Spa jets no go?

[JohnnyG66]

I thought I'd be clever with my pool build and I added a couple of Waterway Power Storm jets to each side of my pool steps (8' "sit n step"). I plumbed it using 1.5" PVC to back of the steps, then used a waterway 4 way manifold (2 outlets capped) and 3/4" flex PVC to feed each jet. When I finally went to try them yesterday for the first time, I get almost nothing coming from the jets? If I turn off the 3 main returns, leaving only the stair jets, I can feel a slight improvement, but still next to nothing coming out of them. I connected a hose to the air inlet and it bubbles when I blow into it but otherwise, it's open to air.

Should this work, or am I just not getting something about the way spa jets work? Or maybe the flex PVC got crushed with the backfill gravel? Or ???

 

[1poolman1]

I thought I'd be clever with my pool build and I added a couple of Waterway Power Storm jets to each side of my pool steps (8' "sit n step"). I plumbed it using 1.5" PVC to back of the steps, then used a waterway 4 way manifold (2 outlets capped) and 3/4" flex PVC to feed each jet. When I finally went to try them yesterday for the first time, I get almost nothing coming from the jets? If I turn off the 3 main returns, leaving only the stair jets, I can feel a slight improvement, but still next to nothing coming out of them. I connected a hose to the air inlet and it bubbles when I blow into it but otherwise, it's open to air.

Should this work, or am I just not getting something about the way spa jets work? Or maybe the flex PVC got crushed with the backfill gravel? Or ???

Is the flex PVC for water? If so it could have been crushed. That type of pipe should not be buried, just for that reason.

 

[JohnnyG66]

Yes, for water. It’s 3/4” which, I think, would be pretty hard to crush, plus hard to imagine it got crushed equally on both sides? Regardless, I’m working to expose the manifold.

 

[JohnnyG66]

I've excavated about 5 wheelbarrows full of gravel and found no pinches. I disconnected the water at the jet and turned on the valve. There is volume, but not much pressure. If I hold it straight up, I get maybe 2" of water column (this is with the 3 primary returns open). I have a pressure gauge in the system and it reads a whopping 2-3 PSI so I guess the lack of water pressure at the jets makes sense?

I currently have the pump wired to 120V but even then, per the specs, at 3450 RPM, it should be generating at about 35 ft head at the 50 GPM I see on the FlowVis. That should be around 10 PSI but it's not near that? I do plan to run a new 240V line soon so maybe that'll do the trick? Spec shows over 50' head at 50 GPM with 230V.