returns not flowing no longer an issue

[mrsfluff]

the problem has been solved...thanks for the help

 

[ajw22]

What model heater do you have?

What model pump do you have?

What model filter do you have?

Please create your signature with details of your pool and equipment.

And no reason to shout all CAPS in your subject line.

 

[mrsfluff]

What model heater do you have?

What model pump do you have?

What model filter do you have?

Please create your signature with details of your pool and equipment.

And no reason to shout all CAPS in your subject line.

Raypak RP2100 heater; Pentair WhisperFlo pump; Waterway Crystal Water/Aqua Clean D.E. filter
I will add that info as soon as I get a chance. I am swamped right now, failing fridge and a whole bunch of other fun stuff going on.
I wasn't "shouting"...it's a headline hence it's in caps.

 

[Dirk]

Maybe other valves?

That would have been my guess.

You'll want to post some pictures of your equipment pad, especially the valve manifolds. It'd be hard to answer your question without better understanding your plumbing. We'll need to know how many returns you have, too.

Sometimes there is only one return pipe going into the ground, with or without a valve controlling it, and then the other return pipes all branch off underground. Other times there are two or more valves controlling the returns, and those pipes sometimes also branch underground. Other times, every return is "home run" back to the pad and each has its own controlling valve. So that's the first thing to determine.

If you're getting circulation (and heat), and generally everything else seems to be working, that indicates at least one or more of your returns are working. If you feel that some are not, that indicates to me you have branches underground, or more than one valve controlling your returns. A pic would answer most of that. Return lines generally do not get clogged, because they are after the filter. But they can break, but that would reveal itself by other symptoms (like soggy dirty or puddles near the pool, but not always).

It's probably a valve, let's start there.

Can't help with the fridge! Except to say, as long as you have some sort of backup to keep your beers cold, the rest of your challenges will sort themselves out.

When you come up for air, you can work on your signature. We use it to remind ourselves of what your equipment is, without having to hunt backwards through your thread to piece the list together. Something like mine is especially helpful. Use this link: https://www.troublefreepool.com/account/signature

 

[mrsfluff]

What model heater do you have?

What model pump do you have?

What model filter do you have?

Please create your signature with details of your pool and equipment.

And no reason to shout all CAPS in your subject line.

Problem has been solved. Thank you.

 

[mrsfluff]

That would have been my guess.

You'll want to post some pictures of your equipment pad, especially the valve manifolds. It'd be hard to answer your question without better understanding your plumbing. We'll need to know how many returns you have, too.

Sometimes there is only one return pipe going into the ground, with or without a valve controlling it, and then the other return pipes all branch off underground. Other times there are two or more valves controlling the returns, and those pipes sometimes also branch underground. Other times, every return is "home run" back to the pad and each has its own controlling valve. So that's the first thing to determine.

If you're getting circulation (and heat), and generally everything else seems to be working, that indicates at least one or more of your returns are working. If you feel that some are not, that indicates to me you have branches underground, or more than one valve controlling your returns. A pic would answer most of that. Return lines generally do not get clogged, because they are after the filter. But they can break, but that would reveal itself by other symptoms (like soggy dirty or puddles near the pool, but not always).

It's probably a valve, let's start there.

Can't help with the fridge! Except to say, as long as you have some sort of backup to keep your beers cold, the rest of your challenges will sort themselves out.

When you come up for air, you can work on your signature. We use it to remind ourselves of what your equipment is, without having to hunt backwards through your thread to piece the list together. Something like mine is especially helpful. Use this link: https://www.troublefreepool.com/account/signature

Thank you, Dirk. Our suspicions were correct. Turns out, I'm a big dummy. I said it was going to be something stupid, right in front of my eyes. And I'm so glad about that. Better to be a dummy and have an oops than have to pay for costly repairs. Amen.

Will be polishing up my bio. I guess I should have done that long ago. Yes, I did have to go back to my files to retrieve all the info. BUT...it's all right there in one nice neat folder.

 

[Mdragger88]

What exactly occurred?
I need closure lol

P.S.
I believe Ajw22 was just poking at you about the CAPS

 

[mrsfluff]

What exactly occurred?
I need closure lol

P.S.
I believe Ajw22 was just poking at you about the CAPS

It's all good. I was poking back.

