with the clear window). Your return (top) actuator is stopping at nearly equal amounts of water sent to both pool and spa when it's in pool mode, and yet the flow shown into the spa while in pool mode is dismal.

Normally, even having that diverter barely opened to the spa while in pool mode, will cause a fairly active spillway. Even if the spa is raised.