Before replace the check valve, I was wondering the best way to verify the problem or something else I might try. I know we had the check valve replaced, but that was a few years ago. The question I have is it's not everynight. And sometimes it's down 5 inches and sometimes 10. We do have a lot of tiny debris falling from trees in the area and I know some makes it through the skimmer filters. So maybe sometimes it seats well and other times not? maybe moving to failure? Anyway for me to verify the cause. I have attached pictures of my plumbing. Valve 2 appears to control water to the pool and to the spa, they set it so some water overflows from the spa into the pool whenever the pump is running and adjusting it will alter the amount of flow. Value 1 appears to control water flow from the spa drain. It closes when in spa mode but if I manually close it while running in pool mode, it will rapidly drain the spa.
Spa draining into pool intermittently
- Thread starter Gingermom
- Start date
Are your valves in normal "pool" position in the pictures? If so you have the majority of the flow going to the spa.
You also have a very destructive tab feeder that has probably damaged the check valve if tablets are used. Regardless of how they are advertised, "corrosive resistant" pool check valve aren't. When the system is off the "soup" that is in the feeder will fall back into the check valve, damaging the "flapper" seal and weakening the spring. Then it will continue to flow into and destroy your heater and it can damage the seal inside that Jandy valve.
I know, the builder offered it as a "perk" and the customer (or you) thought they were getting something really convenient because the builder must "know what he's doing." The builder is almost never on the service end of the deal and you seldom find out about the damage until the warranty is over. When that pool was built that Rainbow feeder probably cost the builder $30.00 and about $10.00 to be installed along with the rest of the plumbing. I'd give that away if it meant getting a multi-thousand dollar job. But I will never install on of those, haven't in over 30 years.
Fortunately, you can get a new internal assembly for that Jandy check valve.
After having replaced, or doing extensive repairs to, more heaters than I care to count because of those things, I won't install a heater in a system that has one unless it is removed. A check valve is worthless in that situation, it is a matter of when will it fail not if.
I mostly use liquid chlorine unless we are going out of town - although my husband is a huge fan of tablets. I am a bit confused. There is not that much water flow over the lip of the spa, so I don't think the majority of the flow is going into the spa, but are you suggesting that it be less? I know the guy who sold me the new handheld remote suggesting having more go over and adjusted it to do that. I don't remember the downside, but I know I made him put it back. I am not clear from your post which valve you think is the problem or how I check to verify which one I should replace. This did happen before and we replaced the check valve. Sorry I don't clearly understand.
Move this valve such that it closes flow to the spa and all flow to the pool. Then turn off the pump. Does the spa drain down? It should not.
You should only open this valve for short period of times to refresh the spa water as needed.
After looking more closely (can't see all the plumbing), it appears that you have a built-in spa overflow line (the pipe with the check valve near the tablet feeder) that operates all the time the pool system is in "pool" mode.
When the system goes to "spa" the actuator at the valve near that chlorinator will turn it so that the handle faces away from the feeder and all water will go to the spa.
With the actuator stopping where it is in the picture, unless there is another check valve in the pipe farthest from the feeder (again, can't see it all), water will drain from a raised spa when the pump is off. The valve needs to completely shut that line off in "pool" mode. That means someone needs to adjust the actuator. If those are Hayward-brand actuators, which they appear to be, it is a very easy process. Watch the video below.
If there is a check valve in that line, it is probable that the tablet feeder has damaged it.
If your husband really wants to use tablets, a floating chlorinator is the safest way to use them. A floating tablet feeder will allow a constant, though small, amount of chlorine to be added to the pool 24/7. That inline feeder only adds when the pump is running. And, the way it is plumbed does not appear to allow any chlorine from tablets to get into the spa. A second floater, with one tablet only, would solve that.
