Filter not working.

[MJuric]

My pump had a leak last year so my pool ended up getting a bit green before I closed it. I called the pool guy to both close the pool and fix the leak because I did not have time. Fast forward to this spring....fix is clearly not fixed.

I tested water levels, balanced everything and shocked the pool. Pool is now no longer green but is not clearing up.

Symptoms;

1) Bubbles form in pump reservoir clearly visible when running.
2) When pump is run for a long period of time and turned off
....a) Water visibly shoots out from the top seal from around the pump resevoir
....b) Bubbles come out of jets of pool
....c) Pump looses prime unless I shut off the infeed valves from the pool
....d) turning back wash on takes 30 secs to a minute before water starts to flow out of the backwash tube and not much if anything backwashes (Site glass is clear nearly from the beginning)
3) May also have a leak at the infeed connection to the pump.


I'm wondering what the best approach to diagnosing and fixing the problem will be and if I'm missing anything. My guess is that air is building up in the sand filter and the combination of air and turbulence caused by the air makes the filter non effective. If that is the case I would assume fixing the leak(s) would solve the problem but I'm not 100% sure that that is the problem and that I'm not missing something else.

I would like to.

1) Replace the top seal on the reservoir and possible the lid. The seal is pretty clearly worn and the lid appears to have the "Lip" that is supposed to go in the seal worn in several areas.
2) Cut the plumbing at the infeed of the pump and reseal at the pump and install a union (Why on earth people don't install unions whenever you can't turn a thread in a plumping system is beyond me)

I would hope that would fix everything and I would be up and running. What I don't know is.

1) could there be something wrong with something else
....a) Valve on the filter (This is knew, replaced last year and worked fine most of the year before the leak started)
....b) Something wrong with the filter itself, add sand, replace sand etc
....C) or something else I'm missing entirely

Sorry for the long post, sometimes more information is better than not enough. I believe all my pool information is in my signature.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[Texas Splash]

I'm wondering what the best approach to diagnosing and fixing the problem will be and if I'm missing anything.

Matt, everything you are describing sounds like the pump basket's clear lid "O-ring" is either bad (worn) or not lubed. I would remove that clear lid and inspect the O-ring carefully. Replace if questionable and then give it a nice coating of pool silicone lube (i.e. Magic Lube), never petroleum jelly. That should resolve one major suction side air leak right away. If you still have similar problems after that, let us know and we can give you more pointers on what to look for next.

 

[MJuric]

Matt, everything you are describing sounds like the pump basket's clear lid "O-ring" is either bad (worn) or not lubed. I would remove that clear lid and inspect the O-ring carefully. Replace if questionable and then give it a nice coating of pool silicone lube (i.e. Magic Lube), never petroleum jelly. That should resolve one major suction side air leak right away. If you still have similar problems after that, let us know and we can give you more pointers on what to look for next.

Thanks, that's easy and first on the list. I'll try that.

Matt