Floating skimmer baskets when pump is on

[Mattikuss]

Hi Friends,

I have a variable speed pump that I run at 2250 RPM (about 50 GPM) 24/7. To me, this seems high but any lower speed and my pump basket gets full of air. Also, my wife complains of floating debris on top of the water and anything less than this speed doesn’t seem to filter the water.

My skimmer baskets are always lifting out of the housing. I see a bunch of posts of this happening when the pump is off but my pump is never off and this happens. Is there something bigger amiss with my system? What about the drain, should I be closing the drain off so all the suction is going through the skimmers? Please help!

 

[pjt]

I have a variable speed pump that I run at 2250 RPM

That's high. What's the minimum speed that still satisfies the flow switch on your SWCG?

my pump basket gets full of air

Have you investigated the possibility of a suction side air leak? How bad is the problem? Can you post a picture?

my wife complains of floating debris on top of the water

More skimmer suction will help.

My skimmer baskets are always lifting out of the housing.

Put a rock in the skimmer basket. Make sure it's larger than the skimmer suction pipe in the bottom so it can't go into the pipe by accident.

should I be closing the drain off so all the suction is going through the skimmers?

That would help maximize the effectiveness of your skimmer(s). Do you have a reason to pull water from the main drain?

 

[RHanna]

Other more qualified members will chime in, when was the last time you cleaned your filter? It sounds like you have almost no suction from the skimmer with poor skimming and the basket floating. Do leaves and debris also float?
Do you have a lot of air coming out of the return jets?
You could replace/inspect the big o ring in your pump cover. I had a dandelion seed on my O-ring last week that was causing some air in the pump.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Turn the skimmer to 90% and main drain to 10% suction and then put the aforementioned rock in the basket to make sure it stays down when the pump is off.

 

[Mattikuss]

That's high. What's the minimum speed that still satisfies the flow switch on your SWCG?

Minimum is 1750rpm which would be a little over 20gpm (the minimum flow rate required of an IC-40). However, at 1750 my pump basket fills with air, I’m guessing the big rubber ring has a leak somewhere (my pool is less than 2 years old).

Have you investigated the possibility of a suction side air leak? How bad is the problem? Can you post a picture?

It’s bad, about half the basket full of air if suction is too low

More skimmer suction will help.


Put a rock in the skimmer basket. Make sure it's larger than the skimmer suction pipe in the bottom so it can't go into the pipe by accident.

Done.

That would help maximize the effectiveness of your skimmer(s). Do you have a reason to pull water from the main drain?

Other than to pull debris off the bottom of the pool, no, but last summer I didn’t have to mess with any of this, which is my reason for concern.

My filters are clean.

 

[Mattikuss]

Other more qualified members will chime in, when was the last time you cleaned your filter? It sounds like you have almost no suction from the skimmer with poor skimming and the basket floating. Do leaves and debris also float?
Do you have a lot of air coming out of the return jets?
You could replace/inspect the big o ring in your pump cover. I had a dandelion seed on my O-ring last week that was causing some air in the pump.

Filters are clean, I cleaned them at the end of last season and I opened my pool a couple weeks ago.
Not anything significant from return jets.
Good call on the o ring. I’d like to try cleaning a lubing before I replace, it’s not even 2 years old. What lube do I use?

 

[PoolStored]

Look on the underside of you skimmer cover and give us the skimmer part number.

If you have air in your pump, read and follow this:

Pump Basics - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[pjt]

Minimum is 1750rpm which would be a little over 20gpm

GPM isn't that useful. You'll have to experiment to determine the minimum RPM that closes the flow swtich. Keep lowering the pump speed until you get a red flow light. Add 100-200 RPM and use that as your RPM floor.

I’m guessing the big rubber ring has a leak somewhere

That's common and quite possible. Makes sense to start troubleshooting there. The o-ring and the mating surfaces must be clean. Apply a thin coat of lube.

pull debris off the bottom of the pool

Main drains don't really do that. The suction is too weak and dispersed.

What lube do I use?

Aladdin Magic Lube II Silicone

https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Lube-II-Silicone-oz/dp/B0030CVCJI