I have a feeling that these aren't supposed to be here....
I don't have my waterfall working yet so I'm running outlet from pump through the TPR only. What might be causing these bubbles? They don't go away with time like I thought they would.
I have a feeling that these aren't supposed to be here....
I don't have my waterfall working yet so I'm running outlet from pump through the TPR only. What might be causing these bubbles? They don't go away with time like I thought they would.
LOL i just realized maybe i should have put the liner in with the other side up, the side w/o text on it. too late now
Looks like a pump sucking air.
George
To be dressed appropriately still means having to be dressed.
I've been told I don't listen, or something like that.
I agree you're picking up air somewhere along the line. Start at the pump intake...is there a little vortex funnel in the water?? I had to put a 90* on aimed down to get rid of that little problemOriginally Posted by GMan
G
not enough of a funnel to go all the way to the vortex exit. i have a basket on the exit and putting a t-shirt on the basket seems to prevent the air sucking funnel. but i turned the 90 downwards anyway (without basket/t-shirt) and it didn't help any. at lunch i will try shutting off either the skimmer input or vortex input and see if either one makes a difference.
I had similar probs before where my pump was sucking air from my biofilter blower and bubbles are coming out from my TPR. I just placed a bit of polyshade over my submerge pump and fixed it
rgds,
Jon
Drew - Glad you are asking the experts. I'll be interested to see what is causing it. - Carla
"is more n no sense" - Carla
The air can also enter on the pressure side of the pump. A small hole in the right spot can cause a venturi effect pulling air along with the water in to the pond.
Do you have a leaf basket on your pump? Does the cover seal well?
Stan
Would not a little more air be a good thing?
Kathy in SC
Lifetime charter Member #3
I think the extra air could be a good thing...unless it is going thru the pump. Tiny air bubbles in the pump are bad for it.
spent 2 hours in the rain and fixed one problem. i had a small leak at one of my fernco fittings on the TPR so i took the fitting off and found a nick in the pipe about 1/2" from the end where water was leaking through. so i cut off the 1/2" and reconnected.
still getting bubbles though.
i'll do some more looking after the rain passes.
i removed all the connections to the pump, then re-Tefloned and reinstalled. it looked like i was bubble free for a few minutes and then started getting little bubbles again. should i try some plumbers goop on the pump connection threads?
Hi Drew,
Try to use solvent with your plumbing. I have used teflon tape before but it gave way and lost a some of water before my float switch shuts off every thing.
rgds,
Jon
i don't think i want to permanently glue the threaded connections on the pump, do i? or am i misunderstanding what sort of solvent you are talking about?
Sounds like it to me too. The threaded connections need tape not solvent I think.
Since you removed all the connections and re-did, air must be coming from somewhere else, right? Are you pulling from the skimmer or can air be getting into the vortex pipe after all?
"
On direct suction if your too close to a tight bend the water speeds that vary between the inside and outside of the pipe bend will tear the air out of the water.
Probably not the case as it wouldn't produce that much as pictured. It almost a sure bet it's on the suction side. On the pressure side water will leak out rather than air in.
Any pics of the run up to the pump and filters to help diagnose?
Garrett
Most of the time but not necessarily. If a hole is in the right spot (low pressure area caused by turbulence within the pipe) it can cause a venturi effect and suck air in.
Stan
"are there any pics?" LOL
CLICK ANY PICTURE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW
- in the pump pit...
the left exit from the 3-way (around the trap) = TPRdisregard the 3" pipe running above everything else - it's the exit from the house basement sumps.
the right exit from 3-way (closed) = SKIPPY (not running yet)
the right input with ball valve (shorter pipe) = vortex
the left input with ball valve (longer pipe) = skimmer
i don't have any pics of the whole vortex pit with current connections but the one below shows the vortex (on the left). the barrel on the right received drainage from vortex and skippy and has a sump in it. i'll get a current pic.
- TPR line. the BD line runs below the TPR
- skimmer line in foreground
- BD plumbing (skimmer line open at right). the 3/4" flex is from the air diffuser in the BD, i pulled it back for the pic.
- skimmer (the intermediary photo of skimmer plumbing got trashed when the batteries in my camera died so i never got it)
Last edited by drewkeller; 09-30-2005 at 10:32 AM.
But the odds suggest it's on the suction side.
The strainer your using is small enough that air would be pulled right through. That's the first place I'd check though. There have been problems reported with those baskets. I had a tall strainer and it would drain down low enough till the pump could pull the air through then the bubbles would start coming out like yours.
Next take a hose and use it like a stethoscope. Small air leaks on the suction side will make a high a pitched whining sound and can be located that way. I was able to get my ear right on the pipe and heard it then tracked it down with the hose, this was all over the noise of the pump and filters.
Anything before the vortex/barrels shouldn't matter. Is the skimmer direct suction? If so that piping could do it.
Lastly depending on flow that last 90°'s and "T" before the pump could be causing turbulence and ripping the air out of the water, again it seems like a lot of air for that and a small leak is more likely.
Garrett
how would i check that? with the hose "stethoscope"? seems like i would hear more water noise than sucking noise there. doesn't hurt to try though.
forgot to mention, the skimmer is directly connected to pump, but the bubbles are still there when i have the skimmer ball valve closed.
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