pool return hose leaking


I had a leak detection company come out and they said they though the leak was around light. If you see bubbles, you will need to replace the pipes and valves, or repair the pipe/valve seal. Thankfully, repairing a leaking vacuum hose isnt a difficult or time-consuming jobunlike using a manual vacuum in the first place. Do you have a variable-speed pool pump yetand the lower monthly energy bills to show for it? I just replaced the o-ring with live and tightened the cover. This seal, which sits between the pump motor and impeller, is important because it keeps water out of the motor. I have put 2 hose clamps on and have tightened them as tight as I can, still the water flows up and down the flex tube. Most of the time, for me anyway, there is a small amount of gasket not showing underneath the skimmer. Simply click here to return to. The gasket or oring under the pump lid. Leaking around outlet. Pool pumps are expensive pieces of equipment, and its easy to fear the worst when yours has a leak. attach vacuum equipment to the skimmer for vacuuming. Long term, leaks can cause an equipment pad to tilt, from water eroding the base or small hillside behind. Once you pinpoint exactly where that leak is, spray on the rubberized coating to fill it in. Gidget, did the lid o-ring fall off of the lid? Its just not worth the monthly energy costs to treat duct tape as a long term solution. }, Subscribe and save 5% off your first purchase! But that should not trip the breaker, unless the shaft is no longer turning easily, and the binding-up is causing the breaker to trip. You need to be able to see the same amount of gasket all the way around the skimmer. The clamp should squeak and creak while tightening, needs lots of torque. The discharge side, sometimes called the pressure side, is the section of your pump where water gets pumped back out into your pool. On my service trips I have several different hoses with me and sometimes I may try a few to get one to not leak. The noise is most likely bearings in the motor going bad, if pressing down on the pump does not change the sound (by dampening vibrations). Pool Base Richard, its not uncommon to always see air in the pump basket, or to always have some air in the tank that will bleed off when you open the valve but bubbles in the pool, and low water flow are not common. Water started squirting our of the Jandy Valve to the main drain, I never use that, so hadnt got around to changing its seals. Generic seals are fine as well. You do you. Not only does it take some time to set up and take down, as well as add strain to your circulation system. However, it sounds louder like a hot tub jet. "@type": "ImageObject", The housing clamp was also replaced. Obviously, youll need to make sure you have the washers and all the appropriate pieces in place. Thanks. After giving the repair spray the sufficient amount of time to set and dry, go ahead and give it a testand your pool the weekly cleaning it needs. Its ultra-reliable, eco-friendly, and comes with a lifetime warranty. should not be any damage from a small seeper / weeper. "contentUrl": "https://x1.adis.ws/v1/media/graphics/i/lesl/its-logo-wide", Not only does it work fast in your water, but its conveniently packaged in one-pound bags, so you never have to worry about measuring yours out again. I also noticed that there is a housing that the bottom bolts sit on and the pump was a bit off of sitting properly. FREE Shipping On All Orders. Cant find leaks anyplace on the suction side using soapy water. Make sure clamp is as tight as possible, tapping with a hammer or heavy thing, to seat the clamp, once or twice while tightening. We were luckily that we didnt have to take that route. I have a hayward super pump 1HP, started leaking from the bottom. At this point in the season it might be easier to fix it after shut down if theres not gonna be any damage done. Do I use this in the inside against the liner and the hard plastic piece? The o-ring is an important part of the lids function, as it is responsible for tightly sealing the lid. Hi Callista, when plumbing fittings heat-up, the threads can shrink, but this is a new fitting? Any suggestions? If you notice bubbles in the water, this means you have a leak on the suction side of your pump. Prime your vacuum hose by holding it over the return and forcing the air out. Drips on the pipe that comes out of the pump are common, and can be fixed by replacing the fitting, or if a union, lubing or replacing the o-ring, and tightening the union nut tightly. Most of the time the gasket is just slightly out of alignment, usually on the outside of the pool. I have very low water flow coming out of the Jets in the pool & hot tub. To fix a pool hose leak, we refitted the connectors which is a bit cumbersome with