Generic Trouble Shooting

At times, situations will arise that will require attention from your local pool professionals. You may be able to help set up the service call by performing some generic troubleshooting of the potential problem at hand. Poolmanual.com will NOT teach you how to rectify these problems. These problems are too technical and REQUIRE the attention of your local pool professionals. But, we will provide you with troubleshooting tips to help set up the service call and to help protect your investment.

For more specific troubleshooting tips, select from the following:

PUMP SUDDENLY STOPS WORKING
PUMP WILL NOT START-EITHER NO NOISE OF HUMS
PUMP IS LOUD
BREAKER TRIPS
SHORT FILTER RUNS BETWEEN CLEANINGS
SAND IN ON THE FLOOR OF THE POOL
DE POWDER IS ON THE FLOOR OF THE POOL
HEATER WILL NOT HEAT
LEAK DETECTION AT THE EQUIPMENTS
LEAK DETECTION FOR THE POOL STRUCTURE
THE PRESSURE GUAGE

PUMP SUDDENLY STOPS WORKING: Check these areas first:

Has the beaker tripped? If so, reset the breaker. Also, check to make sure that the fuse has not become defective.
Was the power to the equipment accidentally shut "off"? If so, turn the power back "on."
Is the water level low? If so, fill the pool to the standard operating water level (half way up the skimmers).
Have any of the valves accidentally been closed? If so, open the valves.
Are the baskets clean? If not, clean out the pump and skimmer baskets.
Is the lid properly sealed on the pump housing? If not, seal the lid properly. You may need to lubricate the lid O-ring.
Has the time on the time clock elapsed? If so, reset the time clock.

Really, beyond any of these checkpoints, call your local pool professionals for a service call.

PUMP WILL NOT START-EITHER NO NOISE OR ONLY HUMS: Check this area first:

Is the breaker tripped? If so, reset the breaker.

Beyond this, call your local pool professionals for a service call on the pump. If the pump is humming only, but will not run, the thermal switch within the pump is telling the pump that something is wrong. This thermal switch then shuts down the pump to prevent overload and complete disaster-it is a safety mechanism. There is nothing you can do-call your local pool professionals for a service call.

PUMP IS LOUD: Check these areas first:

Is the noise coming from the pump housing (the front of the pump) or is it coming from the motor (the back of the pump)? A loud noise is usually the result of the bearings going out in the motor. But, the loud noise could also be the impellar somehow getting loose, moving out of place, and grinding against the pump housing. Either way, you will need to call your local pool professionals for a service call. But, with this troubleshooting technique, you can really help your local pool professionals diagnose the problem, which will perhaps reduce the "time" (length) of the service call, thus saving you money.
Is the pump sucking air? If so:
- Make sure the level of the pool water is at the standard operating water level (half way up the skimmer).
- Make sure that the pump and skimmer baskets are clean.
- Make sure all of the valves are fully open.
- Make sure that the lid O-ring is in place and that the lid is properly sealed

Beyond this, call your local pool professionals for a service call. As you know, if it is the impellar (within the pump housing) or the motor, you will need to set up a service call. Likewise, if its air that is causing the loud noise, and the water level is okay, the baskets are clean, the valves are fully open, and the O-ring and lid are properly sealed on the pump housing, then cavitation may be occurring-where the pump is struggling to circulate more water than is available to it. There can be a number of causes for cavitation. Whatever the cause, you will need to call your local pool professionals for a service call.

THE BREAKER TRIPS: Call your local pool professionals and explain the situation-a phone call is free; a service call is not. Your local pool professionals may advise you to call an electrician first to make sure it is not a wiring or any other electrical problem. If this is the case, ONLY A LICENSED ELECTRICAIN CAN RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. If the electrical is fine, the problem is probably a faulty motor. Just call your local pool professionals first in order to determine the best (and most economical) game plan.

SHORT FILTER RUNS BETWEEN CLEANINGS: Check these areas first:

Is water chemistry adequate? If not, restore water chemistry.

If pH, Alkalinity, or Hardness levels are high, scale may develop in the plumbing, restricting flow, causing filter runs to be shorter.
Low chlorine (or its alternative) levels make conditions more favorable for algae growth. Algae can clog the filter media:
- Sand filter = sand.
- DE filter = DE powder.
- Cartridge filter = pleats of the pleated filter elements.

Are your cleaning cycles sufficient? Only clean your filter when your pressure guage shows a pressure increase of 8-10 psi above your standard operating pressure.

Sand filter and DE filter = backwash.
Cartridge filter = clean the pleated filter elements with a garden hose and pressurized nozzle

Is the filter media sufficient? If not, replace the filter media.

