I have a single bubbler on my baja ledge. The water is 6” deep. The bubbler randomly goes into this spinning flailing mode where the water splashes all around. It will randomly just go back to normal. Builder has tried 3 different “eyes” on the end of the pipe, and all do the same. They are basically giving up and saying they can’t fix it. Does anyone have any ideas? The bubbler is split off the output of the main pump which is a Jandy 2.7 variable speed. I have one valve for the bubbler, one for the pool returns and one for the spa return. I’ve tried changing the valves as well as varying the speed of the pump. Any ideas?
Baja Shelf Bubbler Flailing
- Thread starter cbosworth
- Start date
an1vrsy
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 10, 2018
- 1,240
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
From your image, isn’t that bubbling action? When it looks like the image what rpm is your pump? What does it look like when it’s normal? Is the pump rpm the same?
Sorry, I don’t think my video posted correctly.
Pump is always at 3450rpm whether the bubbler is acting correct or not. I tried 3250rpm and 3000rpm and no difference other than height of the water.
an1vrsy
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 10, 2018
- 1,240
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
How is the bubbling action when that valve is the only one open? Meaning the pool return valve and spa jets valve are closed? Of course don’t dead head your pump.
Curious what you see when all three valves are open, what the bubbling action is. Then close the spa jets valve. Check the bubbling action. Then the pool return valve. Check the bubbling action. The bubbling action “should” change when each of the other valve are closed. Finally, what is your expectation?
Curious what you see when all three valves are open, what the bubbling action is. Then close the spa jets valve. Check the bubbling action. Then the pool return valve. Check the bubbling action. The bubbling action “should” change when each of the other valve are closed. Finally, what is your expectation?
The normal settings for the pool are all 3 valves fully open. The problem will happen randomly when they are set all open. If I close both the spa and pool returns, the bubbler will shoot about 8’ in the air. Closing either of the other valves seems to make no difference. Here is video of normal expected bubbler:
Toxophilite
Silver Supporter
Been through this whole thing myself. We and the PB just finally gave up. It 's got more to do with the design/shape/size of the shelf and wave action created or retained and killing off the surface. I researched that some folks had been able to mute the wave action by adding another structure, chair, etc... But every design being so different, I'm sure it's a lot of iterations of tries. For mine, just brushing my foot over the nozzle will correct it for a moment. Sometimes, when the wind is right, it will stop doing it. But, for the most part, it is what it is. Sorry to say!
I'm sure in much larger pools and with shelf areas much larger than mine there's no issue. But, when the pool or shelf areas become a washing machine, the thing just can't break surface correctly.
Once when taking out the nozzles, I found a thin piece of plastic waving in the opening of the fitting down deep. Both had it, attached to the base of fitting. Never got any answer here or elsewhere if that was intentional, part of design, but I never pulled them off to test any change. Here's my thread, though the problem did not resolve in the end as I had thought: Baja Shelf Bubbler Flailing
I'm sure in much larger pools and with shelf areas much larger than mine there's no issue. But, when the pool or shelf areas become a washing machine, the thing just can't break surface correctly.
Once when taking out the nozzles, I found a thin piece of plastic waving in the opening of the fitting down deep. Both had it, attached to the base of fitting. Never got any answer here or elsewhere if that was intentional, part of design, but I never pulled them off to test any change. Here's my thread, though the problem did not resolve in the end as I had thought: Baja Shelf Bubbler Flailing
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That just seems odd. Mine will run normal for hours at a time, then flail around for 5-10min then go back to normal.
Toxophilite
Silver Supporter
The jest of it is wave reverberation from the wall of the shelf. The jet flow gets hit a certain way, certain cycle, and then goes into it's own self-generated centrifugal mode. Disrupt it, and it quits and goes to normal for a bit. Intuitively, is seems a higher pressure of jet, smaller eyeball, would help. It does help break the surface harder/higher, but also helps create higher reverbs back, at least for me. I often wondered if those flexible strips below were some kind of equalizer guide to train the stream back on track. Don't know.
The issue has a lot of variable. Volume of jetted water, pressure of jetted water, depth of water to push through, design of walls holding the body of water, etc..... I seem to have better luck by killing off the waterfall on same zone, but we just don't use them enough and don't think of them or issue enough to bug me anymore. It's only one of mine that does it. If yours runs hours at time and only flail for a few minutes, you are way better off than me.