Pump leaks at the 2" inlet when turned off

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M

miamicuse

Well-known member
May 26, 2019
128
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I have a mystery leak at the pump.

The pump inlet, which is connected to a 2" male adapter, does NOT leak while the pump is running.

However, when the pump is switched off, a small splash of water comes out of that joint.

I assume a leak has developed, and when I say it does NOT leak, it's because it's sucking air so I can't see any water bleeding out. Yet the pump primes fine.

Should I leave it alone, or remake the joint?
 
M,

You are correct about why it does not leak water when the pump is on..

I am surprised that it primes and that you don't have a lot of air under your pump lid.

If this were my pool, I would be fixing it..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe, thanks. I took all the fittings apart and reassembled.

All is fixed EXCEPT at the discharge side outlet there is still a very slow leak where the 2" male adapter threads into the pump tank female threaded hub.

Tried all I could think of.

- pipe sealant on the male adapter, leaks
- tape on the male adapter, leaks
- pipe sealant and tape on the male adapter, almost no leak...well no leak for first five minutes then a slower leak developed

What else can I try? I heard silicone may work, but not sure how to do it. Do I just liberally apply silicone on the male adapter? Or use a combination of tape then silicone? Or use silicone on the male adapter, then tape, then silicone?


 
well, for over two months since I last assembled everything, there has been no leak.

Then my pool maintenance guy, who was holding his cell phone and talking in one hand, used his other hand to try and rotate open the pump lid to clean the basket. It's shut pretty tight and he didn't release the pressure at the filter, and it wouldn't rotate. He brute forced it with one hand, causing the entire pump to raise then shift in position. After that I had three leaks - one on the suction side inlet, one on the discharge side outlet, and one at the filter inlet.
 
JamesW said:
High-Temp Union - CMP
Click to expand...

I am curious, these high temp unions, in addition to sealing with a gasket, similar to how a garden hose compression seal instead of sealing by the friction fit of the threads, there is also a a nut on the other side where the PVC slip connection is.

s-l1600.jpg

There is even a 90 degree elbow fitting. Does it mean I can remove this fitting from the pump, by unthreading the fitting, WITHOUT having to rotate the 90 degree elbow? Is that how it works? Because right now for example the inlet into the bottom of the filter, if that leaks, I have to cut it, then rotate out the 90 elbow, and I have to cut it close, because the filter is sitting on a slab and I need to rotate the elbow out. So the only way to do it is to solvent weld a short piece of pipe to a male adapter, thread that into the filter, then solvent weld in a 90 elbow, and proceed from there. If that leaks, I have to cut it. Would these unions allow me to uncouple the fittings without the need to cut?
 
Correct, the big nut unscrews and comes apart.

Also, if you have a pump lid that unscrews and has short handles that you use to unscrew the lid, a rubber hammer makes it easier. Just tap on the handles to loosen the lid.
 
Last edited:
miamicuse said:
well, for over two months since I last assembled everything, there has been no leak.

Then my pool maintenance guy, who was holding his cell phone and talking in one hand, used his other hand to try and rotate open the pump lid to clean the basket. It's shut pretty tight and he didn't release the pressure at the filter, and it wouldn't rotate. He brute forced it with one hand, causing the entire pump to raise then shift in position. After that I had three leaks - one on the suction side inlet, one on the discharge side outlet, and one at the filter inlet.
Click to expand...

Me to pool maintenance guy, you broke it, you fix it. I don't expect a bill for it either....
 
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JamesW said:
Correct, the big nut unscrews and comes apart.

Also, if you have a pump lid that unscrews and has short handles that you use to unscrew the lid, a rubber hammer makes it easier. Just tap on the handles to loosen the lid.
Click to expand...

I didn't know about these unions. If I did, I could have used these, and not even bother with the additional unions I added along the pipe at the inlet and outlet sides of the pump so I can remove them for service if necessary.

