First Time Pool Owner - Air Leak in In-Ground Pool?

[Uno]

I purchased my home in the fall of 2023 which included an in-ground pool. I have a friend with a pool store who helped me open the pool a week ago. We had a heck of a time getting the pump to prime but i was finally able to get it primed and began running the pump. Once it started running it seemed to have a bit of air but quickly worked that out and seemed to be running with no issue. When I shut the pump off for the first time all of the water ran back down out of the pump without me opening the lid.

To my knowledge, that water should stay there unless I was to open the lid and then the water would likely fall back down the pipe to water level. I have been able to get my pump to prime everyday it just takes 30 seconds to 1 minute to get the pump basket filled back up and then it runs fine. This has been how I've run it for a week.

For Full Disclosure: My pool has two skimmers and a main drain. I have been running it with just the two skimmers as I've been unable to get the pump to prime with the main drain open.

Today I tried to vacuum to remove some leaves at the bottom of the pool before I went ahead and vacuumed the whole pool. I had ordered a skimmer plate that fits my skimmer so i could use my skimmer basket to catch the leaves. I was unable to get it to work as every time I tried to run the pump it would do its normal 30 seconds to 1 minute process but it seemed as though the skimmer plate couldn't stay suctioned and I was unable to vacuum.

I assume there must be some sort of air leak that is causing these issues. Any recommendation would be a huge help.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Sure sounds like you have a suction side air leak.

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

Check the pump lid, the pump lid O ring, and the pump drain plugs. Put pool lube on the pump lid O ring.

Pool Lube - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

You have two gray diverter valves on the suction side. They look old and have broken handles. The valves can be leaking from the valve stem O rings.

Take a roll of saran wrap and wrap the PVC pipe from the pump inlet past the diverter valves. See if that makes a difference whi9ch would indicate the air leak is somewhere in the wrap.

 

[Uno]

I'm going to give the saran wrap a try but while investigating i did run across a leak on my return. Reading through what you sent it appears this wouldn't be an issue but still curious of your thoughts.

 

[ajw22]

On the suction side when the pump is running air will be pulled into a leak and when the pump is off water can flow out from the leak.

On the return side when the pump is running water will flow out from a leak and when the pump is off air will be sucked into a leak.

Air coming into a return side leak is why a system will not hold pressure and drain when the pump is off.