having to deal with water coming out of the filter. Above-ground cleaners are a notorious hassle, most of the time, due to bad craftmanship. There are also small bubbles coming out. Any bubbling from the hose or connections underwater is a sure sign of a leak. We had purchased a solar swimming pool heater and had connected all the plumbing as instructed. When the pump is on, the force of the water is so great that it doesnt have time to leak out. Before we explain how to find a suction side leak, there are some important technical details to know. I wonder why wouldnt the shaft seal work. Join in and write your own page! Whether it was the presence of air bubbles or the weak suction that gave you the hint, its clear that your vacuum hose is just not going to cut it. The most common cause of a leaking discharge pipe is an ill-fitting seal or shrunken pipes. I bought the version at Lowes for $10, hooked it up, and started adjusting valves, moving pressure points around. This usually works. Connect a hose coupler made especially for vacuum hoses to stop the leak. "height": "219", Finally, theres vacuuming your pool, which should usually directly follow a good brushing. Primarily, air leaks come from the pump lid being loose or o-ring not lubed or both, or from the threaded pipe in front of the pump not being sealed well, or shrunken from intense heat, or from leaky suction side valves (skimmer / main drain). Yes, you can run the pump with a leaking shaft seal. Make sure the water level is high enough, You may not see any air leaks if they are above water. Here are the basics: First, and most frequently, you need to clean of the surface of your water with a net on a skimmer pole. Is this normal or do I need to add more sealant (glue, tape, etc.) 12 year old motors have a way of doing that. If the o-ring is still in good shape, clean it off and apply some, Dripping or spraying water around pipe fittings. While your pump is running, check the water in the pump strainer basket for any bubbles. If nothing found, assume the light, and buy a Light Cord Stopper, to seal up the light cord. Flex hoses can have pinholes. if the filter pressure is lower than normal. There is likely a seal behind the nut to produce a water tight connection to the pool wall. Very hot here and I run the pump six hours, off for three and then six more. Lay on the ground and look inside the skimmer, and look for bits of debris stuck into the area where the plastic skimmer meets the concrete pool. Should I be worried. When I take out the basket and restart the pump it fills up to the top. You have used the double clamp one, that usually works. Theres no way the chemicals we balance in our pool every week will dissolve, for instance, an entire leaf. You can skip this step if you already know where the leak isbut in order to fix it, we have to see exactly where to aim that repair spray. Its one of the factors that keep your swim safe, since its a possibility that some of the bacteria sanitizer kills could make you sick., But unfortunately, sanitizers have no way of prioritizing their work: if there are large pieces of debris such as leaves and twigs sitting at the bottom of your pool, your sanitizer will use its energy trying to attack itand trying, and trying. Many people have systems that weep or drip. the chemicals we balance in our pool every week, keeps your pool water clean, clear, and from clouding up, the patented BLACK+DECKER 360-Degree Bristles Pool Brush, its a pain to manually vacuum to your pool, Blue Torrent MyBot In Ground Robotic Pool Cleaner. You don't want to add another gasket to the inside, this would only make it worse. Raising Pool Equipment for Flood Protection, Flooded Inground Pool: 10-Steps to Recovery. Here are all my tricks for leaky hoses on above ground pools. If the leak is still present, repeat these stepsor youll need to give in and just replace the hose. Another trick I have used is to wrap Teflon tape around the fitting and then putting the hose back on. "url": "https://x1.adis.ws/v1/media/graphics/i/lesl/its-logo-wide", You can reverse this process by holding the end of the hose that is in the skimmer, over the return. Second, check for air leaks which always will come from before the impeller. Many times a leak in the area you speak of is the shaft seal. The basket will be full of water during normal operation, but if it is bubbling or the basket is only partly full of water and refuses to fully prime, that means there is a vacuum leak or commonly referred to as sucking air. In order to keep your sanitizer working at optimal levels, its also important to shock your pool about once a week with tried and true shock like the Super Premium Sanitizing and Fast-Acting Pool Shock. Could it be that we loosened it when we attached the hose and can we just tighten the