Spa Jets / Blower

[Bauer600]

Hi All,

Quick question, our pool/spa recently got completed in July. We've noticed that when going to spa mode the jets/bubbles don't fully activate unless you turn on the blower first for say 3-5 seconds then turn it off. If If you leave the blower on then you also get the really big extra bubbles/choppy water. Almost seems like air has to be be shot out from the lines first. We have 8 spa jets. If you don't do this you don't get the continuous hard jet stream if you will and the water just ripples in the spa. Picture of pool below. Spa sits 18" high. PB keeps assuring me this is normal. But I don't think theres anything that can be done about it now.

It's not the end of the world having to turn the blower on for a few seconds, but I feel like that shouldn't be necessary either.

Any advice on this?

 

[ajw22]

Do you know what manifold was used at the spa jets to join the air and water pipes?

You have any pics of the spa plumbing before it was covered in the gunite?

That behavior is not normal. It probably has to do with the way the plumbing was done. With the plumbing all buried under a few inches of gunite there is not much you can do now.

There may be a problem with the jets inserted int he manifold and the way the jets connect to the air and water outlets in the manifold.

Are your jets removeable?

What happens if you remove the jets?

 

[Bauer600]

Do you know what manifold was used at the spa jets to join the air and water pipes?

You have any pics of the spa plumbing before it was covered in the gunite?

That behavior is not normal. It probably has to do with the way the plumbing was done. With the plumbing all buried under a few inches of gunite there is not much you can do now.

There may be a problem with the jets inserted int he manifold and the way the jets connect to the air and water outlets in the manifold.

Are your jets removeable?

What happens if you remove the jets?

I haven’t tried removing the jets. They’re screwed in there pretty good, would need a wrench to get some leverage to get them off. Here is the best picture I have.

 

[ajw22]

It looks like your builders plumber improvised the air/water manifold connection using some T's and elbows instead of using a venturi manifold designed to combine the two. The behavior you have may be "normal" for his plumbing technique but there are better ways. Lazy plumber not using the right parts and maybe saving a few pennies on the materials. Or he doesn't understand there is a better way.

versus

 

[ajw22]

You know which loop is the air or the water loop? Top or bottom?

Air should be the top loop.

If they reversed the loops in connecting at the equipment pad and water is in the upper loop the air could be blocking the initial water flow.

 

[mas985]

I believe those are venturis:



The top pipe should be air and the back pipe is the water.

You might try removing all of the nozzles and flushing the lines and see if that helps. Construction debris is often the culprit of poor performing jets.

 

[bigorangesky]

Can't comment on the jets, but how to do you like the rolled edge? Much more comfortable than square edge? I'm just building mine and thinking of switching, yours looks amazing. Thanks!