Installing Valve Actuator between wall suction and skimmer/main drain

[Dennyhle]

I inherited this pool when I bought my house. It looks like the pool returns splits off into wall suction and skimmer/main drain. I believe the skimmer and main drain share the same return pipe. There is a valve that lets me manually control the amount of flow that is split from the wall suction and skimmer/main drain. By default the valve is split so that both the return pipes get flow. But the problem that I've experienced with this is that even at like 2500 rpm my pool suction vacuum cleaner does not work very well. It works fine if I close off the valve to the skimmer/main drain. Is it worthwhile at all to install a valve actuator there and have it automatically switch to 100% flow for wall suction during my 2-hour 2500 rpm cleaning window and then switch back to 100% skimmer/main drain in the lower 1400 rpm phase? In the 1400 rpm phase, there is not enough flow to get the vacuum really working so it barely moves but it is siphoning power away from the skimmer.

It makes sense to me to do this but just wanted to run it by people that know better.

 

[ajw22]

Suction and returns are never plumbed together. Things about your post don’t make sense.

Show us pics of your situation.

 

[HermanTX]

But the problem that I've experienced with this is that even at like 2500 rpm my pool suction vacuum cleaner does not work very well. It works fine if I close off the valve to the skimmer/main drain. Is it worthwhile at all to install a valve actuator there and have it automatically switch to 100% flow for wall suction during my 2-hour 2500 rpm cleaning window and then switch back to 100% skimmer/main drain in the lower 1400 rpm phase?

Yes - a suction side vacuum needs 100% of suction from the pool to work properly. Therefore manually turning the valve off to the MD/Skimmer suction is best. Then rotate 180 degrees to run the pool normally with suction from MD/skimmers and nothing from the suction side cleaner.
Adding a actuator to that valve can work however, what automation system do you have to control it?

Do you have a valve that controls the flow between the skimmer and the main drain? Is that automated?

For clarification of terminology - we say that all piping from the pool (main drain, skimmers, suction cleaners) to the pump are suction lines and all piping from the filter to the pool are return lines, i.e. return to the pool.

 

[Dennyhle]

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[Dennyhle]

Yes - a suction side vacuum needs 100% of suction from the pool to work properly. Therefore manually turning the valve off to the MD/Skimmer suction is best. Then rotate 180 degrees to run the pool normally with suction from MD/skimmers and nothing from the suction side cleaner.
Adding a actuator to that valve can work however, what automation system do you have to control it?

Do you have a valve that controls the flow between the skimmer and the main drain? Is that automated?

For clarification of terminology - we say that all piping from the pool (main drain, skimmers, suction cleaners) to the pump are suction lines and all piping from the filter to the pool are return lines, i.e. return to the pool.

Thanks for responding.

Oh yes I'm sorry I meant suction not returns. There is no valve to control skimmer/main drain. There are 3 pipes going out of the ground going into my filter basket. One is spa, one is wall suction, and last one is skimmer/main drain. There is a valve actuator between spa <--> wall suction / skimmer main drain. There is another valve (no actuator) between wall suction and skimmer/main drain. Skimmer and main drain share the same pipe coming out of the ground.

I have a Jandy IQ30-RS for automation. Can I hook up a 3rd valve actuator to that? Seems like I should have 2 JVA sockets free for cleaner and solar. I don't actually know what those are for but can they be used for my purposes?

Also I am thinking what would happen if I accidentally have the vacuum disconnected during cleaning phase and the wall suction is closed with 100% flow from wall suction, would this mess up my pump? Maybe its better to have valve actuator never go 100% to wall suction? Is it possible for the valves to go like 80%/20% or can it only go 100% / 0%

 

[HermanTX]

Oh yes I'm sorry I meant suction not returns. There is no valve to control skimmer/main drain. There are 3 pipes going out of the ground going into my filter basket. One is spa, one is wall suction, and last one is skimmer/main drain. There is a valve actuator between spa <--> wall suction / skimmer main drain. There is another valve (no actuator) between wall suction and skimmer/main drain. Skimmer and main drain share the same pipe coming out of the ground.

a photo would help visualize this.

Your Comment "I have a Jandy IQ30-RS for automation. Can I hook up a 3rd valve actuator to that? Seems like I should have 2 JVA sockets free for cleaner and solar. I don't actually know what those are for but can they be used for my purposes?"

See this link and look at the section on automation of a water feature. I think you can do the same for a cleaner valve to automate it.

Jandy Aqualink RS - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[1poolman1]

I inherited this pool when I bought my house. It looks like the pool returns splits off into wall suction and skimmer/main drain. I believe the skimmer and main drain share the same return pipe. There is a valve that lets me manually control the amount of flow that is split from the wall suction and skimmer/main drain. By default the valve is split so that both the return pipes get flow. But the problem that I've experienced with this is that even at like 2500 rpm my pool suction vacuum cleaner does not work very well. It works fine if I close off the valve to the skimmer/main drain. Is it worthwhile at all to install a valve actuator there and have it automatically switch to 100% flow for wall suction during my 2-hour 2500 rpm cleaning window and then switch back to 100% skimmer/main drain in the lower 1400 rpm phase? In the 1400 rpm phase, there is not enough flow to get the vacuum really working so it barely moves but it is siphoning power away from the skimmer.

It makes sense to me to do this but just wanted to run it by people that know better.

With automation, that is the way many pools with suction cleaners are set up. IQ30 is the control, but you likely have a Jandy RS8 board. Yes, it will control a third valve.

 

[Dennyhle]

With automation, that is the way many pools with suction cleaners are set up. IQ30 is the control, but you likely have a Jandy RS8 board. Yes, it will control a third valve.

Attached is a photo of my set up. I've decided to add an actuator there. My question is....is it a bad idea to have flow completely off to the skimmer/main drain and have 100% flow to the wall suction? Wall suction is that smaller vertical pipe there. What I'm afraid of is, if me or someone else disconnects the vacuum hose which will make the spring loaded cap to the wall suction automatic close. This will make it so the pump will run with zero flow. Can't be good for the pump right? Should I always automate it so that there is at least some flow from the skimmer / main drain to prevent this?

 

[1poolman1]

Attached is a photo of my set up. I've decided to add an actuator there. My question is....is it a bad idea to have flow completely off to the skimmer/main drain and have 100% flow to the wall suction? Wall suction is that smaller vertical pipe there. What I'm afraid of is, if me or someone else disconnects the vacuum hose which will make the spring loaded cap to the wall suction automatic close. This will make it so the pump will run with zero flow. Can't be good for the pump right? Should I always automate it so that there is at least some flow from the skimmer / main drain to prevent this?

Should never be able to stop all flow when the pump is running, you're correct. Shouldn't need 100% flow from the suction-cleaner port to make the device run. Filter should be running every time the pool is in use so all suction to the cleaner port with the cleaner out of the pool would be bad.

 

[HermanTX]

Attached is a photo of my set up. I've decided to add an actuator there. My question is....is it a bad idea to have flow completely off to the skimmer/main drain and have 100% flow to the wall suction?

Based on your photo, when the cleaner port is open the skimmer/MD port is closed by moving 90 degs, You only rotate 90 deg from cleaner open/skimmer closed to cleaner closed/skimmer open. You never want the valve to go left to close off both ports.
An automated actuator is set up to rotate 180 degrees - you will need to cam it to only move 90 degrees or less.