white connector. Hi Tom, sometimes it takes a few tries be sure the o-ring/gasket is clean and lubed, and look for any indicator arrows on the tank that should line up (only on a few filters). As a result, the connection was backed out due to the vibration.bit was wrapped and tight "url": "https://x1.adis.ws/v1/media/graphics/i/lesl/its-logo-wide", If none of that seems the cause, I would try a new shaft seal, as a cheap and hopeful fix. Unfortunately, housing repairs are rarely successful due to the amount of pressure inside the pump. "logo": { Turn on hose and where you see water leaking (under pressure) is where you will have air leaking (under suction). All the screws are tight. You may have unions When plumbed with PVC pipe. Ive been chasing an air leak for months. Cora, small leaks on the pump or filter, are not always a concern. If you already have a routine pool maintenance schedule, you know that each of the steps of cleaning your pool require a different frequency. This is just a temporary solution, however. DO YOU LOOSE SUCTION OR HAVE AIR BUBBLES BLOWING BACK INTO YOUR POOL FROM THE RETURN INLETS ONLY WHEN YOU ATTACH YOUR VACUUM HOSE? If youd rather fix the hose, make a mental notes of these replacement tips.. "mainEntityOfPage": "https://blog.intheswim.com/leaking-pool-pump/", Check the head connection and where the hose connects to the skimmer basket. Sometimes the pump basket housing is cracked and need replacing or the pump plug just was not tightened. It cleans a massive 85 gallons per minute, eliminates messy bags, and features bottom scrubbers for maximum cleaningand again, just needs to be plugged into an outlet and dropped right into your pool.. Try tightening the nut a little, but go easy to not break the plastic nut. Other times its just a matter of more tightening on the screws. This is where the leak is. Seal plate o-ring could also be leaking. But it also takes a lot of elbow grease to even push the vacuum up and down the length of your pooland considering your pool is full of tens of thousands of gallons, thats no small task. If this seal fails, water can leak into the motor, causing motor failure. Im losing water with system on and off. The motor. This page explains the process I go through for leaky skimmers. You could try dipping the end of the hose in very hot water for a minute and then putting it back on. These contain oring that should be checked and lubed. You may have to get into the pool to do this. In this respect, it works much like a common vacuum except that water is the medium. Connect to garden hose and put in skimmer. The Blue Torrent 2 HP Variable-Speed Pump is the one to tryits ultra-powerful, allows for more thorough circulation, is eligible for rebates, and pays itself off in under a year in energy saved. First, the suction side of your pump basically refers to any parts or equipment before the actual pump itself. If the lid has a crack, its best to replace it. Sometimes the female threaded bushings in the pump housing can spin free, and prevent full tightening of the bolts.Probably dont need a new pump housing gasket, but perhaps it is twisted and not laying flat? Superpump uses a 201 seal, or SPX1600Z2. In the afternoon there is a period with heavy bubbles, then stops. Close drain and other skimmer valves. My E-books and Kindle Books, Pool Installation Someone is selling a use 1HP basket included for 150, I say buy that instead. Copyright 2022 The Pool Center | Designed by Plexamedia. Thank you so much. Hello, Dont feel overwhelmed at the thought of finding and fixing a suction side leak. But finding a pump leak is not a guaranteed disaster, oftentimes there is a simple fix. That stopped the leaking right away. I had a leak in output side of my Hayward pump with an old schedule 40 adaptor. An insufficient water level allows air to get into the skimmer, and then travel into the pump. How? You earned it. Hello, Hi Jack, any possibility that you got the wrong seal? There are no stairs to do a bucket test. Have used a spray sealant and cement sealer but still leaking. It looks like the two bottom bolts are loose. 