Stuck suction valve

[PearlandPoolFam]

I’m not sure I have the correct wording for our problem. We have a suction line shared between main drain on pool floor and one skimmer. It’s usually split pulling from both spots. It’s currently only pulling from skimmer which causes problems. It’s pulling so much when the pool pump primes, it’s sucking the weir door shut. We have tried turning the valve which we do when we use the suction line for cleaning, but it’s staying 100% in skimmer.
Any ideas are appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Texas Splash]

Good morning. You have two lines coming up out of the ground into your first 3-way valve. Which line is the skimmer and which is the drain? If the handle/valve is operating correctly, it appears the line on the left is fully open and the line on the right might be slightly closed. Have you tried, with pump OFF, loosening that knob on the top of the handle so that you can turn the handle past any "stops" it might be hitting?

 

[duraleigh]

You can get an equalizer which will automatically reduce the flow to the skimmer, forcing more water to be pulled from the main drain. Pretty ingenious device and just drops into the bottom of your skimmer and is adjustable.
Equalizer
This assumes your main drain is not clogged.

 

[1poolman1]

I’m not sure I have the correct wording for our problem. We have a suction line shared between main drain on pool floor and one skimmer. It’s usually split pulling from both spots. It’s currently only pulling from skimmer which causes problems. It’s pulling so much when the pool pump primes, it’s sucking the weir door shut. We have tried turning the valve which we do when we use the suction line for cleaning, but it’s staying 100% in skimmer.
Any ideas are appreciated!

Thanks

Pulling weir door shut (completely upright) or flat when priming(completely down)? If the latter its not a problem as the weir will raise as the pump slows down. You can adjust the priming speed of that pump if it still causes an issue. Excellent video (disregard that the video is for a Super Pump):

 

[PearlandPoolFam]

Good morning. You have two lines coming up out of the ground into your first 3-way valve. Which line is the skimmer and which is the drain? If the handle/valve is operating correctly, it appears the line on the left is fully open and the line on the right might be slightly closed. Have you tried, with pump OFF, loosening that knob on the top of the handle so that you can turn the handle past any "stops" it might be hitting?

We can try that this afternoon

Pulling weir door shut (completely upright) or flat when priming(completely down)? If the latter its not a problem as the weir will raise as the pump slows down. You can adjust the priming speed of that pump if it still causes an issue. Excellent video (disregard that the video is for a Super Pump):

Thanks! Its a new problem and it pulls the weir door upright. While its priming its pulling in air. We have had our pool ~3 years and this is a completely new problem. I can hear a little tiny brief suction noise when I manually turn the valve to open/close the main drain/skimmer line, but the suction flow to the skimmer doesnt change. It stays only to skimmer. I hope we dont have a clog!

 

[ferretbone]

Your valve is broke. The one on the bottom your using to close and open your skimmer and drain. I'm not 100% sure but that's the problem your having right? Take the handle off that valve and unscrew the lid. What if you are turning the handle of that valve but nothing inside the valve was moving? Only the handle.
That is what you are saying is happening right? So open the valve up. That has to be the problem.

 

[1poolman1]

We can try that this afternoon

Thanks! Its a new problem and it pulls the weir door upright. While its priming its pulling in air. We have had our pool ~3 years and this is a completely new problem. I can hear a little tiny brief suction noise when I manually turn the valve to open/close the main drain/skimmer line, but the suction flow to the skimmer doesnt change. It stays only to skimmer. I hope we dont have a clog!

If the weir door is pulled upright it is on the wrong side of the stop at the top of the skimmer throat that is there to prevent it from falling toward the pool.

 

[PearlandPoolFam]

Your valve is broke. The one on the bottom your using to close and open your skimmer and drain. I'm not 100% sure but that's the problem your having right? Take the handle off that valve and unscrew the lid. What if you are turning the handle of that valve but nothing inside the valve was moving? Only the handle.
That is what you are saying is happening right? So open the valve up. That has to be the problem.

I think this is the problem too and over my skill level for sure. We have someone called to come look at it.