Spa draining into pool

[soranen]

Hello, I have an apparently common problem but 2 pool companies cannot fix the problem and a "certified" tech cannot be scheduled until Sept 4. When the main pool pump is off, the spa water drains quickly to just below the spa jets. I have a infloor system but no floor jets in the spa and the infloor system does not work. The check valve was recently replaced. There are a ton of Jandy valves (auto and manual). I live in TX and the pool was pre-purchase inspected twice; pre and post winter freeze. The daily pump schedule was modified from the last inspection to our move in; the pump now never turns off as the spa will drain. Previously, it was scheduled to run for 13 hours but I suspect this issue arose during the month lease back and the old owners didn't solve it except to run the pump 24/7. None of the pipes/valves are labeled for direction or use. thx, Scott

 

[ajw22]

Does your spillover run when in POOL mode?

Show us larger pictures of the return pipes below when in POOL mode and SPA mode...

 

[soranen]

Thank you. I’ll send pics tomorrow during daylight. I am not familiar with pool mode and dont show that setting on my control panel or app. The only mode is spa mode. The spillover works in spa mode on or off. It drains when pump is off.

 

[ajw22]

You are in POOL mode whenever you are not in SPA mode.

You have a Jandy Aqualink?

 

[soranen]

Yes

 

[soranen]

 

[soranen]

There is a small leak between the 2 valves on that middle pvc run.

 

[soranen]

 

[soranen]

First pic is pool mode and 2nd is spa mode

 

[ajw22]

First pic is pool mode and 2nd is spa mode

I don’t see a difference in position with either of the two actuators between the two pics.

What do the two actuators do?

 

[jark87]

I had the same issue a few years back and it was the check valve. Interesting that yours was recently replaced and the problem still exists.

 

[soranen]

I don’t know what the actuators do. They do not move in spa or pool mode. I suspect they shouldn't move since turning mode from spa or pool does not activate a valve; Spa mode appears to just turn on the gas heater?

 

[ajw22]

I don’t know what the actuators do. They do not move in spa or pool mode. I suspect they shouldn't move since turning mode from spa or pool does not activate a valve; Spa mode appears to just turn on the gas heater?

Spa mode should turn two actuators to divert all suction from the spa and return all water to the spa. Actuators on your pump suction line and return line should turn. This concentrates the heater to only heat the spa volume of water. It sounds like you are heating your pool and spa at the same time.

Does your spillover stop in SPA mode? It should stop.

 

[soranen]

yes. The spillover stops. Here are the app screens.

 

[soranen]

app

 

[ajw22]

yes. The spillover stops. Here are the app screens.

The app screens don’t show anything.

Watch what valves turn when you switch between pool and spa. You have to understand your valves to un how your pool operates and maintain it.

I see four valves that have actuators on them and are controlled by your Aqualink.

 

[superuser]

Looking at your small full equipment pad photo in the first post, and confirming in the closeups, the whole middle stack of plumbing should not be flowing any water. The automated valve is closed in all photos, and thus is sending 100% of the flow to the single right hand return line.

At this point your best approach would be to understand how your valves work, and then identify which lines go where. The manual valves you can operate by the handle, and the automated valves you can operate by flipping the little three position microswitch on the back of the housing. Make note of the switch positions before you start. Middle is 'off', and moving the switch to either side will rotate the valve in that direction until it hits it's internal stop position (which is adjustable by taking it apart, but don't worry about that right now). Do one valve at a time, noting where the water flows. Just make sure you always leave one return line flowing water, you don't want to block all of the flow and risk damaging the equipment. Open a second line before closing the first. The valve works as a "blocker", with the "off" marker on the handle indicating where flow will be stopped. So if the "off" part of the handle is up, no water flows to the up pipe.

Once you've identified the plumbing you can rationalize whether the automation is controlling them properly, whether the automated valve switch positions are correct, and whether or not your one-way check valves are working properly.

 

[soranen]

Yes. The left 2 are used with the sconce and sconce pump. The middle actuator tagged "cleaner" activates on the clean mode. The right actuator does not appear to turn on any setting.

 

[soranen]

cleaner

 

[soranen]

thank you