Spa draining since actuator replacement

[jlamb5990]

My return side actuator burnt up recently and had to work it manually for a week while I waited for the pool company to replace but everything was working fine and holding water levels.

Guy finally came out yesterday and put a new pentair actuator on that worked fine except now when the pump is off, the spa drains down to the pool level at a slow rate (about a half inch to an inch an hour). If I turn everything back on it all levels out again but once the pump goes off, it all drains to pool level again.

I looked at both check valves and they seem to be operating correctly. I see that flaps opening while in pool mode and they close shut when the pump goes off. I guess it could be a small crack or something but the odd thing is that everything was perfect until the actuator got replaced. Pool guy didn’t touch the check valves at all so not sure where something would’ve gone wrong either. Stumped.

Pictures attached below.

 

[Poolbreh]

You’re intake actuator is over correcting. It most likely needs to be calibrated.

 

[proavia]

Chances are the actuator needs to be adjusted so the valve goes all the way to the stop to prevent any water flow to/from the spa.

 

[jlamb5990]

Chances are the actuator needs to be adjusted so the valve goes all the way to the stop to prevent any water flow to/from the spa.

That’s what I thought also but I’ve always had the return side set to halfway open in pool mode so I get a little overflow on my waterfall from the spa to both pool and spa all day and never had this issue before when the pump was off. The valve position in the pictures is the same as it was always set at before the actuator change.

Theoretically isn’t the point of the check valve to stop water flow back no matter what way the valves are in when the pump is off? If that’s not the case then wouldn’t your spa always drain to pool level if you turned off the pump while the valves were in spa mode?

It just doesn’t add up to me why I never had this issue before with the valves set the same way.

 

[proavia]

How far down does the water drain?
Some spas have a spa make-up line that is separate from the normal spa returns.

There is still the possibility that the check valve is allowing some water passed it. Maybe cleaning it will rectify the problem.

 

[Poolbreh]

That’s the return actuator, your intake actuator looks like the problem. He probably tested the actuators and your intake over corrected.

 

[jlamb5990]

That’s the return actuator, your intake actuator looks like the problem. He probably tested the actuators and your intake over corrected.
View attachment 422722

Can you explain over corrected how? The camming on the intake was never touched. Only the return side was replaced.

 

[Poolbreh]

The cam stop could have moved. Or it’s not engaging microswitch like it should.

 

[jlamb5990]

How far down does the water drain?
Some spas have a spa make-up line that is separate from the normal spa returns.

There is still the possibility that the check valve is allowing some water passed it. Maybe cleaning it will rectify the problem.

Drains to just below the return and about pool level.

The cam stop could have moved. Or it’s not engaging microswitch like it should.

if it’s draining just below the returns, it makes me think water is draining from the return line which means the return side check valve is the culprit but I could be wrong.

You think it could be draining from the spa main drain?

 

[Poolbreh]

Fill it up and adjust intake actuator and see if it still drains.

 

[proavia]

Is the spa main drain and skimmer plumbed back to the pad separately or is the spa main drain plumbed to the spa skimmer?
Chances are there is a check valve leaking water by it.

 

[jlamb5990]

Is the spa main drain and skimmer plumbed back to the pad separately or is the spa main drain plumbed to the spa skimmer?

Chances are there is a check valve leaking water by it.

Is the spa main drain and skimmer plumbed back to the pad separately or is the spa main drain plumbed to the spa skimmer?
Chances are there is a check valve leaking water by it.

They are plumbed separate and then connect back to a main at the pump then the returns are together then brand off at the return valve.

 

[jlamb5990]

Fill it up and adjust intake actuator and see if it still drains.

Adjust which way? More closed toward the spa drain?

 

[proavia]

In your pics, I only see one line from the spa at the pad. The ones to the left of the automated valve are from the pool only.

Close the suction and intake valves fully, fill up the spa and see if it's draining still.

 

[jlamb5990]

In your pics, I only see one line from the spa at the pad. The ones to the left of the automated valve are from the pool only.

Close the suction and intake valves fully, fill up the spa and see if it's draining still.

I think I got you. So with the pump off, close the valves on the pool drain and both skimmers from the pool and see if we are still losing water? Which way should the actuator/3way be closed toward?

 

[jlamb5990]

In your pics, I only see one line from the spa at the pad. The ones to the left of the automated valve are from the pool only.

Close the suction and intake valves fully, fill up the spa and see if it's draining still.

Sorry I just realized what you were asking. There is no skimmer for the spa. Just the drain and the returns. I just filled it back up and corrected the intake actuator to be less overkill. I left the return actuator the same way it was (halfway open).

If it still drains, you think it’s safe to say that the return side check valve is the culprit? My logic is telling me would have to be since the only place for water to travel back would be through the spa return check valve. Or am I missing something?

 

[generessler]

Your plumbing looks very similar to mine. Ways the spa has drained for me after pump is off:

• The check valve in the return valve leaked, so water moved backward from the return, through the pump, and out the pool drains/skimmers.
• The suction side valve leaked when it was supposed to be closing off the spa drains. Water went from the spa drain through the valve to the pool drain; also through the pump and normal return path.

This pretty much summarizes everything said above. I don't think changing out the pressure side actuator could cause the problem on its own. Either the installer did something wonky (like mess with the suction side valve or open the pressure side valve and let in some gunk that's preventing the check valve from closing) or it's just a coincidence that this happened after he worked on it.

 

[jlamb5990]

Your plumbing looks very similar to mine. Ways the spa has drained for me after pump is off:

• The check valve in the return valve leaked, so water moved backward from the return, through the pump, and out the pool drains/skimmers.
• The suction side valve leaked when it was supposed to be closing off the spa drains. Water went from the spa drain through the valve to the pool drain; also through the pump and normal return path.

This pretty much summarizes everything said above. I don't think changing out the pressure side actuator could cause the problem on its own. Either the installer did something wonky (like mess with the suction side valve or open the pressure side valve and let in some gunk that's preventing the check valve from closing) or it's just a coincidence that this happened after he worked on it.

Thanks for the tips! I just adjusted my suction side actuator to not rotate as much as he had it going (in the pic you can see he had almost rotating past the spa drain) and it seems to be holding water now. It’s so strange it happened at the same time as the actuator change in the return line.

Another question though, shouldn’t the check valve below that spa drain line keep water from draining out when the pump is off no matter how the valve is set? Or am I thinking about it wrong? If not, then what would keep a spa from draining into the pool if you turned the pumps off when in spa mode? Trying to figure out if I still need to replace the suction side check valve.

Edit: I just realized after posting this that I was thinking about the suction side check valve flow backwards. My culprit was definitely the suction side actuator being slightly open allowing water pass through that valve on the suction side. Once I adjusted it, there was no suction left to open the valve door.

But it got me thinking, what is the purpose of the check valve on the suction side at all?

 

[Jimrahbe]

J,

There is no reason for the spa Intake line to have a check valve.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jlamb5990]

J,

There is no reason for the spa Intake line to have a check valve.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hey Jim. Just sent you a message on this. Thanks!!