441 Sills Road Unit IYaphank,NY11980. Hi Linda, a shaft seal can fail from overheating, like running the pump without water flowing. Thankfully, the Blue Torrent Stinger Automatic Cleaner is the most advanced above-ground cleaner on the market. Learn how to diagnose, repair, and prevent common causes for leaking pool pumps." As customer Dave Schmidt says, My pool has never looked cleaner. As you probably know, the job of sanitizers like chlorine and bromine is to attack microscopic contaminants and neutralize them. A screw was behind hair basket when checking for trash around impeller. "wordCount": "1211", }, I think he did 3 layers of the teflon tape. We used the plumbers tape and we tightened it down as tight as we can get it and we have water seeping out around that fitting. There is a small leak in the new skimmer I installed. I have the double sided gasket sandwiching the steel wall so there is a gasket on the inside and outside of steel wall. While you may experience actual leaking water in some instances, you will typically be dealing with some sort of air leak. "headline": "Leaking Pool Pump! Ill explain why vacuuming is important, how it fits in to the greater cleaning routine for your pool, and how to fix your manual vacuum hose fastas well as the reasons why this might be the perfect chance to change your equipment and make your life a whole lot easier. Excellent tip Jack on the Drain declogger. Having spent a few minutes trying to resolve the leaking, it came down to tightening the metal hose clamp much more. Be sure to follow your manufacturers instructions on this oneand its probably best if you dont choose this day to wear your favorite T-shirt. Second, the most common type of suction side leaks are air leaks. We just replaced our strainer basket and it wasnt leaking at 1st, then I opened and removed the lid to clean out the basket, replaced the lid and now it is leaking from the lid and I cant get it to stop even when the pool is running. Do you thing that I could just tighten it and it may be ok? Any suggestions. Just be sure that it is not leaking from the outlet pipe and running down. and dont get your hopes up, might need to close early. Alright, lets get that pool vacuum hose fixed as fast as possible. Cracked, mashed, disfigured, or broken need to be replaced. When the vacuum hose leaks, the vacuum will have either little or no suction. Receive email updates on stuff youll probably want to know about, including products, launches, and events. Hi there, my pool pump wont fill up to the top when I have the debris basket installed. "url": "https://blog.intheswim.com/" Hi Donna, some impellers use an impeller lock screw, which has reverse threads. Always use a water-based lubricant on your orings and gaskets will increase their ability to seal for a longer time. To determine if the leak is in the pipes or valves, simply pour a bit of water over the pipes and valves, and watch for bubbles. }, Overlap Liners Yes, you can try to tighten the union nut, if that is what you mean by white connector. A robotic vacuum puts no strain on your circulation system, requires no fancy setting up and taking down, and works on its own to keep your pool floors clean. "primaryImageOfPage": { Cut the hose in half at the point of the leak with a utility knife. You just need to know if it is 3/4 or 1, or buy both, they are just $5 each. You did not lube the shaft seal did you? By Gretzky99 in forum Pool Equipment & Operations, By jrv331 in forum Above-Ground Pool Construction & Repair, By Pool_Mike in forum Pool Equipment & Operations, By IMherDad in forum Pool Equipment & Operations, By timmie in forum Pool Equipment & Operations, Pool Construction, Equipment, Operations, Seasonal Care (P), Pool Water: Treatment, Testing & Problems (P), Testing and Adjusting Pool Water Chemistry, Using Chlorine and Chlorinating Chemicals, Salt Generators (SWCG) & other Chlorine Feeders. Once a week might seem like no big deal, but lets face it: its a pain to manually vacuum to your pool. I cannot get my flex hose connection to the bottom of the skimmer to quit leaking. When the pump is on, the force of the water is so great that it doesnt have time to leak out. Tammy, you can try to slow the leak with JB Weld or similar epoxy/resin putty. swap the hose with the one to the return. Lets face it: those numbers dont add up. A new o-ring should fit very snug and tight, and not fall off. If you are certain that it is the correct o-ring, and it is lubed, and the lid is very, very tight but it still draws air in when the pump is on, and leaks water when the pump is off, then I might next think that the lid is warped, or perhaps the strainer body, which is rare. Its not gushing water but it seeps out immediately after its dried. Following these suggestions will probably fix your problem. Michele, a drip on the pump would not be noticeable in the pool level, it would have to be gushing It could be the light or it could be the skimmer. I put seal in correct direction without any problems. "name": "Davy Merino", Will having water seep like this damage the pump or filter? Theres not any air in the system so its not causing an issue I dont think but were not sure why we have water seeping. Pool Installation, AGP Help Center I HAVE A LEAK UNDER THE MOUNTING PLATE/PUMP JOINT HOUSING/ HAYWARD SP2605X7 PUMP INTERFACE. In some cases, when needed, you can add silicone sealant, like RTV sealant, or gasket maker silicone spread it into the fitting threads and then wrap with Teflon for a