Bunch of problems lately with my IG pool

[John Rock]

Hi,

Coming back from vacation in August, I noticed that my IG pool was loosing a lot of water. It only looses water when the pump is working. Had a pool company come to test my return to see if it was leaking. It wasn't. Before they left, they suggested to plug the drain hole in the skimmer basket and since then, I'm no longer loosing water, so I suppose the water was being lost somewhere under the skimmer right?

However, after the guys left and I turned on the pump, the other day I noticed a fair amount of water under the filter. Turns out they hadn't opened the return valve correctly so I'm assuming that's what caused my filter to crack in the bottom. I then proceeded to find a used filter, a 250 instead of a 225. Figured that wouldn't be a problem. To save time, I did my best to reuse the fittings of the old setup and started the pump again. The next morning, one fitting had came loose and lost a lot water, in addition to having to pump run on air all that time. Since then, the pump has been making this annoying sound.

Now the other day, after a couple of days not being able to take the leaves, I noticed that the skimmer basket had cracked and been sucked in under the little lip on which is supposed to rest. When to buy a new basket and the next day, was also sucked under the lip! This time, I had to crack it myself to be able to get it out. :x

Now I'm not sure what to do. I almost positive I had the right basket size and I don't want to spend another 30 $ to see it get sucked in again. Is my new filter causing a super suction in the skimmer and causing this? Is the fact that the drain hole in the bottom of the skimmer is plugged causing this issue? A combination of both? Did my skimmer magically expand? I seem to be a really unlucky run and the pool company doesn't seem in a hurry to get back to me... probably because it's pool closing season.

Any suggestions? I'm getting desperate...

 

[Bama Rambler]

We need pictures!

If I'm reading correctly, You have a drain in your skimmer

There are skimmers that have the Main Drain plumbed to the skimmer and you could close that off. Is that what you mean?
Almost always a suction side leak will leak more water when the pump ISN'T running than when it is.

Leaving the return valve closed didn't cause your filter to burst. Your pump can't produce enough pressure to burst a good filter even if deadheaded. You most likely had a weak spot in the filter and the closed valve exacerbated the problem.

If you have the main drain closed off the pump could produce enough suction to "suck" the basket under the lip once it filled with debris.

Have you tried unplugging the skimmer drain since replacing the filter?

 

[John Rock]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I could perhaps take some pictures this weekend if it helps.

Yes, in the bottom of my skimmer, I have one whole going to the pump and another to the drain in the bottom of my pool. That whole has been plugged and since it's been plugged, I haven't really lost any water. Are you sure that plugging that whole could explain the basket getting sucked in? I could remove the plug and buy another basket to test, but at 35 $ a basket, these are expensive (and frustrating) tests. Also, before I would often plug the drain just to get more leaves faster in the skimmer that was floating in the pool, and the basket never got sucked in. If the drain isn't the issue, what else could be causing the basket to get sucked in. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

One thing I would mention is that I don't think the drain was really pulling a significant amount of water before because I would see debris just accumulating around it.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The basket shouldn't have sucked in unless it was completely plugged or it was the wrong basket.