Definitive fix for spa drainage

[atropine]

Hi all- I bought my house about a year ago. The previous owners had a pool and spa installed, but there is not a “spillway” for the spa to spill over the side into the pool. The spa will slowly drain down over the course of 24-48 hours, and I haven’t been able to figure out why. Once it drains down below the level of the skimmer, it starts sucking air and the pump just airlocks. I assumed there would be 2 return lines from the spa- one from the skimmer and one from a floor drain, but maybe I am wrong? There are 2 lines labeled “from spa”.

As far as the drain down: I have replaced the inner guts of both automatic valves, thinking one of them must’ve been worn down a little. But that didn’t fix anything. There is a spillover mode but it just fills the spa until it overflows out the top and onto the ground. I’m wondering if it would be possible for me to install a loop in the plumbing that would essentially allow me to crack a valve just slightly open and circulate pool water up into the spa and then retrieve any spillover water that runs down the skimmer pipe and put it back into circulation with the pool filter circuit? Basically trying to plumb in my own spillover circuit without having to cut up a bunch of concrete and make a spillway out of the spa?

 

[TinFoilHat]

If the pipes are labeled right, I see two suction from the spa, two suction from the pool, 1 return to the pool and one return to the spa. Is that correct? You would need to adjust the spa suction side to match the spa return side by eyeballing it at the spa. Do this with the normal pool suction that you would use because if you get the spa water evened out and then adjust the pool suction it will cause another issue with the spa. All four suction lines are open so right now it looks like you could suck the spa dry pretty quickly. This system isn't set up very well as the spa should have it's own pump and filter. Otherwise, this isn't too bad to fix and at least the spa water is mixed with pool water on a daily basis.

 

[Jimrahbe]

a,

Your spa was not designed to spillover and that is why you have a skimmer in your spa. In theory, you have two separate equipment pads.. Spas that spillover do not have skimmers.

There is a reason that separate spa need separate equipment.. With separate equipment, you can run the spa and the pool at the same time.

Your spa is draining down because it is raised above the pool.. When you shut the pump off gravity will cause the water in the spa to seek the same level as the water in the pool.. Spillover spas have a check valve in the spa jets line to prevent the drain down. I do not see a check valve in your spa jets line.. (May be under ground and bad..)

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Spencer2024]

I don’t have the same set up but when I bought my house m spa old drain most of the way overnight. Turned out one of my valves wasn’t set correctly so was a pretty easy fix….