Pressure Problems and have a question.

[algaeh8er]

Ok. So I vacuumed this morning for the first time. I thought I had picked up the big items off of the pool floor, which I can't see. I was wrong. The vacuum picked up a rock and a small pine cone which was caught in the second basket by the pump. It must have clogged one of the pipes too, because our pressure has dropped.

My husband is off to get a snake to clear the pipes, but he had a question about the two holes that come up to the skimmer. One has suction and the other doesn't. Is that the way it is supposed to be, or are both supposed to have suction? Thanks!

 

[mas985]

The other hole is for the main drain if it was plumbed that way. Sometimes it is just capped off.

 

[algaeh8er]

Thank you!

 

[JohnT]

Are you vacuuming without the skimmer basket in place? Best to use a vacuum plate so you can leave the skimmer basket in place to avoid anything in the pipes.

 

[waste]

Just to expound on what Mark said - other possible uses for the second port are a ballance line, which is SUPPOSED to keep the skimmer from sucking air if the water level gets too low - (it is a line plumbed into the front port of the skimmer and 90's through the pool wall, also called an equalizer line)they can't keep up with the pump's need -- some installers use it to run a 'reserve' line which is basicly a backup line in case the original line breaks or gets a fatal clog, it's plumbed up next to the original line but isn't connected to the pump until needed. (Mark, you forgot to put a in your post, I think it's a very bad idea to have your 2 suction sources sharing a burried line - if that line breaks, you've got no way to run the pool!! )
John's suggestion for the skimmer vac plate is a very good one! Hayward's are called Skim-Vac and let you catch the big stuff you vacuum in the skimmer basket, as you've noticed, without the basket sometimes the line will clog with debris

 

[algaeh8er]

We snaked the pipes and didn't get anything dislodged. The pump is still taking in water, I can see debris moving into the filter. I can tell the pressure is still lower because the skimmer sock isn't sucking tightly into the skimmer basket. So, any suggestions as to how to get to the clog?

 

[duraleigh]

Do you have a pressure guage on the filter? If so, what does it read?

Do you have a clear lid so you can see into the pump strainer basket? Is the basket in place?

Are your skimmer baskets in place when you vacuum?

Have you cleaned the cartridge?

Does the impellor on the pump rotate freely and is it clean of debris?

 

[algaeh8er]

Do you have a pressure gauge on the filter? If so, what does it read? 18. This is pretty normal for a clean cartridge for us.

Do you have a clear lid so you can see into the pump strainer basket? Is the basket in place? Yes. It is in place, and clean.

Are your skimmer baskets in place when you vacuum? One wasn't. Live and learn. It was the first time I had ever vacuumed. We will get a vacuum plate before we do this again.

Have you cleaned the cartridge? Yes. Cartridge is clean. We just replaced it.

Does the impellor on the pump rotate freely and is it clean of debris? This I don't know. How can we look at this?

 

[duraleigh]

If your pressure is normal, that indicates you are pulling a normal amount of water thru your system. If the suction side of your system (that's everything before the pump) was clogged, you would have a resultant decrease in the pressure on your guage. Normal pressure also implies normal outflow so the water returning to your pool thru the return eyelets should feel normal as well.

So, if your pressure dropped while you were vacuuming and now it is normal (I assume you are not vacuuming) then the clog must be located in the vacuum head or hose.

Disregard the question about the impellor....if your pressure is fine, the impellor is functioning properly.

 

[algaeh8er]

The only decrease in pressure I noticed was from the skimmer basket. However, when I returned from the park, it was back to normal - very tight against the basket. So I'm thinking everything is fine now.

I got a leaf cannister for the vacuum so we shouldn't encounter this problem again.