i didnt employ a pool guy, last time a pool guy came was dec 2022. and this problem im having seems to be the past 1-2 weeks. so no one turned anything off or on to my knowledge.
jandy system--how do i control autofill level on pool?
- Thread starter eugchen
- Start date
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,639
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I gave you all sorts of things to try and things to check. Let us know how all that pans out.
Another possibility: in my picture I failed to label one component. It comes just before what I labeled "RPZ." That is a pressure regulator. That, and either of the other two components (the RPZ and the BFP) can fail. Sometimes they can be repaired, or one might need to be replaced. Or maybe just cleaned (I think they might have filter screens that could have gotten clogged up). The RPZ and BFP both have test ports that can be used (by someone that has the know-how and the test equipment) to determine if they are working correctly. You'd look up "Backflow Preventer Testing" in your area to find someone to test them for you. That person, and his testing, would also determine if the pressure regulator was working.
If nothing has changed in the last few weeks, and you haven't moved any valves, and one or both of the RPZ and the BFP are actually feeding your pool, then that could point to one of those three components just stopped working properly. If there is an auto-fill valve somewhere, then that component could be the faulty one as well. But you gotta find it if it exists, or determine that there isn't any such thing in your system.
I gave you some ideas on how to find the outlet for the auto-fill. It is either a hole that is above the water line (somewhere in the waterline tile) that spills into the water, or it is a hole in the skimmer well, or it is a port below the surface (it would look like, or similar to, the return ports located around your pool, underwater).
Another possibility: in my picture I failed to label one component. It comes just before what I labeled "RPZ." That is a pressure regulator. That, and either of the other two components (the RPZ and the BFP) can fail. Sometimes they can be repaired, or one might need to be replaced. Or maybe just cleaned (I think they might have filter screens that could have gotten clogged up). The RPZ and BFP both have test ports that can be used (by someone that has the know-how and the test equipment) to determine if they are working correctly. You'd look up "Backflow Preventer Testing" in your area to find someone to test them for you. That person, and his testing, would also determine if the pressure regulator was working.
If nothing has changed in the last few weeks, and you haven't moved any valves, and one or both of the RPZ and the BFP are actually feeding your pool, then that could point to one of those three components just stopped working properly. If there is an auto-fill valve somewhere, then that component could be the faulty one as well. But you gotta find it if it exists, or determine that there isn't any such thing in your system.
I gave you some ideas on how to find the outlet for the auto-fill. It is either a hole that is above the water line (somewhere in the waterline tile) that spills into the water, or it is a hole in the skimmer well, or it is a port below the surface (it would look like, or similar to, the return ports located around your pool, underwater).
wow, very informative. ill answer some of the questions.
Poolbreh---not sure what this hideyhole is, it looks like another hole that skims things like the other one in the video with an autofill cover with a basket. that white wall above that hideyhole is a sauna. so i dont know where that hole leads to lol.
Dirk, you have given me so much information that i need to process it and get back to you on sunday when i return home. but i do know the below photo you referenced has to do with my sprinkler/irrigation system because when the sprinkler guy came to fix some busted sprinkler heads, i know he messed with that area. could this be connected to the pool? (you referenced this) i do see the closed valve you mentioned on the right, which is odd because i dont know who would have closed it. i filled the pool up with a hose a few days ago and we got rain yesterday so the water level is healthy now. id like to wait to see when the water level goes low again, and ill turn that valve on the right on to see if anything changes.
you also mentioned this "Manually turn on your irrigation valves, one at a time, until you can identify what each of them water.". do you mean to turn on zone 1 on the sprinkler panel on the wall for example? if this is what you are referring to, i have 10 zones, and i have checked them on, and turned them on manually many times, just checking the yard, and ive never heard any of them splashing into the pool.
concerning the auto-fill well, could this be it? i dont know of any other circular cover on the ground in my pool area.
this round blue object? I have ZERO IDEA! ive often wondered what this was! its a cover to something. maybe someone knows???
