Skimmer not working as well as I would like

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proavia said:
The valve handle is exactly opposite the diverter plate in the valve.
So if the handle is at 6 o'clock, there is a 50/50 chance to pull equally from both feed lines.
I used the word "chance" as there are additional factors involved with the plumbing - but it's basically 50/50 to each port.
Click to expand...
So with vac handle at 3 o’clock (turning off main drain) and skimmed handle at 6 o’clock, I may be having 50/50 to vac and skimmer?

In my tests if i had main drain turned off (valve labeled vacuum at 3 o’clock) my vacuum doesn’t move at all basically no matter what position I put the skimmer valve handle.
 
proavia said:
Put the vac handle at or close to 3 - because opposite is where the diverter plate is and this will close off the main drain. You really don't need to pull any from the main drain.

For the skimmer handle, try putting the handle between 1 and 2 o'clock (diverter plate at 7-8 o'clock). Adjust it to the skimmer and vac needs. Only you will know where that is and what pump speed to run.

Another option may be to run with the skimmer full open and the vac full off for the majority of the pump run time (and while your're at work). Then, after you get home, set the valves to allow the vac to be on for 2-3 hours to dlean the floor.

Figure out what works best for you. Don't over think it, jist set it to do what you need it to do.

Clean the filter when you have time.
Click to expand...
I guess I could do that other option, but that would mean every night I would have to manually go out to equipment pad to turn offf my skimmer to run the vacuum. That seems like a pain. And when out of town there wouldn’t be any cleaning the floor. I regret not getting the in floor cleaning if I have to do the valve adjust every time
To get cleaner to work.

I am hoping issue lies with dirty cartridge because previously the vac and skimmer would work a lot better .
 
Yes, more or less. But that setting may not be ideal for the vac to work as you'd like.

What happens with the main drain off and the skimmer off - this would provide suction to the vac only.
If the vac still isn't moving correctly, increase the pump speed
 
An IFCS isn't the ultimate either. And this is coming from someone who's had an IFCS for almost 25 years.
If the system isn't moving water well, no suction or pressure cleaning system is going to do a great job.

If it was previously working well, all you can do is eliminate items one by one to see what caused the issue, fix it and do what's necessary to help prevent a recurrence.
 
proavia said:
And if the filter was dirty, the gauge pressure would increase - if the gauge is working correctly.
Click to expand...
Gauge pressure is at like 5 on the cartridge filter, so the pressure hasn’t increased (if it is working correctly). So if hasn’t increased is my filter maybe not dirty. I am still going to check though.
 
proavia said:
Yes, more or less. But that setting may not be ideal for the vac to work as you'd like.

What happens with the main drain off and the skimmer off - this would provide suction to the vac only.
If the vac still isn't moving correctly, increase the pump speed
Click to expand...
Which position do I put the valves for main drain off and skimmer off? Vac handle at 3 and then skimmer handle at 12? When I had skimmer handle at 12 and vac handle at 6 there was no skimming but the vac moved a lot faster . But in that position is the main drain on too?
 
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Gauge pressure at 5 psi at what rpm?
If rpm is 1200 and pressure is 5 vs way different than if rpm is 3450 amd pressure is 5.
Regardless, clean it anyway to eliminate it as an issue.

The valve diverter is 180 degrees opposite the handle position.
So if the handle is at 3, the diverter plate is at 9
Likewise, if the handle is at 12, the diverter is at 6.
 
proavia said:
Gauge pressure at 5 psi at what rpm?
If rpm is 1200 and pressure is 5 vs way different than if rpm is 3450 amd pressure is 5.
Regardless, clean it anyway to eliminate it as an issue.

The valve diverter is 180 degrees opposite the handle position.
So if the handle is at 3, the diverter plate is at 9
Likewise, if the handle is at 12, the diverter is at 6.
Click to expand...
Gauge pressure at 5 psi at max speed of pump.
 

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Sorry you're having this problem, I know how frustrating it can be. I actually refinished my pool about 4 years back and had a separate suction line put in the pool for my Kreepy Krauly. Things worked great for the first 6 months-ish... and then they didn't. I tried everything, every tweak, checked every line, cleaned the Kreepy Krauly several times, but nothing.

I don't have my main drain homerun plumbed, like it sounds like you do, but other than that it was the exact same issue. My only suggestions would be to either:
1. Make sure that your connections to your suction cleaners' hose are tight or,
2. Best solution... Get rid of the suction cleaner and get a robot.

I ditched my Kreepy Krauly and bought a robot and it's one of the best pool decisions I've ever made. You can put full suction on the skimmer all the time and you can run the robot when the pump is off or on. I'm pretty sure you can control it from your Hayward automation or for sure you can control the robot from a separate app.

Probably not the answer you were looking for but I had to say it. Good luck.
 
Red,

Your main problem is not the lack of an IFCS, but rather the way your pool is plumbed, and having too small of a pump.

I agree with Gene.. You have automation, just add an actuator to your skimmer valve. Set the actuator so that it either selects skimmer full on or full off.
When the skimmer is full off, that would open the path to your Vac and MD line. Manually set the Vac valve so that most of the water is coming from your Vac and just leave it that way.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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