Hi everyone, wanted to ask about a situation I’m having. Maybe a little over a month ago my spa water level started dropping overnight to the same level as the pool. I noticed the water was not flowing back into the pool. All my plumbing is brand new as I had the pool equipment relocated, valves are new, etc. Did have a crack in the gunite spa which was fixed but even with that it did not drop before. Any ideas? I have included a pic of the system. Thank you.
Spa water level dropping overnight
- Thread starter Davoda
- Start date
Do you have a check valve in the spa return line? I can't tell from your picture
I don’t think so but here are some pics from the top
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Any ideas anyone? I also left the pump on all night to see if there was any water from the spa that would lessen overnight and there was very little just below the spa line that did, so I’m a little confused at what could be the culprit.
Ahultin
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- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
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- 17700
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- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
What mode are you in in this photo? It looks like you have a spa makeup valve but also have the jandy three way set to what I assume is 75% spa return. This would allow the spa to drain to pool level when the pump is off. In addition, the blue ball valve (which I assume is spa return) is throttled so you are making your pump work harder for presumably nothing. 
Thank you for the reply. In that pic it is in Pool mode. I have attached a pic with the labels for easier understanding. I am not really that knowledgeable in how this all works. All I know is it didn’t do it before and it’s doing it now.
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Ahultin
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- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
- Pool Size
- 17700
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- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I missed this before - so when the spa level drains , you are not noticing the pool level increase?
How long since the equipment relocation? Did it work right initially?
If you had the pool and spa returns labeled backwards it would make sense (3 way and check valve reversed)
I put a piece of tape at the pool level and yes noticed the level was the same, had not increased.
It’s been about since March. After the relocation, yes it did work. This started about a month ago.
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
- Pool Size
- 17700
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
How high is the spa raised from the pool?
You do have a check valve, directly above the three way. If it is only a few months old i cant imagine it is leaking but stranger things happen. You have another check valve that looks the same just prior to the salt cell. You could try to swap the flap on the two as a test to see if that resolves the problem
How have the Chem levels been? Salt and cya should be consistent, if they are dropping that is indicative of a leak.
The spa is actually in the pool doesn’t sit real raised. I have attached a pic. The chemicals have been ok fluctuates primarily with the chlorine. I am really baffled, as we did turn on the spa today with the heater and the water level immediately dropped. After I turned the pool pump on and the water level adjusted.
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Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
- Pool Size
- 17700
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Try to swap the check valve guts to rule the check valve out as an issue.
How many drains in your spa?
I’m
There are 4 drains, when you say swap the check valve guts should I just remove and switch sides of the of springed covers?
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
- Pool Size
- 17700
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Remove the cover and flap from the check valve between heater/swg and swap those with the cover and flap from the check valve on the spa spillover.
Keep the direction of the flap the same since you said this was previously working as is.
Got it. I will swap in the morning and report the following day to see if it helped. Will report. Thank u so much.
I had one instance where my spa would drain slowly, even when I was in pool mode. My spa sits 1-2" over my pool, so eventually I'd have a "reverse" spillway happening, where pool water would flow back into the spa.
I opened up my suction side valve case before my pump and there was a branch that was preventing the valve from closing off the spa suction completely. Probably made it in through the skimmer somehow.
I opened up my suction side valve case before my pump and there was a branch that was preventing the valve from closing off the spa suction completely. Probably made it in through the skimmer somehow.
So swapped the check valve covers and unfortunately same issue. The night before I did have the pool pump running at a low RPM and it did not happen. Thought I would try turning off the pump last night and water did decrease in the spa.
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
- Pool Size
- 17700
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
With confirmation that it's not the check valve plus the above, it sounds like it could be a valve position issue.
Are your three way valves brand new as well? Have you confirmed that both are fully closed to spa when in pool mode (off handle pointed straight at spa suction/spa return)
Do you have an autofill? Are you losing much water overall?
The 3 way valves are not new. They are compool actuators. Don’t have auto fill and I fill manually. Last I checked I lost a little over an inch in almost a week. To me that seemed more than usual but again I can be wrong. I’m in SO CAL. I figured since the spa level never dropped before and started, then there must something going on.
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,603
- Pool Size
- 17700
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Not the actuators but the valves, are they new with the new or old? If the three ways are older You may want to open them up and check the seal on the diverter.
I am in socal (north san diego county) as well and lose a bit more than that dues to evaporation ( but also have solar so the water is warmer which I beleive results in more evap)