Spa Draining Mystery

[Bammon25]

Hi TFP!
Thank you for all of the good information. I've been able to learn a lot from all of you but I got one that has me stumped.

Issue: When the "cleaner" program setting runs, it completely drains my spa. The spa does not fill / refill automatically, as it has in the past. I did fill it with hose water and it still completely drained over night. I forgot or thought that I had fixed it and the cleaner program ran over night and I woke up to an empty spa. After doing some troubleshooting, it appears to drain the spa whenever the pool pump is on. When the edge pump is running, it will recirc the water but at no point is the spa re-filling. This program has been running for years+.

Background: The pool runs on a auto schedule. It has been running fin. Last Sunday (23rd), the kids wanted to get in the spa. I do rarely turn on the heater but I did last Sunday and they played for a couple hours with the spa being heated. At the same time they were in the pool, I discovered a leak in the water supply line running to the back yard irrigation and I believe runs to the pool as well. So I had turned the valve off for this line and that is what I originally thought was possibly the issue. I fixed the pvc supply line, turned valve back on, and there is no longer an active leak.
Also! During last week I discovered a pool noodle lodged in one of the edge returns. I did manage to pull that out. However, when I opened the balance tank yesterday I saw another piece of pool noodle floating in the tank.

So my theory is that there is a piece of pool noodle lodged in the supply line to the pool pump. You may be able to see in the picture but it appears the edge pump line has a guard on it while the pool line does not. If I understand it correctly, the pool drains to the balancing tank and then either the edge pump or the pool pump then pulls in the water and it returns back to the pool. What I observed (when the pool pump was on) is what I believe was spa water being pulled to the balancing tank but filling up and then heading out via the overflow pipe. While the edge pump was on, it appeared to be actively supplying and returning.

Any ideas on how to troubleshoot or flaws in my logic? This is my first pool and it seems to be a little complicated for me understanding the complete operation. I'm still learning how to run it.

20,000 gal; plaster/pebble tec; SWG; Pentair Intellichlor

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

The valve in front of your main pool pump is called the Intake valve..

Either the Intake valve is in the wrong position or it is leaking..

Usually, the single pipe going into the Intake valve is connected to the spa drain.. In your pic, the Intake valve 'looks' like it is in the Spa on position..

Show us the Return valve.. (The automated valve right after the SWCG)

Put the system in the pool mode and see if the Intake valve moves..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

Your Spillway schedule should keep your spa filled with fresh water.. It will not fill on its own..

Jim R.

 

[Bammon25]

Thanks Jim! This should be the return valve, correct? And yes it rotates whether in pool, spa, or fill. However, I don't remember my intake valve moving when I cycle through the modes. I'll confirm tonight when I get home.

With the spillway on and the edge pump, nothing is happening. When I partially filled with water from hose then the jets kick on in the spa but the water level doesn't change. Just looks like it's recirculating the same water.

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

The fill should not work unless you are in the Service mode...

If you want to fill the spa, you should turn on the Spillway mode.. In theory, this will move the Intake valve to suck water from the pool and send it all back to the spa..

Both your Intake valve and Return valve should move about 180 degrees when you switch between the Pool and Spa modes..

If you Intake valve is not moving, that is your problem.

Could be a bad actuator or.. The actuator has a small 3-Way switch... On - Off - On. If the switch got put into the off position, the actuator will not work.. Check where the switch is positioned... Could also be a bad cable or a bad automation component..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Bammon25]

Ok that must be the issue. Thanks Jim! The intake valve is not moving and the switch is in the on position. I’ll search the forum and investigate that now.

On a side note, what is the purpose of the pipe riser by the Pentair wireless antenna? There’s the conduit, I think for the pool lights. But there’s a large pipe riser there.

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

Are you talking about the loop of pipe between the ScreenLogic antenna and the junction box for the pool lights?

I have no clue what this is for... But, they often do loops like that to set a level for a pool overflow or to prevent water from causing a siphoning action...

Thanks,

Jim R.