Pool/Spa ~10-15' above pool equipment - no bubbles in spa

[jfdub]

Hello,

About 2 years after our pool was built we started having issues with the bubbles in our spa which then resulted in no bubbles at all. I'd call a pool company here and there to look at it and one replaced the blower (1/2 HP) and "blew out" the lines and the bubbles worked again. The next year it stopped working again and I couldn't get the same pool company out so a different one came out and said there wasn't anything they could do to solve the overall problem of the blower having to push so much water for so far. So he again "blew out" the lines and the bubbles worked again.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to be there for either service call so there was no witness to the "blow out". I have to assume a shop vac or air compressor was used but where? There's a (I think it's called) a check valve that seems operational - do I remove the cover and use that opening to "blow out" the lines? I have all the tools, I just don't know where to put the shop vac and/or air compressor. Any suggestions? I tried a male air compressor port above the check valve but that didn't work.

 

[mas985]

Blowing out the airline is pointless given the location of the check valve. The airline will always fill with water unless the check valve is close to the spa.

Did the PB use a Hartford loop at the spa with a check valve at the spa? If not, you will need a large HP blower to clear the lines. 1/2 is too small and probably why it burned out.

 

[jfdub]

Thank you for your response! Sorry but I don’t get notifications for some reason when someone responds.

I accept that blowing it out is pointless because it’ll just fill up with water again but it DOES work for the one time we’re out there. If I knew how to blow out the spa I wouldn’t mind just setting up some automation to blow it out when I know we’ll be using it. I’ll handle the automation but how does one “blow out” a spa line?!

The pool builder did not use a Hartford loop nor a check valve at the spa. Thank you for the recommendation to get a more powerful blower. Honestly, if I had to I would get a 100 hp motor (I know they don’t exist) but I wonder how much is too much? Do they sell variable speed blowers?

 

[jfdub]

Thank you for your response! Sorry but I don’t get notifications for some reason when someone responds.

I accept that blowing it out is pointless because it’ll just fill up with water again but it DOES work for the one time we’re out there. If I knew how to blow out the spa I wouldn’t mind just setting up some automation to blow it out when I know we’ll be using it. I’ll handle the automation but how does one “blow out” a spa line?!

The pool builder did not use a Hartford loop nor a check valve at the spa. Thank you for the recommendation to get a more powerful blower. Honestly, if I had to I would get a 100 hp motor (I know they don’t exist) but I wonder how much is too much? Do they sell variable speed blowers?

Oh sorry but I was wrong on the current blower. It is 1.5 hp not .5. Would 2 hp make any difference?

 

[mas985]

If you already have a 1.5 HP, then 2 HP probably won't make that much of a difference. I haven't researched it but I don't think they make them any larger than that. The problem is lifting the water that far. It requires a lot of power.

A blower used to clear out pool lines when closing would probably work. You might be able to retrofit into the air line to act like a blower. But it would be very loud. Once the line is blown out, it will work for a while until the air line fills back up.

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Supply-41281002-Cyclone-Horsepower/dp/B004BNR5DC/ref=asc_df_B004BNR5DC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309787044604&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13287269447450984921&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032030&hvtargid=pla-569403973429&psc=1

 

[jfdub]

If you already have a 1.5 HP, then 2 HP probably won't make that much of a difference. I haven't researched it but I don't think they make them any larger than that. The problem is lifting the water that far. It requires a lot of power.

A blower used to clear out pool lines when closing would probably work. You might be able to retrofit into the air line to act like a blower. But it would be very loud. Once the line is blown out, it will work for a while until the air line fills back up.

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Supply-41281002-Cyclone-Horsepower/dp/B004BNR5DC/ref=asc_df_B004BNR5DC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309787044604&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13287269447450984921&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032030&hvtargid=pla-569403973429&psc=1

Thanks again! I hadn't see that before and I was about to buy it but realized I have a 5hp Wet Vac I could try. If that doesn't work I'll be ordering this.