Pressure-side connector problem - Something is stuck inside the wall fitting

[ohaya]

Hi,

We just got our pool open. We have a pressure-side Polaris 360, so the pool guys attached that as part of the opening. After the opening, the pool guy said that the filter grid was "falling apart", needed replacing so we told him to replace that it, so he is now waiting for the parts (he said, with COVID, it might take a week to a week and a half).

However, about a day later, we noticed the 360 was not moving. The pressure gauges on the filter and on the pipe going to the cleaner showed pressure, so we called our pool guy. He came out the next day (I didn't see him), and when we got back home the 360 was running again. When I spoke to him later that day, he said the connector had been "too tight". So anyway, the 360 was running again.

But today, the 360 wasn't running again, so my wife (sorry, I had an accident a couple of months ago and still not mobile) disconnected the 360 hose quick connect from the wall, and cleaned out that small screen thing.

Then she tried to put the quick connect back in, but it wouldn't go back in. She said that when she tried to put her finger into the wall fitting, there was something inside the fitting that was blocking the opening (she said it is not the nubs on the inside of the fitting, but felt like it was going ACROSS the inside of the fitting).

One of my kids is going to come over this evening to go into the pool and take a look, but has anyone run into something like this before? I am wondering if might be a piece of the filter that might've made it through the plumbing and got lodged inside the wall fitting?

I am also wondering if maybe we shouldn't use the 360 until they replace the filter?

I will try to post a pic when my son gets here.

Thanks, and sorry for the "strange" question.

Jim

 

[AndyTN]

There is a plastic washer on the inside of the quick connect which is supposed to suppress excessive water pressure from the booster pump. That is the only thing you should feel on the inside of the quick connect (attached to the return threads in the wall) and it should be a smooth, round hole slightly smaller than the size of a dime. If it doesn't feel like this, then you can remove the quick connect using a pair of slip-joint pliers. Once removed, turn the booster pump back on and anything in the line should shoot out.

Low pressure/flow to the Polaris will not hurt it but will just make it operate slowly like a zombie and will not clean properly. Not a good idea to run it without the little filter screen in the quick connect. Your question is not strange, this is why people spend their time on TFP answering others' questions.

How old is your Polaris? If it is more than a few years old, it may be time to do a rebuild. The kits are approx $200 and you can do it yourself in 2-3 hours on the kitchen counter. There are videos out on the internet with step by step instructions. If your kids like building Lego sets, they might have fun doing it for you with supervision.