Greetings to all! I am an experienced, pool owner for 13 years, and completely self managed pool owner for the last 7 years, except for the installation of my DE filter in 2004 by someone else. I even installed my most existing motor in 2005. But this current issue has stumped me.
Does anyone have suggestions for troubleshooting reduced suction through the vac head end of the hose?
My pool pump, motor and filter appear to run normally without vac hose hooked up, i.e. normal swim operation. The skimmer appears to suck in floating leaves etc normally, the return jets are strong and release no air bubbles or air "fizz."
Several months ago, I noticed my vac head suction pressure became weak. Years ago, if not more recently, the suction was so strong, you could see leaves and algae being sucked in outside the vac head. Not now.
When the skimmer plate and vac head are all hooked up after I use a return jet to prime the hose, as I have always done back in the days when vac head suction was strong, the hose used to have water flowing out the end that I stuck up to the return jet. Now, with the old or new hose, it doesn't "overflow" with water out this end as it used to do.
With the equipment hooked up and attempting to vac, the return jet nearest the pool pump, now typically lets out tons of tiny air bubbles that look like soft drink fizz. At first I thought it was DE.
Here is what I have tried, all to no avail:
1. backwashed DE filter - filter grid assembly is 7 years old
2. removed DE filter, disassembled 7 long and 1 short grids, hosed down thoroughly, reassembled and recharged DE - baseline PSI used to be 1 PSI when it was new in 2004, now, even after full disassembly and cleaning, the baseline PSI is 8 PSI, just a hair less than right after backwash with no reassembly
3. pulled pump basket, checked impeller for debris - none found
4. replaced hose cuff on the end of the hose attached to the skimmer plate - there was a small tear that I previously had used Monster Tape to cover
5. replaced entire vac hose with a brand new hose
6. tried vac on WASTE setting to see if the filter itself is an issue
7. tried vac on RECIRC setting to see if the filter itself is an issue - knowing on this setting any debris sucked up would be sent right back out the return jets
Any reasonable suggestions are appreciated!
Thank you!
Todd
Charlotte, NC
Does anyone have suggestions for troubleshooting reduced suction through the vac head end of the hose?
My pool pump, motor and filter appear to run normally without vac hose hooked up, i.e. normal swim operation. The skimmer appears to suck in floating leaves etc normally, the return jets are strong and release no air bubbles or air "fizz."
Several months ago, I noticed my vac head suction pressure became weak. Years ago, if not more recently, the suction was so strong, you could see leaves and algae being sucked in outside the vac head. Not now.
When the skimmer plate and vac head are all hooked up after I use a return jet to prime the hose, as I have always done back in the days when vac head suction was strong, the hose used to have water flowing out the end that I stuck up to the return jet. Now, with the old or new hose, it doesn't "overflow" with water out this end as it used to do.
With the equipment hooked up and attempting to vac, the return jet nearest the pool pump, now typically lets out tons of tiny air bubbles that look like soft drink fizz. At first I thought it was DE.
Here is what I have tried, all to no avail:
1. backwashed DE filter - filter grid assembly is 7 years old
2. removed DE filter, disassembled 7 long and 1 short grids, hosed down thoroughly, reassembled and recharged DE - baseline PSI used to be 1 PSI when it was new in 2004, now, even after full disassembly and cleaning, the baseline PSI is 8 PSI, just a hair less than right after backwash with no reassembly
3. pulled pump basket, checked impeller for debris - none found
4. replaced hose cuff on the end of the hose attached to the skimmer plate - there was a small tear that I previously had used Monster Tape to cover
5. replaced entire vac hose with a brand new hose
6. tried vac on WASTE setting to see if the filter itself is an issue
7. tried vac on RECIRC setting to see if the filter itself is an issue - knowing on this setting any debris sucked up would be sent right back out the return jets
Any reasonable suggestions are appreciated!
Thank you!
Todd
Charlotte, NC