(Total noob) skimmer and drain issues

[Brett_N]

Hi guys....after relentless searching, I'm lost....

i dont think think my bottom drain is working....but, weird thing is, I have no diverter valve, so it must all be controlled in the skimmer.

There is a hose attachment in the bottom (lousy picture, sorry, it's dark out) but that seems to be stuck like glue. Should I get the vise-grips out and yank away on that thing and see if it pops out? I hesitate, since that's the only way I can hook up my vacuum hoses.

Let me see if I can get this image to attach...

I'm learning...ugh...28,000 gallons is...entertaining.....

 

[Brett_N]

Sorry mods, this may be better moved to pumps? Just figuring out the different sections, my bad.

 

[pooldv]

I think we need some daytime pics.

 

[Brett_N]

I'll see what I can get tomorrow when the sun is up. It doesn't look like much, just a black plastic tube that seems to go down about 6 inches into the bottom of the skimmer, and the vac hose then attaches on top. I think it blocks off the bottom drain port, but I'm new to this and don't want to break something that requires a nightmare to fix. I almost wonder if it isn't a poor mans vacuum attachment that just managed to get stuck, but again, I don't want to break anything.

 

[Brett_N]

Here's a couple more daylight pictures - the reflection is so bad I think the night ones are better!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63406904/20150722_064221.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63406904/20150722_064229.jpg

 

[pooldv]

I got nothing, sorry. Is that a concrete skimmer box? There are vacuum hose adapters that people use to connect a vacuum to the skimmer line.

 

[OldPoolMan]

It is an old time diverter valve that rotates to suck water from the main drain. You need to loosten it if you want main drain action. It's a pug in, it's not threaded in. How old is your pool?

 

[Brett_N]

Thanks OldPoolMan - I think your onto it. And yes Pooldv - it's a concerte skimmer box with some sort of pebbling around it.

The pool is old. Guessing it may have been put in mid-80's, but it could be as old as 1971 when the house was built.

- - - Updated - - -

If I can manage to get this thing out, what do I replace it with? One of the swing door type diverters that just sits on the bottom of the skimmer?

 

[pooldv]

Very interesting! Sorry, I have no clue. But, I like old pools.

 

[Brett_N]

After a (typical Saturday morning) trips to the pool store, we think we figured out what the part looks like. (Special thanks to the guys at B&B in Tempe!)

Like this...

Dropbox - 20150725_100427.jpg

problem is, I can't get the old one out!!! Ahhhh!!!

but I did manage to spend the rest of the morning cleaning the cartridges so the pump is happy again. Now to install the SuperPump

 

[OldPoolMan]

Well Brett, the really old pools like yours used brass diverters. The newer ones used plastics. If you get desperate to get it out, careful use of muratic avoid could help, otherwise draining down the pool and using stuff like wd40 would do it. But, that's last resort!

 

[Brett_N]

Thanks poolman (hate calling ya' old LoL!)

would they hey have used brass fittings with plastic inserts? The thingy that's in there is definitely plastic. I made a giant "T" shaped wrench with some PVC tubes but still couldn't get it to budge. If the concrete side insert is brass, I can see it maybe having expanded so much that it locked up tight (it's hot hot hot in phoenix right now!!) but plastic shouldn't expand the same way.

I picked up up the new diverter. I'm going to follow your advice and wait until I need an acid wash and sanding (nasty calcium deposits, I may need a re-plaster) and give it a good shot off wd40. Or cut it out, or something similar, but I need the water level down and I can't afford to break it off and lose my vacuum.