better seal. However, all you need to do to resolve the issue is figure out what part of your pump needs to be repaired. Our 17025 members have posted 23347 times in 9375 discussions, You must enable JavaScript to be able to use this site in full, Leak where return hose connects to return jet on exterior pool wall, Total chlorine always more than 0.2 of FAC, cant get FCL to rise except when adding shock. Leaking pool pumps can be a real hassle! It was frustrating to find one of the hose connector was dripping constantly. Also, does it matter which direction the return jet is facing (circulating water clockwise or counter clockwise)? Tracy, when leaking from underneath, its almost always a shaft seal. Pool QuestionsWith Answers by Christine I am pleased with my new pump!, Heres the bottom line: if youre looking for a permanent solution for your leaky manual vacuum hose, youre going to need to just replace it. Buy a 1.5-2 Drain King at your local hardware/home store, or buy online. Take the motor off the pump to assess the condition of your impeller, and remove any obstructions. "datePublished": "12/13/2019", We have an intermittent leak that I cant find. It is always best to fix leaking equipment, not just to stop water loss, but to prevent erosion of the equipment pad, or prevent corrosion of the motor or other pool equipment. "keywords": "leaking pool pump", check out the. For a solution more robust than a super-temporary duct tape fix but one phase short of replacing the hose entirely, youre going to need just one tool on hand: waterproof hose repair spray that can be used on both wet and dry hoses. Usually it is the seal, the pipe or the o-ring, or a drain plug. With the vacuum still hooked up, begin slowly lifting the hose out of the water, always keeping the head of the vacuum submerged. The first thing to check for if you suspect a leak is air bubbles. It's possible that some screws would need to be removed but it is important the gasket is visible under the skimmer from the outside. When the hose is completely filled up, slowly begin lifting the hose out of the water always keeping the head submerged. Insert them in the back of the light niche (remove light first), where the cord exits the niche. It goes beyond not having to step on any sharp twigs during your swim. If you have inspected and ruled out the problem areas listed above, youre likely dealing with a crack in the pump itself. For anyone who owns a swimming pool at home, weve all experienced it one time or another. Can I fix it somehow just to get by the next 2 weeks till I close it?? . Hi Joe, that sounds odd, not sure why that would do that, but its not important if the basket fills up to the top or not, as long as it is pumping water full steam, and not drawing in air air that is pushing out the wall returns. Beaded Liners The pressurized water will leak out of any weakened or cracked area. Any idea whats going on ? "@context": "https://schema.org/", If you have an in-ground pool the problem could be underground. "width": "611", before you can successful vacuum your pool. It was replaced with a hayward oem gasket. I have a 27foot round above ground pool and have small leaks coming from the skimmer basket. As customer W Graves says, Perfectly good shock at a third of the regular brick-and-mortar stores price. I INSTALLED A NEW 3/4 HP MOTOR, ASSEMBLED THE SHAFT SEAL PERFECTLY WITH THE RUBBER END FACING THE IMPELLER, ASSEMBLED THE SEAL PLATE,MOTOR MOUNTING PLATE,DIFFUSER,AND TIGHTENED THE FOUR MOUNTING BOLTS AT THE PUMP HOUSING/MOUNTING PLATE. BOOM! If the o-ring is broken or worn down, its best to replace it. A swimming pool vacuum works off the suction of the pump. No cracks that we can see. All you need to do to start this particular model up is to plug it into an outlet and drop it right into your pool. White ceramic face would face the pump, black rubber cover on the motor side. You may just have a hose that is two big for the fitting and replacing it with a different brand would be the solution. I lost 4000 gallons of water. We had purchased a solar swimming pool heater and had connected all the plumbing as instructed. Youll want to follow your manufacturers instructions and maybe use some epoxy glue to seal up where it connects to your vacuum, but usually you just need to twist the hose right on. It can fail (instantly) if installed backwards. Everything ElseAbove Ground Pool. I much prefer this over solid pipe and it is so much easier. If the o-ring is broken or worn down, its best to replace it. Replace the Schedule 40 pipes with Schedule 80 pipes at both the suction and discharge ends. Now that we have gone over how to inspect the suction side of your pump for leaks, lets head over to the discharge side. Is the lid clamp as tight as possible? Can you please help me if this