When I looked up these high temp unions at online retailers, I see that many of them list it to be designed for "Intellipro or Whisperpro", aren't these generic fittings that works with any pump as long as the inlet size nominally match either 1.5" or 2" or is there some reason they called out the brand/series?
 

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wogster said:
Me to pool maintenance guy, you broke it, you fix it. I don't expect a bill for it either....
Click to expand...

Yes I already talked to them. Their point is the equipment shouldn't have been so "fuzzy" that a jerk to the system will cause these leaks.

The problem is the boss is knowledgeable and experienced. But the guy that comes every week is a non-Englisj speaking that completely ignorant on pool equipment. He also tend to overtighten the lid, to the point it wears the gasket under the lid.

One day he told me on the phone the pool cleaner broke. When I came home I noticed the pool cleaner was stuffed into a pretzel next to the pool pump. The hose broke into three sections, the cleaner wheels came off, the plastic parts littered the path from the side of the pool to the pump area. I don't even know what the actual break was, and what he did to further break it to the point of no return. His reply was it needs to be replaced so the rough handling wasn't a problem.

He also broke a spa air blower by leaning on it and broke the coupling which I had to fix.

When he does overtighten the lid, he tightens it to such a degree the the plastic handle to undo the lid no longer fit because of the 2" PVC outlet pipe is in the way.

I am to the point of just knowing I will need to stop paying $ to him to come to work 30 minutes but I have to go behind him to undo his damages for two hours.
 
markayash said:
What do they charge if you dont mind me asking? I am in atl and say an add “ weekly service starting at $200!!! That seems insane to me.
Click to expand...
markayash
Looking around on Google just out of curiosity, the national average appears to be about $233 per one-time cleaning. Most OPs spend between $121 and $372 for their first cleaning and $100-$150 per week after that. And yes, that does seem insane to me as well considering the techniques that a lot of these pool cleaning services use (i.e. chlorine pucks etc.).

Especially given the fact that I really do spend very little time on maintenance per week and my pool is always crystal clear and always right on the Pool Math target numbers.
Now, how much time I spend "tinkering" just for fun and experimentation on the automation and pool equipment, that's an entirely different story. :p In this case, if I were paying myself that national average, I wouldn't be able to afford myself. :party:

r...
 
JamesW said:
Probably a Tristar. In any case, if the handles are hitting the outlet pipe, the lid is probably on backwards. The lid should be labeled "Front" for the front of the lid.
Click to expand...

I am not sure what you mean by on backwards. Here is a picture of the lid and the outlet pipe to it's left.

lid.jpg


The lid you see in it's present position is hand tight with no leak. There is no need to turn it further with excessive force until the veins pop out. The pool maintenance person is a 300# guy and knows less about pools then I do (and speaks virtually no English) and he always overtightens to the line I showed in red in the picture. When the lid is overtightened to that position, then the handle to open the lid will not fit due to interference from the outlet pipe. I know there is a metal wire version of the handle that will fit.
 
markayash said:
What do they charge if you dont mind me asking? I am in atl and say an add “ weekly service starting at $200!!! That seems insane to me.
Click to expand...

I currently pay $150 a month for a weekly visit which includes chemicals, cleaning strainer basket, cleaning filter, removal of debris like leaves, seeds, fruits, coconuts from the pool. But I spend close to 2-3 hours to undo the damages he does in each 30 minute visit.

I am leaning to just do it myself and spare me the headaches.
 
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miamicuse said:
I am not sure what you mean by on backwards. Here is a picture of the lid and the outlet pipe to it's left.

lid.jpg


The lid you see in it's present position is hand tight with no leak. There is no need to turn it further with excessive force until the veins pop out. The pool maintenance person is a 300# guy and knows less about pools then I do (and speaks virtually no English) and he always overtightens to the line I showed in red in the picture. When the lid is overtightened to that position, then the handle to open the lid will not fit due to interference from the outlet pipe. I know there is a metal wire version of the handle that will fit.
Click to expand...
 
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