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"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus) 05/29/2018 at 15:59 • Filed to: None

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so I fired up the pump and it poppe dthe breaker. I took the motor off and spun the impellor by hand, cleaned out a few pine needles and it works. woohoo. put it back together, added some waterproof jelly shit to the seals and it fired up fine. but...

initially the basket fills up with water and everythig flows fine, but the longer i leave it running the lower the water level gets in the baster until it stops putting water all together. I suspect the two gates I have circled but it could also be something else. any ideas?

PartyPooper2012 > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 16:11

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but... aren’t those butterfly valves in closed position? Do you need to open them?

Make them parallel to the pipe? OF course I have no idea if those are actually butterfly valves.

Also prime pump.

OPPOsaurus WRX > PartyPooper2012 05/29/2018 at 16:12

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i think its just the angle, they are open, (i think) as opening or closing them makes no change in the way it functions. that is part of the reason i think they are at fault.

TheRealBicycleBuck > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 16:21

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Sounds like the system has a blockage closer to the pool. When I was cleaning them for a living, we’d look for something caught in the skimmer basket or pool drain. You may have to disconnect the black lines and run water through them back toward the pool to dislodge the blockage.

deekster_caddy > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 16:32

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Leak on the suction side allowing air in?

Optionally, exit gates open too much? If you restrict them (not completely blocking) does it keep the basket full longer?

Roadster939 > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 16:54

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A clogged outlet (or filter) would actually help retain water in the basket.

Sounds like your pump is sucking air from somewhere in your inlet side, anywhere from the gasket on the basket cover, through the pipes and valves and the pool intakes. Is the water level on the pool to keep the skimmer full?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 17:02

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Those valves look like shitty gate valves, I’ve never used pvc gate valves, always use ball valves, they are way more reliable. The suction side is the end of the pump right? and it discharges into the tank? You want both valves open then. If there is any air at all getting into the suction side it will loose prime.

The middle thing you have circled is a true union, if it is pulling in air it could be the culprit, I would just cut it out and glue in a coupling.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > PartyPooper2012 05/29/2018 at 17:08

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They’re not ball valves, they’re slide valves.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 17:11

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Those two slide valves... IIRC the rotation of the handle means absolutely nothing as to whether they’re closed or open. You push/pull the handle to operate them.

Out/up to open, down/in to close.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 18:57

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Those are sliding gate style valves. Push down to close. Pull up to open. Provided the arm is connected. Either one or both of them feeding the basket in front of the pump is closed or you have air getting in somewhere. Usually that will show in the form of a leak though. Check the seal on the lift of the basket. It should be a rubber o-ring. Grease it up with petrolatum/Vaseline or the like if it’s in good shape when reinstalling.

What’s the power output of the pump????

OPPOsaurus WRX > V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! 05/29/2018 at 20:31

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yea i know how the gates work, i just dont know if they work. the basket had its o ring replaced last fall. the o ring at that quick connect had fallen out but i found it and its in as well. the same thing was happening, but wait, i get home today and it works fine....not that i’m gunna complain about that but WTF??

OPPOsaurus WRX > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 05/29/2018 at 20:32

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can confirm, shitty gate valves. i went to HomeDepot and got everything to replace all the piping from the black hose up. I get home and the pump pumps again. go figure...

thats kinda what I think is happening, airs getting in but its on the suction side so its two in to the the pump/basket, thru the filter and out the top

OPPOsaurus WRX > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 05/29/2018 at 20:34

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unfortunately i’m not too sure if up and down is any longer an indication of the gate position.

OPPOsaurus WRX > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/29/2018 at 20:34

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i checked the skimmer and the pump basket and the impeller, all clear.

OPPOsaurus WRX > deekster_caddy 05/29/2018 at 20:35

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i can’t tell if they actually work, but it doesn;t seem to make a differnce if its up or down

TheRealBicycleBuck > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/29/2018 at 21:24

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The pump is moving water faster than water can flow through those pipes, probably because there’s an obstruction somewhere in those pipes. It could be leaves or pine needles, or it could be a small animal - mouse, bird, snake, or frog are the most likely candidates.