Pool Problems

[Sparkydelux]

Hi Guys,

I have taken over the duties at our complex and this includes the pool. It has been neglected for a while and I tried to give it a good work out today but I encountered a few problems. Firstly, The suction crawler at the bottom of the pool stops in the shallow end and sometimes in the corners. It has to be moved to get working again.

I also noticed 2 counter weights on the pool hose and these seem to drag the hose down. I guess for more suction. But at what intervals would they be positioned?

i found a small patch on the pipe where it has worn through, i will replace this piece and see if there is any progress.

The biggest concern I have is the operation of the crawler (as soon as I turn my back, its stopped). And the efficiency of the pool motor. I removed the down pipe (pipe that goes into the filter) and noticed that the suction wasn't the greatest. i cleaned out the filters (both) and tried again. A little better but I think it could be more aggressive. I am worried the pump and motor is too small for the working capacity of the unit. Any ideas? and How can i measure its doing the correct rate?

Bear in Mind , I am probably starting from scratch here and cannot comment on whether it has had a backwash change or anything for that matter. I am Literally starting my own mission to get a nice pool for summer.

We also have an issue with Balck spots on the walls of the pool. So far it just seems dirty, but once we have a good clean I can examine it further.


Any help is always appreciated.

[cpo2go]

What kind of cleaner? It sounds like it might be a Kreepy Krawly. Any hole in the hoses or body of the cleaner will cause it not to work properly. It sounds like that old patch job is the problem. Beware that once you start working on the cleaner, many of it's parts may be ready to crumble. I recommend taking it out and disassembling it before going out and buying any parts. It might be worthwhile to just buy a new one. The placements of the weights is just a trial and error, it takes time to see where they work best for your pool.

To gauge the suction you will need a vacuum gauge. You should be able to find one of these online or in your local pool store. They simply go into your skimmer or vacuum port and measure the suction. You can also get a different style of vacuum gauge which looks similar to the pressure gauge on top of your filter. It screws into the wet end of your pump and measures the suction at the pump. There is a small plug at the button, side of your pump pot. Unscrew this and screw in the vacuum gauge. The one at the skimmer will give you a better idea of what your cleaner is getting in the way of suction. The one at the pump can be left in.

[Sparkydelux]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I managed to replace a few hoses, seems to be working a little better. I added another hose length as it was a bit short and not reaching areas. I have only put 1 weight as per booklet.

It does seem to stop every so often. Suction seems good and handling the areas. I cleaned the filters again, did a backwash etc. I have noticed its stopping in the shallow end. and at random areas, not always the same place.

The unit is new. 8 months old, and i did a thorough inspection of it today. Sort of working out its movements etc.

Any ideas why it would be stopping in the shallows?

Also found air bubbles coming out of the return jets? is this normal?

[cpo2go]

With good suction, a clean filter and only being 8 months old the unit should be moving around just fine. They are a primitive design as you no doubt found when you inspected it. They move, simply, by the rapid start and stop of flow through the body. With each stop, the unit releases its hold on the pool floor then grabs again as suction comes back. When they aren't moving, it means the diverter isn't swinging back and forth. This could be due to either a piece of debris (even a build up of sand or other fine or small debris) or just insufficient suction through the unit.

The number of weights is something I play with. Depending on the pool shape, depth, etc. I use as many as 3 in various places on the hose. Find what works best for your situation. Once you've found the right number and placement, you won't have to mess with them anymore.

If you're getting bubbles coming back through the return lines, it means that you are getting air in your system and this could be part of the problem with the cleaner. If there is air getting into your pump, it could be causing your pump to lose prime and that would result in intermittent operation of your cleaner. The air could be coming in from the cleaner hose(s) or from a leak in the plumbing on the suction side of the pump. Most commonly, it is where the pipe is plumbed into the pump or from the pump pot lid o-ring. Make sure the pump pot o-ring is in good condition and that the lid is tight. Hand tight is enough, you don't need to crank it down.

To discover an air leak where the plumbing goes into the pump, put any kind of sealer around the pipe, with the pump running. Any kind of silicone or caulk will work. You can even use PVC glue. If there are bubbles in the pump before you do this, and the leak is related to the inlet pipe, you should see the bubbles go away as the pump fills completely with water.

You're not done, you've only found the problem. Re-plumb the inlet pipe and be sure to use CPVC. This pipe will resist warping due to the heat of the pump. If you still have a leak after that (from this source) then it's your pump that is warped at the inlet and you will need to replace either the entire pump (recommended) or just the front (called 'wet-end') half of the pump. I just recommend doing the whole thing because it is a whole lot easier to cut out the old one and plumb in a new one. There are many different pieces inside your old pump that may need replacing too if you open it up.

[patriciathore]

I appreciate all these replies. I also experience this. Thanks for this information.