Getting no suction with pump through Sta-Rite system

[Lindz13]

I don't know where to start and have been reading posts all day!

I have a in ground pool, 15x32, new liner and new hayward pump used last year. New cartridge filters for my Sta-Rite filter the year before last.

I have owned my home for several years now but had guy roommates who took care of the pool and now that they have moved out I'm on my own and kind of lost!

There is no pressure going through the pump, filter, and out the lines into the pool. When looking at my pump through the lid there is only a trickle of water (its not just a big bubble!). The pump basket is not full and air free like it should be. On another note when I remove the inner cartridge from my filter everything runs smoothly and the pump filter basket is nearly air free. So it seems to me that the problem may be in the filter itself which has been cleaned regularly and is in excellent shape.

If anyone has any ideas of things that could be causing this issue then please help me out! Thanks I will check back tomorrow!

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

If the problem only happens when the filter cartridge is installed, that does strongly suggest there is something wrong with the filter cartridge. I suggest giving it a good cleaning and then an overnight soak in a detergent solution (one cup of automatic dish washer detergent for each 5 gallons of water), rinse again, and see if that improves anything.

 

[Lindz13]

The inner and outer cartridge filters are extremely clean. I had them cleaned by the pool company last fall after the pool was closed and have disassembled them twice in the one week i've had the pool up and running and thoroughly sprayed them off with a high pressure hose.

When running the pump and filter with the inner cartridge not in the filter the pressure seems to be normal and pool runs smoothly. Only problem there is that the water is not getting filtered like it should.

 

[duraleigh]

What is the psi on the gauge when the pump is off. What is it when it is on and the cartridge is in the filter?

 

[hoosierrun]

If I am reading correctly, it sounds like you have air being sucked in on the suction side since it sounds like you have mostly air in the strainer basket. Make sure the gasket is good on the strainer basket. You may have to do a leak test on the suction side. That involves inserting a Drain King (or equivalent) attached to a garden hose and inserted down the pipe at your skimmer. With the pump turned off, turn on the garden hose and check for sealing of the Drain King at the skimmer pipe. If the Drain King is holding, check for leaks around your pump strainer housing and the pipes. Any leaks would be where air is getting sucked in. Sometimes the strainer basket drain plugs leak.

 

[Lindz13]

The psi when the pump is off is 0. I only have 1 switch for the pump on and off. There is only 1 speed as well. When the pump is running the psi varies anywhere between 17 to 20 psi. I'm not even sure what normal is?

With the pump running, I open the valve at the bottom of the filter and released some water and the air space in the pump basket seemed to get better and more water was flowing through the square basket thing (not sure how long it will last so I will have to check on it tonight). I checked the strainer basket drain plug and it was slightly loose so i tightened it and saw no improvement in water flow through the pump/filter.

I haven't had much time to mess with things the last couple days since my first post so any other helpful tips would be great. I do not know how to use a drain king or how to access my skimmer pipe? Do you mean from the skimmer basket on the pool side or the skimmer pipe back by the pump and filter? I should post post picture of what all my mechanics look like maybe that will be helpful.

Thanks guys!

 

[duraleigh]

Hmmm, when you get 17-20psi on the filter gauge I would hope you would have a very strong flow out into the pool. Yes or no?

Also, as Jason said, the filter is still suspect even though it looks clean. Tells us if you are getting good flow out to the pool with the cartridge out and the pump on and the gauge around 17-20.

 

[Lindz13]

NO! There is practically nothing coming out of the lines into the pool!

I will do a test tonight when taking one and or both filter cartridges out and see how things run at that point. Update tomorrow! Thanks again!

 

[duraleigh]

If you are getting 17-20 psi but no flow, you have blockage in that filter. Either it is installed incorrectly or it is plugged up with junk.

 

[Lindz13]

Ok here's an update!

I soaked filters overnight, used a soft bristled brush and scrubbed the heck out of both cartridges, and sprayed them off with the hose on the highest pressure I could get!

Made a HUGE difference and there is a lot more flow going through the pool lines now. There is still some air in the pump basket thing but everything seems to be working better so I'm not to concerned about it at this point. Added chemicals two nights ago and the pool is already clearing up!

Thanks for the help!

 

[Bama Rambler]

It's surprising how things you can't even see will clog a cartridge to where it's almost completely blocking the flow through it. Glad you got it fixed.