Thanks. The check valve is in the line coming up from the ground
There is only one check valve and it is the pipe furthest from the chlorinator. I am embarrassed to say I am not 100% clear on the water flow. I know it comes out of the heater - that jandy valve is set to send part of the water into the spa and the rest to the pool. The one that goes to the spa is the one with the check valve. There is another jandy valve that never rotates next to the chlorinator that is always pointed straight down. My assumption is water is passing both down that pipe and across to the pipe that runs under the chlorinator and both feed into the pool. Although, that would indicate only part of the water going into the pool was getting chlorinated. So, the check valve in the pipe furthest from the chlorinator is the problem, but if I close that Jandy valve so that it only feeds into the pool, that would also solve it. Does that sound correct?
Rotate the pool/spa valve to completely close the spa. It will take opening the actuator and adjusting a cam so it will turn that far. Leave the cover off for now until you're done testing Then run the pump. What happens? Does the spa continue to fill even with the spa port closed?
Turn the pump off. Then, leaving the actuator as is, I would rotate that valve just in front of the chlorinator, that I thought was a check valve (can't see the front) so that the handle points straight up, closing that vertical pipe. Turn the pump on. Does the spa stop filling/overflowing?
If so, that vertical pipe is the "make-up" line.
Without being there and watching the system, it looks like the pipe going into the ground, before the chlorinator valve, could be a spa "make up" line. Its a design so that you can completely close the spa port on the Jandy (actually Hayward) valve that feeds either pool or spa, and not worry about adjusting the actuator position. You get some fresh water to the spa and it overflows daily, as it should.
If that is the case, on a raised spa, the water should enter the spa above, or right in, the tile line so that the spa won't back-flow into the pool when the system is off after it drains down a bit. I've only seen two plumbed that way, but I'm sure there are plenty more.
There is no "standard" way to plumb a pool, each builder has their own idea and what is best. Most, but not all, will explain it to the first person who owns the pool/spa, who will have no real understanding because they don't deal with pools regularly and forget. Can't really expect one to remember a complicated system that they've never used. Or a subsequent owner is on their own to find out.
With a tablet feeder, I would still suspect damage to the check valve. I've seen those feeders damage one of those check valves in less than 6 months.
Will do some testing. I know if I switch what I labeled as valve one - which feeds from the two ground pipes up and into the filter basket before the pump. water will drain out of the bottom of the spa and not refill. Never looked to see what the skimmers were doing when I did that. When I turn it back, water will shoot out of the jets and refill the spa. That doesn't make sense to me with the far actuator set to be partially open in two directions and that valve impacting the amount of water that goes over the spa spillway - so I would think that has to be flowing into the spa. Really wished they had labeled this. Thank you for your help.
The suction pipe, that feeds the pump, has no way of stopping water from the spa draining to the pool unless it is completely shut off to the spa. The water is coming from the main-drain in the spa and nothing from the pool.
With the pump off and the suction port is open to the spa main-drain, and with a raised spa, it will do what we associate a drain to do; drain the tub.
That brings up another area that could be the issue. If I were called to your pool to address this issue, the first thing I would suggest is replacing the diverters in all the valves. I have done that a few times and it solved the problem. Based on the valve handles that can be seen in pictures, you have Hayward 3-way valves and would need diverters for that brand. Can't see the handle on the vertical pipe, but a builder usually sticks with one brand, and when that pool was built Hayward valves were much less expensive than Jandy.
On a pool that age, it is possible that the seal around the perimeter of the suction-valve diverter has failed and is allowing water to flow back to the pool through the valve itself. Have been focused on the other side of the plumbing, and not being there in person is a bit of a disadvantage.
I would at least replace the diverters in the suction and return valve. These from ATIE on Amazon work very well and at $16.00/@ are a great price. I have been using a lot of ATIE parts recently and am impressed by their quality. Also, be sure to get new O rings for the valves, any brand as they are all the same size now. DO NOT get anything labeled for a Jandy-brand, it won't fit, except O rings.
Thank you. I did not think about that last part, but yes - that is another way the spa drains so i's another possible avenue- duh! and yes, they are all Hayward! thanks for the link.