Liquidator start-up, NO FLOW!!!!! help

[fixit5561]

Keithw,

One thing, you can not tap into the pump drain plug. I wrote on another thread that when you do this you will have water coming into the LQ not going out. The pump drain plug will push pressure out, not suck it in, mine did anyways . I think it is because the drain plug is on the far outside of the impeller enclosure which is the area of the pump that pushes, the water into the filter.

I put my tap into my strainer basket drain plug, that worked really good.

Brian

 

[Rabbit]

Your problem is that you don't have a long enough suction supply line. This issue is common with the LQ and above ground pools. It is addressed in a different post somewhere on this site. Most inground pools have 10-20ft supply lines and that allows the line to build up adequate suction near the pump inlet. You have two easy solutions: increase the length of the supply line or restrict flow through the skimmer line to build up more head. I see that you have a shut off valve on the supply line closer to the skimmer that the LQ connection. Try closing that valve off partially until you build up enough flow. Doing this might even benefit your pump because they are optimized to deal with a specific amount of water resistance. Haas also recommend that the LQ connection be right next to the pump. As a test, you might try to connect the LQ into the pump drain plug as well.

You need the check valves if the float holes on on your LQ are below water level. If they are above water level then you can eliminate them for increased flow.

Or just use larger line to the LQ to decrease the pressure drop and increase the flow

 

[Poolidiot]

restrict flow through the skimmer line to build up more head. I see that you have a shut off valve on the supply line closer to the skimmer that the LQ connection. Try closing that valve off partially until you build up enough flow. Doing this might even benefit your pump because they are optimized to deal with a specific amount of water resistance. Haas

Ok, I did close off the shut off valve from the skimmer partially, and this DID allow me to get flow through the check valve. But to give me peace of mind , can someone tell me if restricting the flow like this will harm the pump in any way? I am no where near a expert on pumps and flow rate so that is why I am asking. keithw, you may be an expert and know that this will not hurt my pump and that is why you suggested it. If so then that will work. When I did close the valve partially I watched my pressure gauge and it did not really change the pressure enough to notice. Hopefully this will work and not harm my pump and will let LQ work good enough till I get back from vacation and can experiment some more. I leave for New York ( ) in the morning.

 

[duraleigh]

Pool pumps can take some restrictions on either side of the pump. While they don't like being restricted on the suction side, a little bit (esp. if you saw no pressure change) is irrelevant.

 

[Poolidiot]

Thats what my pea brain was telling me, but I wasnt sure. Thanks for the info.