Help! Suction leak!

[Scottman]

I opened my pool Three weeks ago, turned it on and the pump basket filled all the way up with no air bubbles. Slowly through the last three weeks it’s been getting less and less water in the basket now it’s 2 inches below the top I tried isolating both skimmer lines and just have a half hour ago I put together 20 foot of PVC and ran it directly into the pump and it still the same result. I have inspected the O-ring on the basket lid of inspected the basket As I did notice in the past couple weeks when I turned a pump out in the morning it would be for burp a little bit a water on the ground from underneath of the pump basket lid but I can’t find any cracks or reason for it to leak. I have taken out the O-ring and re-lubricated it twice . I tried shaving cream around the top and also pouring water over it and it didn’t seem to help and see the shaving cream suck in anywhere I am stumped any ideas

 

[mknauss]

Have you cleaned your cartridges lately? The build up of pressure such that you get water rushing back at shut down (the water that burped out you mentioned) can be due to dirty filters. Be sure you clean your filters when the filter pressure rises by 25% over clean pressure.

 

[Arizonarob]

There’s a link in my signature to a video that will help you narrow down a suction side air leak.

 

[Scottman]

Have you cleaned your cartridges lately? The build up of pressure such that you get water rushing back at shut down (the water that burped out you mentioned) can be due to dirty filters. Be sure you clean your filters when the filter pressure rises by 25% over clean pressure.

Yes, I just cleaned the filter this afternoon. Thank you for your input.

 

[Scottman]

To am starting to think it is a pump problem maybe a cracked impeller or diffuser or something because I have no air bubbles after the pump starts running coming out of the returns. I plan on taking the pump apart and checking it out I hope I don’t ruin any seals any thoughts ?

 

[Scottman]

MKNAUSS, you were right, it was the filter! Even though I cleaned it with a garden hose it must have not been sufficient as it had been in the past. I removed the cartridge filter and ran it with no filter and the basket filled up to the top. I bought two new filters and the heater is running perfectly.

 

[mknauss]