pump and gauge

[Texas Splash]

Pamela, the other profile has no picture, so we'll see if we can just make that one go away. The O-ring under the clear cover - yes. That one. It should always have some silicone on it or air will get sucked-up under that lid. I'll let Dave (Bama) answer those other questions.

 

[Pamelalocke]

Looks like port 3 on that valve goes to a wall suction. The good news is that if your skimmer is sicking air into it, you can set the valve to draw water totally from port 3, which is under the water a good ways and that will stop the air getting in the pump strainer basket, provided the lid isn't leaking on it.

Hello @Bama Rambler , I'm not certain what you are referring to when you say port 3? Please excuse my ignorance. I'm going to silicone the o ring. It is looking like I have a leak somewhere. I will try tomorrow(today) to find the leak. I have a suspicion that there is a small leak in the structure of the pool. (where a piece of steel was put on the inside and outside of the pool wall to inhibit rust that had started around the skimmer. Would that cause the problem with the pump? Can I wait until the end of the season to address it? (when I will suction out some of the water and the liner can be pulled back?)
I truly appreciate your help. Pamela

 

[Bama Rambler]

Port 3 is the port on the side of the valve. Port 1 is the top port and port 2 is the bottom.

 

[Pamelalocke]

Hello @Bama Rambler , I'm not certain what you are referring to when you say port 3? Please excuse my ignorance. I'm going to silicone the o ring. It is looking like I have a leak somewhere. I will try tomorrow(today) to find the leak. I have a suspicion that there is a small leak in the structure of the pool. (where a piece of steel was put on the inside and outside of the pool wall to inhibit rust that had started around the skimmer. Would that cause the problem with the pump? Can I wait until the end of the season to address it? (when I will suction out some of the water and the liner can be pulled back?)
I truly appreciate your help. Pamela

ok. ill check again but I thought port 3 is for the center drain? Also I opened the pump to get at the oring. The water came gushing out, is that normal? I closed the lid without applying the silicone and now the water is up to the top?

 

[Chasarms]

ok. ill check again but I thought port 3 is for the center drain? Also I opened the pump to get at the oring. The water came gushing out, is that normal? I closed the lid without applying the silicone and now the water is up to the top?

Yes, that is normal. If you have to open it in the future, set the valve on the bottom of the skimmer to the "off" position before you open up the pump to prevent water from flowing out, but make sure you turn it back on before starting the pump.

What you have done is primed the pump, which is necessary. If you remove that pump lid again for any reason, after re-opening the valve below the skimmer, very slowly open that lid on the pump until water begins to weep out. Let it weep out until the water has filled the basket and forced all the air out.

Also, just to be clear, we are talking about silicone lubricant, NOT silicone adhesive or sealant.

 

[Chasarms]

That black hose going into the side of the valve is going to the pump, correct?

Port one is the skimmer, so in that position, the pump will draw water to through the skimmer, push it through the filter and return it to the pool. I can't tell from the photo of the white, corrugated hose running into the pool wall where it runs to. Does that hose come from the filter? If so, that is where the water returns to the pool.

So, the other hose that is exiting the bottom of the pool must be to the drain on the pool floor. Typically, you will want to leave the valve on "full" in the Port 1 (skimmer) position. However, you can switch to the other position, which allows the pump to draw water from the drain, and brush that dead algae and other stuff into the drain to be filtered out. Just be careful, there's a lot of it, and may clog the filter up fairly quickly. Watch your pump pressure.

The pump should always be off when you change positions on that valve.

Now that you have primed the pump, you may want to fire it up to see if you get flow through the return and pressure at the filter.

Also, have you confirmed that there is sand in the filter?

 

[Pamelalocke]

That black hose going into the side of the valve is going to the pump, correct?

Port one is the skimmer, so in that position, the pump will draw water to through the skimmer, push it through the filter and return it to the pool. I can't tell from the photo of the white, corrugated hose running into the pool wall where it runs to. Does that hose come from the filter? If so, that is where the water returns to the pool.

So, the other hose that is exiting the bottom of the pool must be to the drain on the pool floor. Typically, you will want to leave the valve on "full" in the Port 1 (skimmer) position. However, you can switch to the other position, which allows the pump to draw water from the drain, and brush that dead algae and other stuff into the drain to be filtered out. Just be careful, there's a lot of it, and may clog the filter up fairly quickly. Watch your pump pressure.

The pump should always be off when you change positions on that valve.

Now that you have primed the pump, you may want to fire it up to see if you get flow through the return and pressure at the filter.

Also, have you confirmed that there is sand in the filter?

Thanks so much for your response. I did not realize I need lubricate, so glad you cleared that up. Yes it is a sand filter. Yes the black hose goes into the pump, and yes the corrugated hose running from the pool goes to the filter. My new gauge still does not register anything much. Do you recommend using the bottom drain on occasion?

Thanks again. Pamela