Hi folks,
I've been trying to find the source of a suction-side leak for the past week. I've had a pool for about 10 months now -- we bought a home with a pool -- and am still learning. You all were great helping me maintain proper water balance and I';m hoping you can help me out with this.
Some background: My pump is new, installed in May, and cleaner is a couple months old.
The situation: I noticed about two weeks ago that my cleaner wasn't moving when it was supposed to. The pump was running, but it wasn't generating enough suction for the cleaner to move around the bottom of the pool. It would run for two or three minutes after the pump turned on, then not move. There were a bunch of air bubbles in the pump basket; more than I remembered seeing in the summer.
Here's what I did:
1. Checked the impeller; it's clear.
2. Lubed o-ring on pump cover after emptying pump basket of minimal debris.
3. Cleaned cartridge filter.
At that point, the issue persisted, so I called a pool guy. First guy came out and lubed o-rings on jandy valves and slopped some glue on the valves. It seemed to work as the cleaner was humming, but it stopped after about 15 minutes, despite the pump still running. A second guy came and here's what he did:
1. Replaced caps and o-rings on two jandy valves that lead to pump.
2. Replace gauge on top of filter (He said it had a small leak. Don't know if that's true or not, but I was going to replace it anyway because the Phoenix sun had faded the plastic and I could barely read it anymore.)
When he finished, the cleaner was moving great and there were almost no air bubbles in the pump basket. I really thought he had figured it out. But about 15 minutes after turning on the cleaner, the cleaner stalled. I checked the cleaner for debris -- it was clear. I turned the pump off, waited a minute, turned it on again and the cleaner started right up and moved. Until it stopped. About 15 minutes later. And there were a bit more air bubbles in the pump basket now.
I called the pool guy and he suggested I check the leaf canister or cleaner hose for any cracks that could be the source of the air leak. He told me to remove the hose from the port and see if bubbles still appear in the pump basket. I'll try this when I get home tonight. Are there any other suggestions? Should I have the entire jandy valve replaced and not just the cap?
I've been trying to find the source of a suction-side leak for the past week. I've had a pool for about 10 months now -- we bought a home with a pool -- and am still learning. You all were great helping me maintain proper water balance and I';m hoping you can help me out with this.
Some background: My pump is new, installed in May, and cleaner is a couple months old.
The situation: I noticed about two weeks ago that my cleaner wasn't moving when it was supposed to. The pump was running, but it wasn't generating enough suction for the cleaner to move around the bottom of the pool. It would run for two or three minutes after the pump turned on, then not move. There were a bunch of air bubbles in the pump basket; more than I remembered seeing in the summer.
Here's what I did:
1. Checked the impeller; it's clear.
2. Lubed o-ring on pump cover after emptying pump basket of minimal debris.
3. Cleaned cartridge filter.
At that point, the issue persisted, so I called a pool guy. First guy came out and lubed o-rings on jandy valves and slopped some glue on the valves. It seemed to work as the cleaner was humming, but it stopped after about 15 minutes, despite the pump still running. A second guy came and here's what he did:
1. Replaced caps and o-rings on two jandy valves that lead to pump.
2. Replace gauge on top of filter (He said it had a small leak. Don't know if that's true or not, but I was going to replace it anyway because the Phoenix sun had faded the plastic and I could barely read it anymore.)
When he finished, the cleaner was moving great and there were almost no air bubbles in the pump basket. I really thought he had figured it out. But about 15 minutes after turning on the cleaner, the cleaner stalled. I checked the cleaner for debris -- it was clear. I turned the pump off, waited a minute, turned it on again and the cleaner started right up and moved. Until it stopped. About 15 minutes later. And there were a bit more air bubbles in the pump basket now.
I called the pool guy and he suggested I check the leaf canister or cleaner hose for any cracks that could be the source of the air leak. He told me to remove the hose from the port and see if bubbles still appear in the pump basket. I'll try this when I get home tonight. Are there any other suggestions? Should I have the entire jandy valve replaced and not just the cap?