Filter PSI keeps dropping

[mburn16]

Hello all,

I've finally gotten to the "switch on the equipment" phase of the operation. Last fall I had a local company close the pool. They blew out the lines, turned off the equipment, removed the drain plugs, and put rubber plugs in the skimmer and the returns.

Today I pulled the rubber plugs, reinstalled the drain plugs, screwed the pressure gauge back in, opened the valves leading from the skimmer and main, primed the pump, opened the air release on the filter top, and switched it all on. Once the air all got pushed out, everything seemed to be running normally...except my PSI keeps dropping. So I reopen the air release, let some air out, close it, and it will go back up (it might also go back up on its own), and the pressure returns to normal for a few moments. Then the process repeats.

What gives? The pump doesn't seem to be having any trouble drawing water, through the amount going into the filter basket does drop when the PSI drops. IS it normal to have to play with it for a while before all the air is fully out of the system?

 

[Richard320]

Check the water level in the skimmer (should be halfway up the opening), and make sure the basket isn't full and that the flapper (weir) isn't sticking. Wouldn't hurt to look in the pump basket, either. Pine needles have a way of slipping through the skimmer basket.

 

[mburn16]

Well..........I found my problem. Somehow there is a small hole in the top of the rubber-ish pipe leading from the skimmer, only about 3" below the surface. Hole is about the size of a pencil eraser. What can I do to fix this?

 

[reindeerboy]

What do you mean rubber-ish? If it's on the skimmer line it should be a schedule 40 PVC pipe. If not, then what would it be? The fact it's only 3" below surface also seems wrong as well as it should be below frost line unless you don't have frost but should still be buried further down than that.

 

[mburn16]

Sorry, I'm a layman when it comes to plumbing things. I described it as rubberish because that is what the material the pipe was made of felt like to me. Normally I associate PVC as being the hard white piping I have running in my plumbing above ground. But after looking it up, it does look like it could easily be the schedule 40 pvc. And yes, I agree it seems very shallow.

Whats the best repair strategy on this?

 

[KellisEM]

Is there much wiggle room in the pipes? It might be as simple as stopper in the skimmer, and putting a PVC joint there.

 

[mburn16]

See above. I found the problem - there is a small hole in the pipe leading away from the skimmer (That appears to have been buried too shallow when the pool was built decades ago). What's the preferred strategy for repairing PVC around here? Some of that universal epoxy with tape over it?

 

[KellisEM]

Correct, I read that. What I meant is if you were able to slide the pipes out either direction and then bring them back in, you could just install a PVC joint right at that point. That is probably the best solution you could do, that would be quite a bit of work. I've only ever used the epoxy to repair pool plumbing once, and it failed in the most spectacular of fashions. YMMV. Ever since then, I will always take the time and effort to repair at the right way.

 

[mburn16]

There might be wiggle room if I dig more in the opposite direction from the pool. at the moment I only have about a foot of pipe uncovered.

 

[mburn16]

Thanks for your help. I think I'll try the epoxy-and-tape route first, and move on to a compression coupling if it doesn't work.

 

[Fingaling]

You want a high pressure, 2 part Marine epoxy. Paste is better than clay four this. Something like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KKPFFA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495077656&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=marine+epoxy&dpPl=1&dpID=51NsgCRB-%2BL&ref=plSrch

Put it on thick. And in a wide area around the leak. No tape needed. But if you get hard freezes you will have to reapply after winter.

And it will fail eventually. So be prepared and always have an extra tube on hand for when it does.

 

[diy_darryl]

No, No, No! No tape, epoxy or anything of the sort. They make REPAIR COUPLINGS that have no center stop. Cut your pipe at the hole and slide your repair coupling down one side, apply primer and PVC glue, slide the coupling back evenly over both sides. DONE!

No need to have to move the existing pipe at all except sideways to get the coupling slid on. Make sure pipe is CLEAN of all dirt etc.

There are also Compression Fittings, look those up too.

 

[mburn16]

After some reconsideration, just going to go ahead and use a compression fitting. I'm concerned I won't be able to get the epoxy to set properly without risking it either getting sucked into the hole or pushed away from it.