Why do I get air bubbles in my filter only when spa mode is on?

[Hachu]

Hello,

I've been getting air bubbles in my filter pump when I turn on Spa Mode and also PSI goes up about 8psi compared to pool mode.. When I run on Pool Mode, there is no air bubbles at all. This started happening right after the TX freeze. The only thing I had to replace after the freeze was the Polaris booster pump. What do you think causes this? Thank you.

 

[HermanTX]

I've been getting air bubbles in my filter pump when I turn on Spa Mode and also PSI goes up about 8psi compared to pool mode..

Normally your filter pressure will increase when in SPA mode due to backpressure of your spa jets. When in pool mode you are pumping through 1.5" pipe to the pool and through the fairly large eye return. When in SPA mode, you have small diameter jets that create back pressure on the system. These jets are normally set back about 4-6 inches from the eye return in the SPA.
Also, if you run your bubbler, then that is aerating the water, thus you get some air bubbles back to the pump via suction.

 

[ajw22]

What speed are you running your pump in spa mode?

TX freeze could have slightly opened up a joint causing a suction side air leak.

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Hachu]

What speed are you running your pump in spa mode?

TX freeze could have slightly opened up a joint causing a suction side air leak.

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

I had the filter pump set at 2800 and Spa speed at 2900.

Thank you for the link. I'll check it out. I don't see any air bubbles coming out of return lines though. However, I do see air bubbles in the spa if I turned on the air bubbles and then turn it off, I see air bubbles after that where the warm water goes to the spa (is that the spa return lines?)

 

[Hachu]

Normally your filter pressure will increase when in SPA mode due to backpressure of your spa jets. When in pool mode you are pumping through 1.5" pipe to the pool and through the fairly large eye return. When in SPA mode, you have small diameter jets that create back pressure on the system. These jets are normally set back about 4-6 inches from the eye return in the SPA.
Also, if you run your bubbler, then that is aerating the water, thus you get some air bubbles back to the pump via suction.

Hmm..I didn't manually turn off the bubbler when I switched from Poool Mode to Spa Mode. I will turn the bubbler to off position next time I run Spa mode and see if that works. Thank you.