Sand filter: Has the correct sand been used? "Playground" sand will not work. You need to purchase the proper silica sand from your local pool professionals. Is the sand too old? If so, contract your local pool professionals to perform a sand change.
DE filter: Is the proper amount of DE powder being used? Too much DE powder will not sit properly on the DE grids, which will reduce the effectiveness of the DE powder, causing a shorter filter run between cleanings.
Cartridge filter: Are you sufficiently cleaning the pleated filter elements? Do so. The majority, as well as the most stubborn, dirt and debris will find its way deeply imbedded within the pleats. Make sure to thoroughly hose off the pleats. Are the pleats torn or frayed, or is the base of the filter element cracked? If so, replace the pleated filter elements.

Beyond this, call your local pool professionals for a service call.

SAND IS ON THE FLOOR OF THE POOL: (For those of you with a sand filter only). A lateral, which is positioned at the bottom of your sand filter, has either cracked or is broken, allowing sand to pass through the filter, enter the return (plumbing) lines, and enter the pool, via the return jets. Either way, all the sand has to be removed. Then, each lateral must be removed and inspected in order to determine which lateral(s) are cracked or broken. Once found and replaced, the sand has to be put back into the filter. If it has been a few years since your last sand change, use new sand-sand is fairly inexpensive, and it will save you the headache of having to do this again in the near future; new sand is typically sufficient for 4-5 years. When replacing the sand, be careful. The weight of the sand could crack or break your new (fragile) laterals, causing the same tedious and time-consuming procedure to have to be repeated. If you do the job by yourself, fill the sand filter full of water until the laterals are submerged underwater. Then, very slowly, pour the sand into the filter; the water will disperse the sand evenly. You are much better off contracting your local pool professionals who have experience handling the fragile laterals.

Other reasons for sand in the pool may includes:

Pump may be oversized.
There may be too much sand in the filter.

DE POWDER IS ON THE FLOOR OF THE POOL: (For those of you with a DE filter only). If the DE grids are torn or frayed, some DE powder may pass through the filter, enter the return (plumbing) lines, and enter into the pool, via the return jets. It may also be the manifold within the DE tank or damaged O-rings causing the DE powder to enter the pool. Regardless, call your local pool professionals for a service call.

HEATER WILL NOT HEAT: Check these areas first:

Is the supply (natural gas, propane, or electricity) on? If not, turn it on.
Is the pilot light lit? If not, light the pilot light. This is only for those heaters that require a manual ignition of the pilot light.
Are the baskets clean? If not, clean the skimmer and pump baskets. Full baskets will restrict water circulation. The pressure switch in the heater requires sufficient circulation for the heater to heat.
Is the filter dirty? If so, clean the filter. A dirty filter will also restrict water circulation. Again, the pressure switch in the heater requires sufficient circulation for the heater to heat.
Is the water level sufficient? If not, fill the pool to the standard operating water level (half way up the skimmer).
Are the valves open? If not, open all the valves.

A heater is often best serviced by simply continually using the heater. If the heater is not used, rust will appear, spider webs and nests may be found, and mechanical parts may wear. Use your heater-that is why you paid for the expensive, yet worthwhile investment. Beyond any of the above checkpoints, call your local pool professionals for a service call on the heater. With a heater, if water chemistry is out of balance, the heat exchanger could be corroded to the point of premature failure-an expensive replacement. Monitor your water chemistry.

LEAK DETECTION AT THE EQUIPMENT: Attempt to locate the source of the leak-pump, filter, heater, automatic chemical feeder, connector fitting, any threaded fitting (plug/cap, pressure guage, air relief valve) or the plumbing. You may just need to tighten a fitting. Anything beyond something that you can hand-tighten, call your local pool professionals for a service call.

LEAK DETECTION FOR THE STRUCTURE OF THE POOL: Regardless of your pool type-concrete, gunite, shotcrete, vinyl-liner, fiberglass, or an aboveground-call your local pool professionals for a game plan of how to detect the source of the leak. They will have the best information, given the type of pool that they service on a regular basis.

THE PRESSURE GAUGE: The pressure guage will tell you a lot about the current status of your equipment:

If the pressure on your Pressure Guage is DECREASING, you have an obstruction, which is typically full skimmer and/or pump baskets. To rectify, clean all the baskets. If there is an obstruction in the plumbing, call your local pool professionals for a service call.
If the pressure on your Pressure Guage is INCREASING, you have a dirty filter. To rectify, once the pressure rises 8-10 psi above your standard operating pressure, clean your filter.
- Sand filter or DE filter = backwash.
- Cartridge filter = clean the pleated filter elements with a garden hose and pressurized nozzle.