Is my skimmer too high or pump too powerful?

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borjis

borjis

LifeTime Supporter
Aug 19, 2014
3,612
Pacific NW
odd thing about my pool.

It skims well (after adjusting jets of course) but I noticed that the water level of the pool must be
at least 1/4" ABOVE the middle markings of the skimmer or it vortexes and sucks air every 10 seconds.


If the water level is at the middle mark it has this problem. Above that causes no problem.
Odd since most skimmers have those markings as the ideal fill level for skimming action.

I have a 1.5 hp superpump and wonder if it might be part of the issue as it seems over kill for my pool volume.

If I vacuum without an inlet regulator (it draws in a slight amount of water with an adjustable ring) between
the skimmer inlet and the vac hose, my pump makes a straining sound which in other threads ive seen here
may again indicate too much hp.

or did the builders just install my skimmer too high?


This is more of a curiosity than problem since I just make sure to top up if the water level ever gets
close to the skimmer mid line.
 
Do you have a floor drain?

The 1.5 HP Superpump is not that big of a pump, you could certainly go smaller if you wanted.

Sounds like you should just raise the water level a little bit ;)
 
It wouldn't surprise me if the builders set the tile line wrong or the skimmer at the wrong height.

As for the pump straining with the vacuum.... mine does that, too. Hugely. Air and sloshing in the pump strainer, but not really. It's not drawing air --- there's never any air trapped in the filter because of it. It's just a void, a vacuum. As soon as the vacuum hose comes out or I crack the three-way and let it draw from the spa as well, it goes away. A lengthy reduced-diameter hose - which isn't the smoothest inside, either - of course doesn't flow as muich as a nice smooth wide pipe.

I wouldn't worry about any of it.
 
Most pools come with an overflow grate, hopefully you have one. If so your waterline is 1/4" below or at the base of that grate, I never use the skimmer lines due to differences. Another judge is 1/2 way up the tile line for the fill mark.
 
I have an inground vinyl. Don't have that (not common on vinyl lined pools pretty sure). I didn't have one in my gunite pool at the last house either.

In my neck of the woods I've seen plenty of pools and only the public commercial pools have them.
 
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