Vacuum system Issue: AG

[stk]

Hello: First post here. Looks like good resource as do all forums.

My sig will show what I have:

Pump runs fine and is able to push up 10' into the solar panel. Inspecting the outflow into the pool I see no evidence of air getting into the lines (ABS 1.5") when just in circulating mode with and without the solar panel inline. However when I attach the vacuum plate into the skimmer and try to attached the 90 deg elbow on the vacuum hose onto the top of the plate, I instantly get loss of suction and the pump starts to cavitate. I have a 3 way valve to shut off the solar panel and have done so thinking I might be getting air from up on the roof somewhere - but no joy. Have inspected vacuum hose and always prime it of course prior to vacuum.

I just took apart the front end of the pump to inspect the impeller and found nothing wrong there. I am wondering however if that is where I am getting air..??

At a loss.!! 2nd yr in a row after opening up the pool that I have had this problem. This house has been sold - moving to Barrie, Ont in 6 weeks and have bought a 21' AG pool there. So this is something I need to figure out for here and potentially there should I get the same issue.

any help would be appreciated..!!

Thank you,

stk

[steakman]

Ok this forum is still a bit strange in format to me...but maybe this post will show the sig..??

Other thing is and I have been doing a fair bit of reading. My pump does indeed have an O ring for sealing the impeller section of the pump. If that is where I might be leaking or getting air into the system, what does one lubricate it with..?? some kind of grease but what.? Lithium or auto stuff type.? I uess that would work...hmm gonna try that and see what happens.

tks - stk

[steakman]

Well, I now believe that I have found the problem.

I noticed that as soon as I added the vacuum hose and tried to use it .. of course the added pressure caused the pump to cavitate a bit ..which it always did but normally settled down and one got that satisfying sound of the pump running normally and off I went to vacuum my pool.

What I noticed after the 10th time trying was that the longer the pump cavitated the greater the amount of air was entrained in the flow of water...figuring it had to be in the piping before the pump...I then started to loosen some decking boards...& voila I find a cracked (very slightly mind you), pce of ABS piping that had been subject to -35 this past winter and was not in a place readily seen. So kewl says I ... Problem identified - the fix is on the way...

However on the way to home depot to get some new 1.5" ABS and a cpl of 22.5 deg fittings, I blew an oil line (secondary oil filtration system), on my gmc diesel - 12 litres of oil on the ground + $189 dollar tow bill and now I am on 2nd lrg glass of scotch...cause zee day is a lost cause.!



cheers, it could of been worse...like hauling the family & trailer to Ontario when we move in 6 weeks and getting broke down in the middle of Freaking nowhere..!!

Stk