Dedicated vacuum line versus vacuuming from skimmer?

[MitchRyan912]

Do many pools have a dedicated vacuum line or does everyone usually plug their vacuum equipment up to the skimmer?

i have a dedicated vac line but would like to convert it to a return line. I don't know if it's worth it to look into changing it or not?

 

[jblizzle]

Much better to have a dedicated line IMO. Allows you to maintain some skimming at the same time. And usually the ports are more central in the pool.

Why do you think you need another return line?

 

[MitchRyan912]

I only have one return in a rectangular pool. I have a lot of dead spots and things tend to float right by the skimmer.

 

[jblizzle]

Does the skimmer have a weir?
How much of the suction you have through the skimmer?

 

[MitchRyan912]

Yes, it has a weir. It's not stuck shut. I'm not sure how to quantify how much suction the skimmer has. I could take a video and show how things just float by the skimmer?

 

[jblizzle]

Adding another return is not going to help things get pulled into the skimmer much at all.

Do you have a floor drain that is turned on? How is everything plumbed?

Is this a problem only when the suction cleaner is running?

 

[MitchRyan912]

The problem is mostly circulation. I've got a rectangular pool with one return in the shallow end, which has a 90 elbow pointed towards the deep end and downward slightly. There isn't enough circulation to get anything into the skimmer, unless the debris happens to make several passes. Lots of small stuff just ends up sticking to the opposite side of the pool.

I was hoping to convert the vac line in the deep end to a second return, to force the water a second direction, in hopes that it would get a circular motion going in the water.

- - - Updated - - -

No floor drain.

I I think I could redo the piping back here to achieve what I'm after. I've had it suggested to add another valve that I could use to make the vac line (left valve) be either a suction or a return line.

 

[Joshy]

That sounds like an excellent idea (adding another valve to make vac line a return line). The pool I grew up with was rectangular and had only one return line which was on the same wall as the skimmer. It was maddening to watch the surface debris whirlpool around and completely miss the skimmer... I feel your pain.

Wouldn't a simpler solution be to point the elbow straight down?

 

[Richard320]

I manage just fine vacuuming by hooking the hose into the skimmer. I have three returns and wish I had six or eight. I'd bote to convert it.