No Spa bubbles

[tcassutt]

Hi all,

I started a thread in 2018 but could not get the nozzles removed to take pictures so I have started this new thread with pictures.

We have no air/bubbles coming into our spa. There is no problem with water coming through. I have tried a number of things and will try to be as specific as possible in case someone can help. Thanks!

The pool is 20,000 gallons and the spa is 650 gallons. The spa is slightly higher than the pool with two shelves/waterfalls into the pool for overflow. When we moved in the person who inspected the spa said the jet action was weak. At that time we had a 1.5hp pump which we changed out to an intelliflo pump shortly after.

Over the years we have had times where we had some bubbles, although weak even when the intelliflo was set to 3300 rpm. At other times we had no bubble at all. I sometimes thought it had to do with when the solar valves were open, or when the spa valve was set to heat from the floor or the jets. But I was never able to figure it out.

In 2016 we had our pool replastered. I have not been able to get the jets to work since then, although I am quite certain there is no obstruction.

The air pipe is about 3-4 feet high and right next to the pool equipment, and the spa is on the other side of the yard, about 30 feet or so. The air pipe has water in it and when I turn off the spa jets sometimes the water comes up and out the pipe for a moment.

Using the advice I could find on this site, I partially drained the spa, removed the six gunite nozzles and the one pulsator, and uses a blower to empty all the water from the pipe. I plugged each hole one by one to increase the pressure and blew out the pipe. There was no water left in the pipe after doing this and no debris came out of any of the holes, only water. I refilled the spa and turned on the jets. I started to hear that old familiar rumbling noise and they started to bubble (like an old car engine trying to turn over) before dying. Since that I am back to no bubbles.

I am thinking about replacing the nozzles and the pulsator in case they are failing in some way that might cause a loss of air pressure, but the nozzles looked ok, the holes had no obstruction and the pulsator does spin from the water coming out of it (although no air).

Attached are pictures of the nozzles including the bigger massager nozzle.

Also, one of the nozzles is stuck. No matter how many times I turn the socket wrench it "slips" on the nozzle, which is about 6-8 inches in the jet hole. Any ideas how to remove a stuck nozzle?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[rphpool]

I have the same spa jets as you do. I had to take mine out after the build to clean all the Pebble Tech out from the install. The one thing I have but do not see in your sig is a air blower on my stand pipe at pad. Did yours ever work with the old pump? Surprised yours will not produce bubbles at 3300rpm.

 

[tcassutt]

Hi, we do not have an air blower. The jets have worked intermittently without one for years, so my suspicion is it is something else and if fixed they will produce bubbles at 3300.

 

[Roscoe]

My thought may be useless. My spa has an air intake line, with all of my pool hardware, 40 feet away. If my spa water level runs low (other issues) then I must setup the spa controls, turn that it on, hook up my shop vac on exhaust and blow the air jet line. Couple minutes later and I am fine. Maybe that info and a buck will get you some coffee tho...

 

[tcassutt]

Lol, thank you I appreciate all advice at this point. Multiple pool people have come out to look at it and left stumped. I have actually tried the blower and unfortunately for me it does not seem to solve the issue. I am thinking it was already present when we bought the home in 2009 and deteriorated over time. The larger pulsator seems to have two wall fittings and a retainer ring in addition to the pulsator itself, so I am wondering if replacing that might help if it had some sort of air leak with all the parts. Or maybe just cap it. When I put my hand over one of the holes, bubbles make a sad attempt to start up but it's not enough, so maybe removing the big nozzle will help out the little ones? I really have no idea, though, so a coffee may be it.