Recommended Spa RPM

[ifunlisted]

I have two Pentair pumps on my combo pool/raised spa. One pump is a VS and runs various features (pool, spa, cleaner, etc). The other pump is a single speed, designated solely for the spa jets. My question is, since the SS pump is taking care of the jets, can I get by with lower rpm on the VSP when running the spa?

To complicate things a little, I also run into an issue where the water level in the spa drops slowly when running the spa and jets at the same time...after 45-60min the waterline is down to the level of the jets. I'm thinking maybe this might happen because the spa rpm is too low. For example; the jets are blowing in a lot of air but the SSP is also sucking out a lot of water (through the side drain in the spa), and the VSP is not pumping enough water back in to keep up. Would raising the spa VSP rpm resolve that?

 

[mas985]

Do you mean for just the circulation and heating of the spa? Yes, lower speeds are fine.

The only reason water would be removed from the spa, is because it is either leaking back into the pool or leaking into the area around the pool/spa (i.e. broken pipe). In other words, a drop in water level means the water must be going some place else.

Does the spa level drop when the pumps are shut off but the valves are still in the same position? The problem could be a misalignment in one of the valves so it doesn't completely shut off the pool returns.

 

[ifunlisted]

Do you mean for just the circulation and heating of the spa? Yes, lower speeds are fine.

The only reason water would be removed from the spa, is because it is either leaking back into the pool or leaking into the area around the pool/spa (i.e. broken pipe). In other words, a drop in water level means the water must be going some place else.

Does the spa level drop when the pumps are shut off but the valves are still in the same position? The problem could be a misalignment in one of the valves so it doesn't completely shut off the pool returns.

Yep, mainly just for circulation & heating. The spa water level doesn't drop when the pumps are off. The only time I've noticed it is when the spa and jets are running at the same time... that's why I thought maybe there is more suction from the 3450rpm SS jet pump than there is inflow from the VS spa pump running the spa.

 

[mas985]

It doesn't matter if one pump flow rate is more than another. What does mater is where the water comes from and where it goes too. If the suction is from the spa and it returns to the spa, then the water level does not change. However, if the water is drawn from the spa but some of it returns to the pool, then the spa level will drop. So valves are usually the culprit.

Are you running the VS in pool mode while running the spa jets or is the VS running in spa mode?

 

[ifunlisted]

It doesn't matter if one pump flow rate is more than another. What does mater is where the water comes from and where it goes too. If the suction is from the spa and it returns to the spa, then the water level does not change. However, if the water is drawn from the spa but some of it returns to the pool, then the spa level will drop. So valves are usually the culprit.

Are you running the VS in pool mode while running the spa jets or is the VS running in spa mode?

Anytime the spa is used (and the jets are on), i have the VS running in spa mode.

 

[mas985]

Ok, then water is probably leaking through a return valve back into the pool.

How old is the pool?

How long has this been happening?

Post a picture of the pad plumbing with the valves in spa mode.