So, I inherited a pool. It's been a steep learning curve. My current task is figuring out a best practice for vacuuming, which brings me to the question of why I have two "holes" in my skimmer, and no, I don't mean inflow and outflow in one skimmer basket, I mean I have what you might call a dual or twin skimmer, I think... See attached pic. I tried covering one of them then using a vacuum plate but my pump ended up surging, which hasn't happened before, so I hastily shut the show down. Wondering now if there's a correct method for setting up to vacuum with a system like this as pretty much everything I'm finding online related to just the one skimmer with basket...
Newbie Question, first of 400...
- Thread starter warrenmacdonald
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Mine is similar, but with two holes in one skimmer basket .. Stick your hand in there and feel for which hole has suction.. that is the one you want to stick your vacuum hose into. You will probably have to remove the basket.
If your pump surges when you connect a vacuum hose, most likely the problem is that the hose contains air which causes the pump to lose its "prime". In order to work properly, the hose must be completely filled with water. Try placing the vacuum rig in the pool, take the other end of the hose and hold it against your return until the air bubbles stop coming out of the business end, and then, keeping the open end underwater so air can't get into the hose, feed it through the front of your skimmer, past the weir door, and into whichever hole you feel suction.
I have not yet found a skimmer plate that had a good enough seal to prevent my pump from losing prime via sucking air .. maybe they exist, who knows? After you are done vacuuming, you will need to open, empty and clean your pump basket.
When you are done, if you are slick, you can empty the hose of water by raising the business end of the vacuum above the surface while simultaneously pulling on the end of the hose connected to suction so that the instant the pump gets the last bit of water out, you can haul it loose without your pump losing prime.
If your pump surges when you connect a vacuum hose, most likely the problem is that the hose contains air which causes the pump to lose its "prime". In order to work properly, the hose must be completely filled with water. Try placing the vacuum rig in the pool, take the other end of the hose and hold it against your return until the air bubbles stop coming out of the business end, and then, keeping the open end underwater so air can't get into the hose, feed it through the front of your skimmer, past the weir door, and into whichever hole you feel suction.
I have not yet found a skimmer plate that had a good enough seal to prevent my pump from losing prime via sucking air .. maybe they exist, who knows? After you are done vacuuming, you will need to open, empty and clean your pump basket.
When you are done, if you are slick, you can empty the hose of water by raising the business end of the vacuum above the surface while simultaneously pulling on the end of the hose connected to suction so that the instant the pump gets the last bit of water out, you can haul it loose without your pump losing prime.
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Much appreciated, thank you! It seems like there is suction in both of the holes, but I'll follow your suggestion of pulling the basket and seeing where the most suction is and go with that; thanks. Great tip on filling the hose with the return line; again, thank you! Back at it we go!
I would go with whichever hole has the MOST suction. Go slowly, you kind of have to "sneak up on" the dirt. If you are still not getting enough suction, you could temporarily close the other hole with a rubber winterizing plug.
Thanks, I did try covering one of the holes (as you can see in one of the pics) and that helped a lot; before I noticed the surge that is and she it down. It's an interesting set up. The original owner had what someone suggested were "hot tub filters" in those skimmer holes, which I removed on advice from a local pool guy who's been helping me out. Looking at the pics now though, and seeing one of the holes fully open (ie unfiltered) to the pump, I think I'll put at least one of the filters back in. Thanks again.
Canadian, eh? You can have a much longer swim season if you add a heater and a thermal ( solar ) cover.
Aussie living in Canada. I know, what am I thinking... So I have both of those; solar heat system and solar blanket; though the solar heating system is the next project to tackle. It wasn't winterized properly so I have a copper line burst, then one of the vacuum tubes failed, now it looks like a lot of the tubes have for some reason been expressed (due to pressure perhaps?) out of their seals; the list goes on... Get a pool they said... It'll be great they said... Actually, I didn't go looking for a pool, it just came with the house...
I'd bite the bullet and get a natural gas or propane heater. If it weren't for my Raypak, my wife would never get in the pool. She thinks 80F is cold lol
We have a propane heater for it, but the plan is to only use it a season extender, as we prefer a cooler pool. My wife is an ice climber, so she'll do just fine
