Check valve - is it necessary?

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Renn
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Posts: 2
Joined: Sun 13 Oct, 2019 16:06
My Pool: 12M x 6M, ingound, liner

Check valve - is it necessary?

Postby Renn » Mon 14 Oct, 2019 14:34

I'd be interested to know everyone's views on the necessity of a check valve on the suction side of a pool pump?

My pump is maybe half a metre above the pool waterline. I have always had a checkvalve installed - the enclosed type so I could not see if it was holding water. I had to remove it as part of a plumbing change and decided to check it for new seals. The seals were fine, but it did not hold water despite it being of 'good manufacture'! So I suspect that in five years it has never worked and the pump had to prime itself all this time!

I do not know how long in the start up cycle the pump is running dry, but obviously no harm has been done as the pump is now starting its sixth year!

Interested in opinions!


Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Check valve - is it necessary?

Postby Denniswiseman » Tue 15 Oct, 2019 06:21

The check valve on the pump suction side is there to keep the pump primed to enable trouble free running
Sometimes even without a CV the pump will stay primed so long as no air can get in
You could switch off the pump and see if the pump loses water (it may not). If it does see how long it takes to prime

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