Repairing frozen pool

[spthomas]

Like many others, when our power went out lat week the pool froze hard (I couldn't break the ice with a broom handle, it looked about 2 inches thick). It did it quickly in the middle of the night at -2 degrees, so by the time I found it was out and checked the pump, the lid was pushed off and was sitting on about 4" of snow coming up out of the pump.

Today, as we're finally thawed, I checked the pool. I have three things that appear so far to be damaged:
1. A jandy valve is cracked and spews water when I tried to prime the pump.
2. My salt cell is cracked and spews water when I tried to prime the pump
3. The pump won't take prime. I can hear it sucking, and tried pre-priming it with several 5 gal buckets of water, but it still won't prime. I have a suspicion that the pump housing is not sealing to the lid gasket. When the ice pushed the lid off the housing, it broke off a piece of the seating surface, where the gasket meets the pump housing. I'll attach a picture.

My two main questions are:
1. Does this broken housing appear to be bad enough to keep it from priming? I can't tell for sure if it's sucking air or not. And if so, is there a way to repair it or do I need a new housing (or new pump)?
2. The cracked Jandy valve and cracked salt cell. Is there any good way to glue or seal those cracks? Of do I just need to replace them?

Pictures are attached. Thanks

Steve

 

[mknauss]

All of the damaged items will need to be replaced. You cannot repair any cracked valves or broken pump volutes.

Now may be the time to upgrade to a VS pump.

 

[spthomas]

Ok, so I guess I have to buy at least the part. I have two more questions:
1. I know the pump motor works, and what little pumping action I've been able to create (with the rim of the pump basket broken, I can't get it to pull vacuum, but when I continuously pour water in with a bucket it seems to try to pump it around) makes me think the pump is ok. So do I need a new pump, or can I just move the pump to a new volute?

2. If I need a pump what's the advantage to a VS pump?

 

[mknauss]

You may be OK with just a volute.
A VS pump will reduce electricity use by up to 90%. Also, as of July 19, 2021, you will have to replace your pool pump motor with a VS due to a federal regulation. So up to you to make that jump now, or wait.

 

[spthomas]

Ok, Now for the other repair items. I have several pieces of PVC and one Jandy valve that cracked. I'll attach pictures, but basically the PVC that's cracked (highlighted in PVC cleaner purple) is right up against the backflow valve of my chlorinator, and right up against another Jandy valve. Do I have to replace both these valves, because the cracked fittings are right up against the valves, so no section of pipe to glue to.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Jandy valves are made to accept two pipe sizes. One size is slip fit inside and the other is an outside slip with a coupler. See the pic below for the Jandy 4717 valve for 2" or 2.5" applications.

Magic Mend makes a coupler designed to slip inside of PVC pipe.

It sounds like you'll be able to figure out a fix with this knowledge.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I forgot the link for the inside slip connector.

Magic Plastics MagicMend Schedule 40 2 in. IPS in. X 2 in. D IPS PVC Insider Connector 1 pk - Ace Hardware

Why use an additional fitting when you can use a MagicMend Insider Connector? The MagicMend Insider Connector will join two pieces of PVC Schedule 40 pipe together. Should a pipe be cut off flush with concrete or buried underground, a MagicMend will easily solve the problem.Find the INSIDER...

www.acehardware.com

 

[spthomas]

Yes, that is exactly what I needed to know. I didn't know about this or the feature of Jandy valves where you can go inside or outside. Now I get it.
Thanks so much!

 

[spthomas]

You may be OK with just a volute.
A VS pump will reduce electricity use by up to 90%. Also, as of July 19, 2021, you will have to replace your pool pump motor with a VS due to a federal regulation. So up to you to make that jump now, or wait.

Thanks Marty. Great information!

 

[spthomas]

Ok, I've been trying to get the pump to limp along to get the pool moving water (it's bright green now) while waiting for an adjuster. So, the pump will come on, and it sucks water. If I fill it manually with a 5 gal bucket of water it moves through the filter and out of the cracked pipes. But when I assemble the lid and turn it on, while it will move a little water, not much and it never picks up prime. The only visible damage is a chip out of the lid mating surface of the volute. I glued the piece back in, and visually it looks intact, but again, little water moving and no swirl and filling of the pump basket when it picks up prime. So does that sound like a vacuum leak?
I'm hoping to get by a few days and start cleaning the pool while waiting for everything else to play out, but so far that's not happening.

 

[spthomas]

One more question. If, as it looks, I need to buy a pump, what pump? I have a 1-1/2hp Pentair Superflow, and it looks like the Pentair Intelliflow has the same connection footprint so easy to install. But I haven't researched pumps much (This sort of all happend pretty fast!).

Thanks again for all the help. You guys rock!

 

[mknauss]

It still sounds like you have a leak on the suction side. I assume you are properly installing the large oring for the pump basket lid.

I do believe the Intelliflo will fit into the same footprint as the Superflo. The new Supermax VS (same as the old Superflo but can now be connected to an automation system) will work too.

 

[spthomas]

I super lubed the o ring, and even wrapped the opening in plastic wrap, and still it won't prime. There must be a leak somewhere I didn't patch.

 

[mknauss]

There must be a leak somewhere I didn't patch.

It is on the suction side. Keep looking.

 

[spthomas]

How does a variable speed pump work? What makes it vary? If I switch out my SuperFlow single speed pump for a variable speed SuperFlow pump, does it require more complicated hookup and wiring? And what would cause it to vary? I don't have much bather load ever, I don't have water features, I don't know of anything the pump does but turn on for about 12 hours a day in summer (and about 8 in winter) and filter water. So I can't see how a variable speed pump would vary.

 

[mknauss]

A variable speed pump varies the rpm and thus the electrical use. Your pump uses at least 1500 watts/hour. A VS pump would use about 200 watts/hour to achieve the same results as far as skimming and filtering.

Starting in July 2021, when your current 1 1/2hp motor fails, you will have to replace it with a VS motor. Federal regulation.

 

[spthomas]

Good news! The pump works! I had a small crack in the inlet plumbing. I patched it temporarily and the pp comes up to prime swirls around beautifully, and causes water to spray out of many outlet side leaks. But the pump survived, the rest should be easily and relatively cheaply fixed. Thanks for the advice all, it kept me working and saved me from buying a new pump right now.