problem? Furthermore, you probably wont spot a suction side leak when the pump is running. (you did not mention the make/model filter so Im covering many bases) Try moving the clamp to a different position if possible. This means you are sucking air. Anything after the pump basket you will leak water. Oval Pools, General Pool Hi, yes that will be fine. If a leak is present in this junction, replace the housing o-ring and gasket, as well as the diffuser o-ring. Are you ready to make the switch over to saltwater, so that your chlorine is operating at the lowest, safest, and most consistent levels possible? If found, shut off the pump and use food coloring or a test kit reagent, or our nifty dye test syringes, and dye test the skimmer. Hi, the seal may have been installed backwards, thats easy to do, or a rough and rusty motor shaft, where it passes thru the seal or some other installation error, but likely not a bad seal. A leaking swimming pool hose can be frustrating since the pool is losing water. 3-Pack 360-Degree Brush Bundle Back In Stock. If youre really in a pinch, you can use a bit of duct tape. But theres a better way. If not freely turning now, maybe the screw fell out? No lube needed. But at one point or another, you got all set up to give your pool a quick vacuum, just to find that the task wasnt actually going to be so quick after all. Whether your pump has a small leak, or has turned into Old Faithful, we can help you resolve the problem! Expandable Liners "@type": "BlogPosting", "description": "Leave leaking pool pumps behind! If you have a new pump, you can replace just the housing itself. This leaking swimming pool hose was causing us to top-off since the pool losing water. We think we did everything the way we should have done with the Teflon tape, the new fitting, the new pump.. is there something that we did wrong? When the pool was installed the water went counter clockwise (return jet was on the left of the skimmer & water went from the left) when they opened the pool this year, water now moves to the right (clockwise)does this matter? This should be done three times a week. Hi We just replaced our pool motor, I told my husband we need to put silicone lubricant around what i think is called the flange before we connect them together with the 6 bolts. However, you can try these which could help your situation. Before we explain how to find a suction side leak, there are some important technical details to know. The water is pulled from the skimmer on the side of the pool or the main drain in the bottom of the pool through the pump basket into the impeller. Put filter multiport on the Closed setting, or if no MPV, plug the pump inlet or volute opening. Pool Filters ", If the leak is from the underside, bottom of the seal plate, but on the motor side, thats a shaft seal. I have never changed the O-ring as well. One of the first places to look when identifying a discharge side leak is the impeller. It has over heated to the point where it was untouchable and melted the hose connections. If it leaks it will shoot water when attached to the return. I have NO leaks that I can see. Bestway SteelPro Rectangular Swimming Pool Review, 2020 Best Swimming Pools Intex and Bestway Picks. Whether you fixed your pool vacuum hose or replaced the hose, youre back to maintenance as usual. "caption": "In The Swim Blog" In models like the Blue Torrent MyBot In Ground Robotic Pool Cleaner, you can also expect computer-controlled cleaning, wall climbing ability, and various different climbing cyclesall which whisper-quiet operation. I have this very tight, but still have some small leaks on the outside of the steel wall. Or should repair whole housing? "address": "", , , Online, Online, , , . Open it back up and make sure that the spring half of the seal has the soft rubber side facing the impeller, and the hard plastic side facing the motor. In addition to looking at the strainer lid, check out the o-ring underneath. I think you can see where this one is going, so lets get right to it. Connect the two hose pieces with the coupler. How? I read that it is possible to tighten them too much?? We had a company come out & open our pool yesterday & I noticed a leak where the hose from the sand filter to the return jet is leaking (constant drip) where the hose connects to the exterior pool wall where the return jet is. Hello, Sometimes they get dropped and even just a 1 mm wobble would cause a leak. Is it possible that someone else is out there turning valves, or maybe restricting the flow of the pool returns? To resolve, we tried a few things before coming to our resolution. Sometimes the insides of the hoses have small burs that can be removed with a razor blade to make them smooth. Make a smooth transition with the Salt Ways Eco Friendly Salt Chlorine Generator.