First Failure ? ........

[sinom]

Any pool guru's out there got any advice ?

I've had my pool up and running for about two years now. After the initial teething troubles it's been running perfectly and kept clean by "the pool guy" three times a week.

Just this last couple of days we have what appears to be our first failure.

It's an overflow system and I noticed last night the pool level was falling slightly. Upon checking the pump room

- The pump was running (on it's timer), but did not sound normal i.e. it sounded a little "overspeed"

- Water was moving in the pump basket filter

- The pressure gauge on the sand filter was low, beneath the green "normal operating pressure"

- Water was not entering the pool!

I tried

- a backwash ; seemed to change the water flow in the filter ??

- rinse & then filter; still no water entering the pool

- Checked overflow tank level; healthy; no apparent problem

Suspected pump may have some kind of failure, and is not priming and delivering the right amount of pressure?

Further tried

- pump to waste; heard water going doen the drain i.e. pump is delivering some / partial pressure?

..................... then gave up and went for a cold one!

I talked to the "pool guy" this morning; bearing in mind he is only a pool cleaner and he said he wasn't getting any pressure on the vacuum hose yesterday either.

So ............. I probably need to contact a pool maintenance shop. Any suggestions as to what might have failed and any suggestion which shop to use, without paying an arm and a leg

cheers

[jaideeguy]

Maybe a stupid suggestion, but are your valves set correctly? or maybe a fault with your multiport valve??

And you might want to state your location if you want a referal......

[Chang_paarp]

Try this; put the rotary valve in the filter to recirc(ulate) if the level in the pump basket returns to normal you probably have a blockage in the filter or return pipe. If it does not return to normal you have a problem on the suction end of things.

Check all the baskets are empty (including the pump) of leaves and gunk.

Make sure the lid on the pump seals, make sure you do not over tighten it, this just makes it hard to remove or breaks something. A light grease with a silicon lubricant will help the seal.

Check there is nothing blocking the pump impellor. Turnoff pump, remove basket and feel through the hole behind the basket to the impellor, it should not be full of leaves and gunk, it also should not wobble around. If the motor is turned manually you would feel the thing turn. These are pump problems.

Is there water under the pump? If everything is normal there should not be water under the pump, unless you have spashed some water around. This indicates there is a leak in the pump housing (or the pipes near by).

If that is all fine, you may have something in the suction pipe.

[sinom]

Maybe a stupid suggestion, but are your valves set correctly? or maybe a fault with your multiport valve??

And you might want to state your location if you want a referal......

Checked, double checked, waggled all the valves - all appear OK

Considering possible fault on multiport seal!

Location......... whoops .............. Pattaya -Naklua

Try this; put the rotary valve in the filter to recirc(ulate) if the level in the pump basket returns to normal you probably have a blockage in the filter or return pipe. If it does not return to normal you have a problem on the suction end of things.

Never used the re-circ port. Can try this later

Check all the baskets are empty (including the pump) of leaves and gunk.

Done ! All Clear !

Make sure the lid on the pump seals, make sure you do not over tighten it, this just makes it hard to remove or breaks something. A light grease with a silicon lubricant will help the seal.

Good point - will have to check and probably add grease.

Check there is nothing blocking the pump impellor. Turnoff pump, remove basket and feel through the hole behind the basket to the impellor, it should not be full of leaves and gunk, it also should not wobble around. If the motor is turned manually you would feel the thing turn. These are pump problems.

Another good point. Will check

Is there water under the pump? If everything is normal there should not be water under the pump, unless you have spashed some water around. This indicates there is a leak in the pump housing (or the pipes near by).

No sign of leaks from pump/multiport/pipe joints or anywhere else.

If that is all fine, you may have something in the suction pipe.

Suspect this to be the likely culprit. I get too many air bubble in the pool inlet and only about 0.2 barg on the filter. Suspect suction has blocked and pump is sucking in a small quantity of air from basket filter seal.

I'm at work at the moment but there is another pool guy suppose to be coming at 9.00am. Will post again if I get a result

thanks for the input so far

[Chaichara]

What was the final outcome of this pump story?

What brand of pump was it?

Is it a make one should avoid?