So...what happened was I closed the return valve when closing the pool in the fall. I have NEVER closed it before. It's a valve I don't touch because I don't need to. Why I did that? It's anyone's guess. I admit I get distracted every other minute, do 35 things at a time daily. So who knows. Law of averages, I suppose. This drove me NUTS. When I went outside this AM to take pics of the equipment, I saw that valve was closed because my focus was now broader, ie, what is it that I WASN'T looking at yesterday. I was SOOOO relieved. In the end, I'd rather be proven a scatter brain than fork over a boatload of cash for repairs.

 

[mknauss]

The water had to be getting back to the pool somehow. Or you have a bigger problem that your heater would run without water flow. Very dangerous.

 

[Dirk]

Do you have more than one valve on your return manifold? Was one or more open, and one closed? Something like that? Or do you have a three-way valve that was maybe just in the wrong position, and not actually closed?

We love to help folks find their solutions, but as @Mdragger88 reveals, we like knowing what it was even more!

And from a practical standpoint, we like to make sure that the solution found was actually a good solution.

 

[Dirk]

Nice looking siggie! Thank you. Missing? We like to see what test kit(s) you have in your sig.

 

[mrsfluff]

The water had to be getting back to the pool somehow. Or you have a bigger problem that your heater would run without water flow. Very dangerous.

I could hear the water running thru the heater. The pool heater was on the day before I realized the return situation. 12 hours. Got about 1 degree an hour. As per usual. The pool had been open since mid May. Was clean as a whistle. Believe me, I was perplexed beyond. Still am. Could it have been coming up from the main drain? This is surely not my forte.

 

[mrsfluff]

Nice looking siggie! Thank you. Missing? We like to see what test kit(s) you have in your sig.

Test kits? I know the lectures will pour in, but I don't do test kits unless I have an issue. So please, no lectures, peeps! My water is always spectacular. Only once in 19 years did I have an issue a few years back. Dastardly nitrates. Took a while to get under control. I still have all the stuff I bought back then that was recommended here. I know what caused it. A lot of green stuff in May around my property (I live backed up to state woods), and I wasn't running the filter enough because we don't use the pool a lot at that time unless we get a hot May. I learned my lesson. Now? I open mid May instead of late April/early May and run the filter longer. Frankly, I am juggling 10 things at once all day every day. Testing water is not on my itinerary. Plus, I live by the adage: "If it's not broken...don't try to fix it."

 

[grunky_peep]

You're going to run into some expensive repairs eventually if you aren't testing... Yowzers.

 

[mrsfluff]

You're going to run into some expensive repairs eventually if you aren't testing... Yowzers.

It's been 19 years...never a problem. I do not have time to mess with water chemistry. I have a huge property to maintain, a home to maintain, and EVERYTHING that goes with it and beyond. I'm a one person show. I don't stop. I have to choose what needs my attention most.

 

[Dirk]

Regarding the OP's mystery plumbing...

In a PM she and I are having regarding some other matter, we figured out her plumbing. She has a return manifold consisting of two pipes leading into the ground, balanced by a three-way valve. She never had closed off all return flow to her pool, only to one half of her returns. That's why everything else was working fine. She's all good now.

 

[mrsfluff]

Regarding the OP's mystery plumbing...

In a PM she and I are having regarding some other matter, we figured out her plumbing. She has a return manifold consisting of two pipes leading into the ground, balanced by a three-way valve. She never had closed off all return flow to her pool, only to one half of her returns. That's why everything else was working fine. She's all good now.

Thank you, Dirk! I got caught up in legal "stuff"...been on the hamster wheel since the pool debacle. I wouldn't ghost y'all...

 

[duraleigh]

P.S.
I believe Ajw22 was just poking at you about the CAPS

Actually, not. ALL CAPS are for emphasis or drama but not intended for everyday text. Most forums could not care less but it does look like shouting and really should not be used on this (or any other) forum.

 

[mrsfluff]

Actually, not. ALL CAPS are for emphasis or drama but not intended for everyday text. Most forums could not care less but it does look like shouting and really should not be used on this (or any other) forum.

I guess we can agree to disagree. It was a headline...hardly shouting, def not dramatic for drama sake. Had I posted entirely in caps? I suppose you'd have a point. I've had folks tell me that they can't see very well which is why they use caps...ok, who am I to say

 

[duraleigh]

Well, not really again........This is from Forum Rules.

8. Please follow the conventions of writing when creating your posts by using punctuation as needed, breaking up long blocks of text into paragraphs, and using proper capitalization. Please proof read and spell check your message before posting it to the forum. Do not type in all caps or all lower case as this makes your post more difficult to read.

I don't want to keep hi-jacking this thread but there are conventions and guidelines that we all follow on this forum to make it a great place to visit and learn