Pump surging constantly

[Mandela]

A couple of days ago I noticed one of the returns was blowing a lot of bubbles. I walked over to the pumped and it is surging to the point of vibration. I can see the water coming through at far too high a rate.
The return in the spa is also too powerful, to the point the overflow is splashing.

I did install a new salt cell a few weeks back but the issue only started a few days ago.

After some reading I've determined air is getting into the pump somehow. I let the air out of the pump, it hissed for a much shorter time than usual which was wierd, then I let it run until water came out to create the vacuum. Still had the issue.
I checked for leaks and there was a small drip from the salt cell manifold so I got new o-rings, lubed them and put them in. There doesn't seem to be any other leaks now. If there is a leak it's too small to find so I'm not sure it's big enough to cause this surge.

It's still surging away and I'm really not sure of next steps. Any ideas?

 

[mknauss]

The most likely spot for air getting into the system is at the pump basket cover. Check the oring and be sure it is clean and well lubed.

Also check your weir door. Be sure it is freely opening and that there is sufficient water in the skimmer. Check the water level of your pool.

 

[Mandela]

Thanks, Mknauss.

I will check the pump basket cover next, when I get home. I've never touched that so I'd be surprised if an issue escalated so quickly from there but process of elimination and all that...

I don't actually have a weird door. The water just flows in. The skimmer is also behaving extremely strangly though. There has always been a steady inward flow but now that is surging too. It will go from pool level to sucking the water into a powerful whirlpool surge, this will last for a minute or so, then it will return to normal slow steady flow.

Now I think about it, I did add stabilizer a few days ago. It dispersed fairly quickly but could I have added it too quickly? Would that cause such a problem...or am I stretching here?

 

[mknauss]

How did you add the stabilizer?

 

[Mandela]

How did you add the stabilizer?

Mixed in a bucket with pool water then poured into the skimmer basket. It did just kind of sit there for a while but I've done it like that before with no issues.

 

[mknauss]

Not the best way to add it but it should have not plugged your filter.

 

[Mandela]

So I turned the skimmer and cleaner pumps off and the main drain up so it was the only one going and this seemed to resolve the surging.

However, I got up this morning and the jacuzzi is almost empty. The water is less than half the level it normally is.

What the heck is going on?

 

[mknauss]

Is your spa (you do not show having one in your signature) a spillover? Normal water level above the pool?

 

[Mandela]

Yes, spa has a spill over above pool level.

 

[mknauss]

OK. So you have a check valve on the spa return line that should keep the water level from dropping with the pump off. Unless your spa suction was open a bit during your pump run and you had no spa return.

 

[duraleigh]

Your pool water level should be halfway up the skimmer throat.....is it?

 

[Mandela]

Yes, the pool water level is halfway up the skimmer throat so that looks fine.

This only happened today after a few days of the surging issue.

I could replace the check valve but I'm not sure that's the root cause of the issue as there was air getting into the system prior to this. It can't be a coincidence that the spa drained when I reverted to 100% main drain, could it?

- - - Updated - - -

OK. So you have a check valve on the spa return line that should keep the water level from dropping with the pump off. Unless your spa suction was open a bit during your pump run and you had no spa return.

I'm not sure what this means. How do I determine the spa suction was open during the pump run.

 

[mknauss]

Was the spa suction valve fully closed?

 

[Mandela]

Was the spa suction valve fully closed?

How do I determine that?

The spa return is open partially. It's never been fully open.

The system is is on now and it all looks to be fine so I still think the issue is with the skimmer side. I might turn the skimmer pump back on to see if the air bubbles and surging returns?

I'm assuming the surging and spa draining are realted but I might be off on that. Just seem too coincidental though.

 

[Mandela]

I open the skimmer valve up and it started surging almost immediately.

 

[mknauss]

What do you mean by 'skimmer' pump? Can you add more detail to your signature? You do not show any pump in it. Possibly a picture of the equipment pad would help also.

 

[Mandela]

What do you mean by 'skimmer' pump? Can you add more detail to your signature? You do not show any pump in it. Possibly a picture of the equipment pad would help also.

Not pump, the skimmer inlet, I guess.

It's only when the skimmer is on I get the surging so I just turned it off again.

I will post pics up shortly then.

Appreciate your help, man.

 

[Mandela]

It's a Hayward pump.

I'm not sure what these are. The pool return, spa return and something else?

I think the one on top is the spa jets?

Below is the skimmer (left), cleaner (middle) and main drain (right)

 

[tstex]

When you opened the main-drain suction line, somehow the suction from the spa took place w no waterflow back into spa...or, the ckeck valve for keeping water in spa when pump is off failed...

Have you tried sticking a water house into your return line to see if you have an airlock in your return lines?

put the hose into the return line [while off], then crank on hose and turn on your pump

 

[Mandela]

When you opened the main-drain suction line, somehow the suction from the spa took place w no waterflow back into spa...or, the ckeck valve for keeping water in spa when pump is off failed...

Have you tried sticking a water house into your return line to see if you have an airlock in your return lines?

put the hose into the return line [while off], then crank on hose and turn on your pump

I haven't tried putting a hose in the returns. I will try that tomorrow.

The pump is off for the night so when I get up tomorrow, if the spa is drained again, I think I'll replace the check valve.

I just thought this was related to the surging issue somehow but I think I might be wrong on that.