Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum as I just bought my first house with a pool. Im learning slowly about care and maintenance, so far so good. I have an older pool (probably built in the 50s), in-ground about 19,000 gallons. My skimmer is probably original and from best I can tell it is a Landon Skim Filter. I've been told at one time the actual filter went inside the skimmer (I now have an actually filter near the pool pump). It is extremely deep and near impossible to attach a vacuum hose all the way on the bottom. There is a hole on the side of the pool which I believe goes to a hole on the inside wall of the skimmer. Is anyone familiar with these old skimmers that can tell me how they operate and have any suggestions or tips on how to attach the vacuum?
Landon Skim Filter
- Thread starter ajohnson217
- Start date
Kim, here is a picture. Its difficult to get a picture inside because its dark and deep. Hopefully this will help.
Yes, I know that filter. The hole in the side of the skimmer is to the main drain. You would make it work by the use of a vac plate that covered the area over the grid assembly. In the old days what we would do is remove the filter set and use pipe that would create a stand pipe from the hole in the bottom of the skimmer. Its what, 20in or so? Some of them were threaded, some bot
You'll need to be creative. Use 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 pvc. Let us know what happens
You'll need to be creative. Use 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 pvc. Let us know what happens
Oldpoolman, there are two holes on the walls of the skimmer. One goes to a hole in the pool wall, I'm assuming to hook up a vacuum but I don't know how I would get suction from that hole.
How does the hole in the side of the skimmer go to the main drain?
Where IS the hole on the side of the skimmer? I guess that would be helpful to know.
This is a neat puzzle to figure out. FUN!
"create a stand pipe from the hole in the bottom of the skimmer" So you would put the bottom of the vac plate on the stand plate and the vac hose on the top of the vac plate or the little 90 piece?
Kim
Where IS the hole on the side of the skimmer? I guess that would be helpful to know.
This is a neat puzzle to figure out. FUN!
"create a stand pipe from the hole in the bottom of the skimmer" So you would put the bottom of the vac plate on the stand plate and the vac hose on the top of the vac plate or the little 90 piece?
Kim
Kim, I'm not sure how the hole goes to the main drain. When I put my hand over it, I feel no suction.
The two holes on the inside of the skimmer are directly across from each other parallel to the pool. I know one goes to a hole in the wall of the pool. I didn't know where the other one went but according to Oldpoolman it goes to the main drain.
The two holes on the inside of the skimmer are directly across from each other parallel to the pool. I know one goes to a hole in the wall of the pool. I didn't know where the other one went but according to Oldpoolman it goes to the main drain.
Okay I see now..........the main drain could be plumbed to the skimmer using pipe going under or inside the gunite. I was thinking the hole was pointed at the pool straight from the skimmer.
So your water gets pulled into the skimmer, down the deep hole to the pump and filter. Can you feel the bottom of the skimmer hole or even see it?
Do you have valves on your equipment? Do you know what they each do?
Kim
So your water gets pulled into the skimmer, down the deep hole to the pump and filter. Can you feel the bottom of the skimmer hole or even see it?
Do you have valves on your equipment? Do you know what they each do?
Kim
Yes, the water gets pulled to the bottom of the skimmer then to the pump and filter. I can't reach the bottom of the skimmer so what I've been doing is using a long pvc pipe that I made and hooking the vacuum hose to it. It works but it's a pain. I'm wondering how I can utilize the connection on the side of the pool wall but it just goes directly to the inside of the skimmer.
The only valve on my equipment is to backwash the filter but there are no valves to redirect suction.
The only valve on my equipment is to backwash the filter but there are no valves to redirect suction.
Okay here is my wild idea. I have NO idea if it will work so......LOL
Is there some way you can close off the skimmer so the pump is forced to use the side pipe? I am seeing some kind of cover made of rubber or such on the top opening with something heavy to hold it down. It would have to be wide enough to keep it from going into the skimmer. THEN you would have to find a way to stop the water/air from going into the skimmer from the pool side.
I am just thinking out loud and throwing ideas out there. See what you come up with.
Kim (my poor husband will tell you that SOME of my wild ideas even end up working LOL)
Is there some way you can close off the skimmer so the pump is forced to use the side pipe? I am seeing some kind of cover made of rubber or such on the top opening with something heavy to hold it down. It would have to be wide enough to keep it from going into the skimmer. THEN you would have to find a way to stop the water/air from going into the skimmer from the pool side.
I am just thinking out loud and throwing ideas out there. See what you come up with.
Kim (my poor husband will tell you that SOME of my wild ideas even end up working LOL)
The more I think about this the more questions I have. Since Oldpoolman said one of the side pipes goes to the main drain, I'm wondering if I have any suction from the main drain at all now, probably not or verry little. I wish I could see one of the old filters that use to go into the skimmer so I could see how it was set up. I've scoured the Internet and haven't been able to find anything.
I'm back AJ. Yeah, you live in LA. That's where I used to live. And worked on that filter! Here is what I remember. There were 2 holes. The part you no longer have, I guess is the vac plate. It was, hmmm. Some 15 or so in diameter? When you pushed it down over the grid assembly, it then forced the suction to come from either of the 2 holes. If I recall, we would plug one hole, and leave the other open. One hole was a main drain hole for brushing, and the other was a side vac line. I'm pretty sure the large vac plate was metal with a rubber gasket around the edge. This was called a deck filter. The pipe I mentioned was to allow you to vacuum the pool. It's like, what, 2' down. I'll monitor your response. I used to live in LA
Thanks oldpoolman, I understand now! I don't have the filter grid assembly or the vac plate but I'm guessing I don't really need it since I have a regular filter near the pool pump. It would be nice to be able to use the side vac line but I guess I can continue to use the pvc pipe I made to reach down to the bottom hole.
Im still wondering, is there any suction from the main drain if the vac plate isn't there or is all the water being sent to the pump through the skimmer?
Did this look like parts? What is the king sleeve for?
Im still wondering, is there any suction from the main drain if the vac plate isn't there or is all the water being sent to the pump through the skimmer?
Did this look like parts? What is the king sleeve for?
Oh, what would you plug the other hole with when you were going to use one of the two side holes?
I don't recall if those holes were threaded or not. If not you could use an expansion plug, or something like that. Actually you could make the drain work if you can use a piece of hose ie pool cleaner hose, and stick one end into your standpipe and the other end into the main drain hole. Of course you need to see which hole is which. Sounds jive, but that would work Make sense?