How to use Saran Wrap for suction side air leak?

[John2]

When I use my auto vacuum, I get air in the pump, the longer it runs, the more gets in there. Once I remove the vacuum, the air works itself out of the pump and goes back to just being water.
I have already searched this problem on here and found suggestions to use shaving cream or Saran Wrap but I didn’t find details on how to do each. Obviously shaving cream is for outside the pool only. And I doubt Saran Wrap is going to stay on the hose inside the pool. This hose floats along the surface while vacuuming and comes in 4 foot sections and my pool is 41’ long so I have a lot of connections floating on top of the water.
So do I duct tape the Saran Wrap on? Can I just tape over the Saran Wrap and not the hose itself, that way my hose doesn’t get all sticky?

I typed all the above yesterday and took the attached pictures yesterday but never hit the “post” button. I went ahead and tried running the vacuum. It didn’t help. Still getting air in pump. I’m guessing I have a crack somewhere that I haven’t Saran wrapped yet. It’s either that or I’m doing the Saran Wrap wrong.

any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Texas Splash]

I think the suction air leak tips & tricks we recommend like saran wrap, shaving cream, etc are all designed for items above the water like like at the equipment pad. I can't think of any good way to test or seal multiple hose sections in the water. Our pool is 40' and II am fortunate to have one long hose. Even with that, when vacuuming air always seems to get into my pump pot because it's not as good of a connection like the pool PVC lines that are generally below the waterline. As long as you don't lose total prime to the pump you should be okay.

 

[Randrx2]

I assume you are looking for the air leak?

Do you have a vacuum connection for your vacuum or are you using the skimmer port? If you have a dedicated vacuum line, insert a coupler (something like this, depending on your size: Amazon.com : Hayward AXV092 Automatic Pool Cleaner Hose Connector : Swimming Pool And Spa Supplies : Garden & Outdoor) or figure out a way to prop open the flap/door. Then run the pump without the hose connected and see if you still have the air issue.

For checking the hose, get some help. Fill the hose with water. Pull hose out of water and lay on deck. Hold up both ends so that the entire hose has water in it. You may need a bucket or hose to fill once it is out of the water. Look for leaks.

 

[John2]

I think the suction air leak tips & tricks we recommend like saran wrap, shaving cream, etc are all designed for items above the water like like at the equipment pad. I can't think of any good way to test or seal multiple hose sections in the water. Our pool is 40' and II am fortunate to have one long hose. Even with that, when vacuuming air always seems to get into my pump pot because it's not as good of a connection like the pool PVC lines that are generally below the waterline. As long as you don't lose total prime to the pump you should be okay.

Thanks! I haven’t lost prime yet, I have an above ground pool and the pump sits almost in the ground, so I think it’ll always have some water going into it. But I worry that it’s not good for it to be passing all of that air through it. I also worry if I wanted to let it run all night, that it might get worse and I wouldn’t know it until I checked in it the next morning.
I do have a 40’ hose for the manual vacuum I have but it doesn’t fit automatic vacuum for some reason. The hoses are that much different in size but I guess they’re different enough.

 

[John2]

I assume you are looking for the air leak?

Do you have a vacuum connection for your vacuum or are you using the skimmer port? If you have a dedicated vacuum line, insert a coupler (something like this, depending on your size: Amazon.com : Hayward AXV092 Automatic Pool Cleaner Hose Connector : Swimming Pool And Spa Supplies : Garden & Outdoor) or figure out a way to prop open the flap/door. Then run the pump without the hose connected and see if you still have the air issue.

For checking the hose, get some help. Fill the hose with water. Pull hose out of water and lay on deck. Hold up both ends so that the entire hose has water in it. You may need a bucket or hose to fill once it is out of the water. Look for leaks.

yes I am looking for the air leak.
I have an above ground pool with only one skimmer and one return. Yes the vacuum hooks to an adapter that goes in the skimmer.
when I run the pump without the vacuum, I don’t get any air. but from other threads that I have read in this forum, sometimes hooking a vacuum up causes small air leaks to show up because of the added load / suction.
Filling up the hose with water while over dry land (deck, patio, etc..) sounds like a great idea, I’ll try tomorrow and let you know what I find out.
thanks.