Poolbreh---not sure what this hideyhole is, it looks like another hole that skims things like the other one in the video with an autofill cover with a basket. that white wall above that hideyhole is a sauna. so i dont know where that hole leads to lol.
Dirk, you have given me so much information that i need to process it and get back to you on sunday when i return home. but i do know the below photo you referenced has to do with my sprinkler/irrigation system because when the sprinkler guy came to fix some busted sprinkler heads, i know he messed with that area. could this be connected to the pool? (you referenced this) i do see the closed valve you mentioned on the right, which is odd because i dont know who would have closed it. i filled the pool up with a hose a few days ago and we got rain yesterday so the water level is healthy now. id like to wait to see when the water level goes low again, and ill turn that valve on the right on to see if anything changes.
you also mentioned this "Manually turn on your irrigation valves, one at a time, until you can identify what each of them water.". do you mean to turn on zone 1 on the sprinkler panel on the wall for example? if this is what you are referring to, i have 10 zones, and i have checked them on, and turned them on manually many times, just checking the yard, and ive never heard any of them splashing into the pool.
concerning the auto-fill well, could this be it? i dont know of any other circular cover on the ground in my pool area.
this round blue object? I have ZERO IDEA! ive often wondered what this was! its a cover to something. maybe someone knows???
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,639
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Fair enough.
When did he "mess with that area?" A few week ago by any chance?
Very likely.
It's entirely possible that the larger component (RPZ) feeds your irrigation system and your auto-fill system. The half of the tee I referenced that goes down into the ground probably runs to your irrigation valve array. The other half leads to the BFP, and I think that is your auto-fill supply. The closed valve I spotted might have been something your sprinkler repair guy shut off, along with the RPZ valves, then turned the RPZ valves back on when he was finished, but forgot to turn the BFP back on.
Even if he worked on this months ago, that story might fit. I shut off my auto-filler last year, for the entire winter, and just turned it back on a few weeks ago. My pool was topped up the whole time, just from the rain. Had I neglected to turn it on, my pool would have just recently started getting low, just like yours did.
No, I meant to find your sprinkler valve array and turn them on manually from the valves themselves (one at a time). If one of those valves feeds your pool, it many not be connected to your irrigation controller, maybe it's connected to your pool controller. In which case running the valves from the irrigation controller won't tell us anything. Manually turning on the valves might. So post a pic of that array and I'll walk you through how to turn them on manually at the valve.
Yah, I don't know what that is either. I was just curious if there was a well of some sort below it.
It's possible, but a 4" diameter is very small for an auto-fill well. Carefully remove that lid and take a look. Post a pic. It's more likely a sewer pipe, possibly a clean out or maybe just an access to the sewer system for emptying your pool filter or when lowering the water level. I have those on my pool equipment pad. Where is this red capped thingie located relative to your pool equipment?
Anywho, work through my posts and explore what all your valves do (RPZ, BFP and sprinkler), and report back. As you check the sprinkler valves, see if you can account for what each of the ten valves do. See if you can see what, exactly, each is watering. If one of them cannot be accounted for, perhaps that is going to the pool. If one of them is for the pool, you wouldn't necessarily hear it. It could be emptying into the pool below the water line, or in the skimmer well(s), so you might not have heard it.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,639
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Yes, those are pool pumps. It looks like you have three. One is your filter pump. Another probably runs your spa, and the third looks to be for some sort of water features.
There are folks here that could help you identify all that stuff, but you have a ton of valves. It might be worth a few bucks to find a reputable pool service (ask your neighbors, maybe) and have them come out to your place and help you identify everything. And label everything, something the original pool builder neglected to do from the looks of it.
You have a somewhat complicated system and at some point you're going to need to know what everything does, which pump does what, what every valve is for, how to clean your filter, how to clean out your pump baskets, where your skimmers are, etc. If you can find the right guy, he could sort all that out for you in an hour. And even if you continue maintaining the pool yourself, you would have established a relationship with a local guy that you could rely on to tackle repairs or maintenance that you don't want to deal with.
The blue thing is a pool alarm that floats on the water and makes noise if there is a wave. Totally unrelated to this issue