Air bubbles in pool

addy · Postby **addy** » Tue 28 Jul, 2009 21:28

Last week I installed a solar heater on the roof of the house. The pipe is 1-1/2 in. and 35-40 feet long with a 1hp pump pushing the water 25 feet high.The problem is when I turn the valve to supply the panels with water I get air bubbles in the pool.I checked for leaks and there are none.When valve is turned to bypass solar panels air bubbles disappear. Any suggestions on what might cause this? Thanks

bajaracerx · Postby **bajaracerx** » Fri 04 Sep, 2009 15:50

I have the same problem. When i divert water to solar heater, i am seeing significant amount of air bubbles in the return lines in the pool. No water leaking.

Any assistance in understanding the root cause is highly appreciated.

Nicole · Postby **Nicole** » Sat 05 Sep, 2009 19:54

If the bubbles stay consist ant for 15 min or so after the solar is turned on then there is almost certainly a suction leak likely where the panels connect to each other

Less likely is that there is a leak in a PVC fitting somewhere between the feed and return of the solar system

Even less likely is that there could be a suction leak in the valve that allows the water to go to the roof

What brand are the panels ? Are they new ? properly fastened so there is no unrecommended stress on corners or where the panels meet ?

Nicole
poolheat(dot)com
800-780-4328

stressed but happy · Postby **stressed but happy** » Sun 06 Sep, 2009 22:01

I too get the bubbles, but I think this is normal. When the solar quicks in and when it turns off (we have programmed it to run from 10 am - 3pm)we have all the bubbles and some noise too. When they installed it, I understood that when it turns on, it takes the H2O from the pool to the top of the roof and when it turns off, it releases all that h2o back to the pool. That is when you notice more the bubbles. Other than that, it does the same movement taking from the pool to the roof and back in a more constant way because it doesn't need to use all that power sucking or releasing it. It's constant. During the running, you can feel the warm water coming out from the jets or steping at the deep heat exit.

Camden · Postby **Camden** » Sun 06 Sep, 2009 22:54

[quote="addy"]Last week I installed a solar heater on the roof of the house. The pipe is 1-1/2 in. and 35-40 feet long with a 1hp pump pushing the water 25 feet high.The problem is when I turn the valve to supply the panels with water I get air bubbles in the pool.I checked for leaks and there are none.When valve is turned to bypass solar panels air bubbles disappear.

That's so cool, how much something like that cost? As far as bubbles, I believe the pump is not powerful enough to send the right amount of water upward. I have an inground pool, where the last owner installed the pvc pipes at least 25 yards away fron the return line. I digged up the skimmer pipe to replace the old copper pipe with pvc and measured it, it is not the way to have an efficient flow of water; and it short cycle which will have air bubbles. I filled the water to the maximum so it did solve the problem. I will eventually shorten the pipe after swimming season over.

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Thu 10 Sep, 2009 00:08

When either the flow rate to the panels cant fill the panels completely, or when the drain down valve no longer closes all the way, You will get "champagne bubbles" in the return line. If that is all you are getting, it's not worth falling off the roof to fix. However, if the bubbles come out of the return and come up right away, thats too much air and should be dealt with.

Postby **Me...** » Thu 10 Sep, 2009 09:37

1. You have no air bleeder up top in your panel array, or it is plugged.

2. Water can tend to fall out of the panels and down the piping to the pool which will create suction inside the piping. If this is the case any loose fitting, crack etc. can be a place where air will suck in as the solar operates. You probably won't see a leak in that spot.

Might be others too but check those first.

Postby **mas985** » Thu 10 Sep, 2009 16:05

When priming the panels, the filter pressure should be at least 12 PSI, preferably higher, otherwise there may not be enough pressure to fully close the vacuum release valve. If the valve remains open, air continues to enter the plumbing and comes out of the returns.

DAVEVA · Postby **DAVEVA** » Thu 10 Sep, 2009 21:45

mas985 wrote:When priming the panels, the filter pressure should be at least 12 PSI, preferably higher, otherwise there may not be enough pressure to fully close the vacuum release valve. If the valve remains open, air continues to enter the plumbing and comes out of the returns.

First I am the person that started this subject. Don't know why but I had to register again. First question ,fully close the vacuum release valve, should I have such a valve and where should this valve be placed? I'm kinda leaning toward that the pump is not powerful enough to pump the water that high. Bubbles are so consistent that it leaves a foam on the pool surface.I checked and rechecked for suction leaks and can't find any. When the solar panel is bypassed the pump is very strong and I'm afraid that a stronger pump may to to much for the shorter distance.

Postby **mas985** » Fri 11 Sep, 2009 09:34

Vacuum release valves are typically installed at the highest point of the panels but in some systems are installed lower. This is an automatic valve that shuts when the pump is turned on due to the increase in water pressure. When the pump shuts off, the valve will open allowing air into the plumbing so that the panels can automatically drain.

Again, what is the filter pressure with and without solar engaged?

DAVE · Postby **DAVE** » Fri 11 Sep, 2009 21:10

I don't remember and I already closed the pool.I will check when I reopen in May. Thanks

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Sun 25 Apr, 2010 08:58

I also have got this problem with the air in the line.
The pool guy says that the problem is that the amount of water going up to the panel is more that can come threw the small holes in the panel and therefore the line going back to the pool is not full and thus the air. He suggested another panel and that the by-pass valve should not be opened 100% but restrict it slightly and it will go away. you will still have the same amount of water going threw the panel but because of the by-pass valve being slightly opened the return will be full.

Not my words but it does make sense in a way.

jpandes · Postby **jpandes** » Fri 27 Apr, 2012 16:23

I think your pool pump isn't strong enough to get the water all the way to the roof with enough pressure. I recently changed out a one horsepower pump after it died with a 3 horsepower variable speed pump. With their old pump we would get air lots of large air bubbles in the pool.

Our pool panels are also 25 to 30 feet up in the air and and when I have the pump running at 3000 RPM about 2-2 1/2 horsepower, there are no bubbles. I have played around with the RPM speeds and at 2500 RPMS I get some audible bubbles, and At 2700 RPMS I get a few champagne bubbles and no sound. This is a speed that I run the pump at now. I'm trying to save on electricity.

zing0000 · Postby **zing0000** » Sun 08 Jul, 2012 22:31

I too have solar panels with a VSV that stays firmly closed at pump full speed (no bubbles), but I have been living with champagne bubbles when the pump is at half-speed (quarter power, huge savings!). The heating seems to work fine, there is no noise other then the relaxing soft bubbling.
But then I worried about the chlorine feeder (Pentair 320), which I think is not delivering enough chlorine even on Max. There are warnings about corrosion from the air+water+chlorine mixture and the last few feet of the return lines to the pool are copper pipe. I suspect the air collects in the tablets chamber and so there is less water contact for it to dissolve.
Should I fix it, or simply enjoy the warm water and power savings with a manual chlorine topup?