How does a blower work?

[jfreeman]

I don't seem to have to flip a switch to turn my blower on. I just redirect the pump return to the spa and it comes on automatically. If I'm directing only partial flow to the spa, it doesn't come on, so there is some minimum threshold. How does that work? Is there a switch hidden somewhere that lets me turn it off while directing 100% return flow to the spa? Google was surprisingly unhelpful on this question. "how does a pool blower work" turns up results for installation and repair, but nothing about the engineering.

 

[Jimrahbe]

J,

Do you not have an automation system? To switch between the pool and spa are you moving your valves manually?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jfreeman]

I have some old-fashioned wheel-turning clocks that turn two pumps on and off, but that's the only automation I'm aware of. I'm unsure if they're wired to anything else. How can I tell?

For the valves, I'm turning them manually.

 

[Jimrahbe]

J,

Logically, the "wheel-turning clocks" should just be timers to turn your pumps on and off. I have never heard of anything that turns on the blower based upon water flow, but then again, I do not have an integrated spa, so don't know for sure.

I would look at the blower and follow the power cord back to wherever it goes. If it goes to some "box" I'd check to see what inputs that box has.

Let's see if we can get someone with spa expertise to chime in..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Are you sure that you have a blower and it's turning on?

It might just be a venturi fitting that pulls in air due to the water flow.

A venturi fitting needs a specific amount of flow before it will pull in air.

 

[setsailsoon]

I have a spa that works the way James indicates. I also have a separate pump for this that is 1.5 times the HP of the pool pump. The spa has two manual opening valves on the edge to control air flow into the venturi. They are round flatish caps that rotate. Very simple and easy system to adjust the feel of the air bubbles Do you notice the round adjustment caps at your spa? If you do have a blower it's pretty hard to miss. Will be a motor fitted on to the end of a vertical PVC pipe somewhere near the equipment pad. Can you please post a picture of your pool equipment?

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[setsailsoon]

J,

PS, welcome to TFP! It will help if you can add your "signature" with information about your pool so it appears at the bottom of each post. Here's how to do it.

We have experts on everything pool from equipment to chemicals to finishes to operation and everything in between. Feel free to ask any questions our experts and pool enthusiasts are standing by to help... one big advantage of asking here is that we sell nothing. So you can count on advice that's never slanted by a conflict of interest.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris

 

[ajw22]

JF has a Polaris QT air blower. See...

New homeowner, new pool, please help me get control

I'm one week into my new home. I've never owned or maintained a pool before, and no one in my family had one when I was growing up. I'm starting with zero experience. I've already read about 15 pages of the Pool School. I've got test kits on the way, but they're not here yet (TF-100 general...

www.troublefreepool.com

Trace your pool blower power conduit back and see what it connects to. Or trace from the blower CB and see where it goes to. Somewhere along the way you will find a switch.

 

[setsailsoon]

JF has a Polaris QT air blower. See...

New homeowner, new pool, please help me get control

I'm one week into my new home. I've never owned or maintained a pool before, and no one in my family had one when I was growing up. I'm starting with zero experience. I've already read about 15 pages of the Pool School. I've got test kits on the way, but they're not here yet (TF-100 general...

www.troublefreepool.com

Trace your pool blower power conduit back and see what it connects to. Or trace from the blower CB and see where it goes to. Somewhere along the way you will find a switch.

I saw the booster pump in his signature so I thought it was a venturi type... didn't think he might have both.

Thanks for clarifying.

Chris

 

[jfreeman]

I don't know that my blower is turning on. I leaned near it and heard gurgling, so I assumed that meant it was on. I've never seen another blower. Where would a venturi fitting be?

Here's my spa. The first pic has no visible switches or dials. The second has some port over the step with a cap with a square end. Is that important?


Here's an unknown cap between my pool and pool equipment. The drain in the back is for the filter backwash.



Here's my blower. The conduit connects to a locked black box on the wall which connects to my right timer. There is a left timer just on the other side (not pictured). Each timer has a switch that the timer controls, two conduits coming out of the bottom, and a rat's nest of wires. Here's what I know about them:

Left timer:
- switch: booster pump
- left conduit: booster pump
- right conduit: filter pump

Right timer:
- switch: filter pump
- left conduit: waterfall pump
- right conduit: electrical outlet (the box pictured; not a switch), then into the ground

The conduit going to the ground from the black box is empty. The pipe going into the ground from the blower... no idea.

 

[JamesW]

The blower is controlled by the air switch button in the tile.

The button generates a burst of air, which goes through a vinyl tube to the black AS2 spa control box.

When you push the button, the blower should turn on or off.

 

[jfreeman]

I went outside and looked closer at the thing in the spa that I thought was just a cap. It was stuck, but it is a button! Thank you.

Ah! That reminds me of this bit from the deluge of conversations before closing on this house:

> Spa air blower is functional and in good operating condition. Air line that triggers switch is disconnected and can be reattached.

Any videos on how to do this? I'll open the box and look inside, but not sure if the solution will be obvious.

 

[JamesW]

There should be a vinyl tube connected to the button and it should go to the black box. You should be able to verify the vinyl tube on both ends.

 

[jfreeman]

I see the problem now. I didn't have to open the spa control box. There's a port on the underside where the switch tube is supposed to connect. I completely missed the switch tube, which had sunk down into the conduit below the control box, which is completely out of line with the port. In fact, it comes very high, just to the bottom edge of the control box, such that fishing the switch tube out to connect to the port will make a kink. The end of the tube itself is wrapped in black duct tape, as if to fix a leak or protect it from the edge of the conduit. What's my best option here? If I pull the tube too far, do I risk disconnecting it from the other end?

 

[JamesW]

It's hard to say. You might be able to splice it if the vinyl is pliable enough.

Worst case, you might need to replace the vinyl tube. You would need to tie a string to the old tube when you pull it out so that you can pull in new tubing.

Try to remove the air button to see what the tubing looks like on that end.

Maybe have someone hold the tubing on the spa side while you pull on the other end.

If the vinyl is brittle, don't pull too hard as that might break the tubing.

 

[JamesW]

To test the controller, you can get a short piece of tubing and use the air button to generate the air puff needed or just lightly blow into the tubing.

 

[setsailsoon]

I replaced my tube less than 2 years after installed. It was turning on by itself during the night and I found the air switch was very hard to turn off. Worked better for a few months then the other parts in the system started to fail including the micro switch in the box and the air button at the spa. I was spending more and more time and $ on the stone age switch. So decided to move from the Stone Age to the Space Age. I wired it to a spare relay in the automation system. Hasn't failed once since and we turn the booster pump on from the spa with our phones. If you don't have automation yet I'd look at a cheap home automation control like Wink, Smart Things or any of the long list of WiFi home automation devices. All you need is the very simplest type of control to energize the motor starter that's in the box you show in the photo. Should be cheap, simple and permanent. If you ever get automation this sort of illustrates why some of our experts suggest you go with a system that has expansion capability rather than a super cheap system that can't be expanded.

I hope this helps.

Chris