I have two skimmer baskets. Both baskets are sitting down (not floating), one basket is doing great, filled up with water all the time and one is just constantly filling up and never fills. Water level is good and baskets are clean. Any suggestions?
skimmer basket not filling with water
- Thread starter meganjholt06
- Start date
Megan,
A little more info might help..
1. Do your skimmers have weir gates? Little doors that control the water flow into your skimmers?
2. Do you have valves at your equipment pad that allows you to select or adjust the water from the two skimmers independently.
Jim R.
A little more info might help..
1. Do your skimmers have weir gates? Little doors that control the water flow into your skimmers?
2. Do you have valves at your equipment pad that allows you to select or adjust the water from the two skimmers independently.
Jim R.
Yes to #1. Skimmers have doors that flap up and down as the water flows in from the pool.
Yes to #2 but I don't have extensive knowledge of how those work
Yes to #2 but I don't have extensive knowledge of how those work
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
May I ask how long this has been happening? Is this the first time this has happened? I'm assuming this is an in-ground plaster pool, but it may help to have more details about your equipment. When you get a moment, please add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. It will help us later.
Ok, updated my signature with some pool information I have. I am also attaching some pictures of my valves at the pool pump. I have a pebbletec salt water pool with no spa. This is not the first time the skimmer basket was not full of water when pump is running. When the pump is off it is full of water but the weir doesn't stay closed.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Sorry, a couple other things to ask: 
- What is the location of both skimmers (i.e. one deep end-end one shallow?)
- Does the weir flap on the skimmer in question have any foam on the back? Or does the weir flap simply fall flat and allow water to just pour in?
The pics should help us as well. We'll attach for them too. Thanks for the sig update.
- What is the location of both skimmers (i.e. one deep end-end one shallow?)
- Does the weir flap on the skimmer in question have any foam on the back? Or does the weir flap simply fall flat and allow water to just pour in?
The pics should help us as well. We'll attach for them too. Thanks for the sig update.
Megan,
I thought you might have had a stuck weir, but if they move, that is not the case.
As a test, you would want to make sure none of the valves that control the input to your pump are off. If you are no sure how the valves work, I suggest you post a pic of your equipment pad, showing the valves in question, and we can walk you through it.
Jim R.
I thought you might have had a stuck weir, but if they move, that is not the case.
As a test, you would want to make sure none of the valves that control the input to your pump are off. If you are no sure how the valves work, I suggest you post a pic of your equipment pad, showing the valves in question, and we can walk you through it.
Jim R.
It won't let me upload anymore pictures but yes, the skimmers are on shallow end my the waterfall and deep end. I can manually push flap up and it will stay. The one that is not working is in the shallow end by the waterfall. It does have foam on the back.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
If we assume the weir door is operating as designed, I suppose it's possible that the shallow-end skimmer may have just enough suction to keep the basket down but not fill all the way. If that's the same skimmer that allows you to push the weir flap up (closed) and it stays, then it sounds like there is not enough suction (water flow) going-in to that one skimmer. Your 2nd pic shows two pipes coming from the ground. If you don't have a main drain, then more than likely each one of those pipes goes to a skimmer. You could try experimenting with one Jandy Valve at a time - opening or closing a little bit to see if that has an effect on how much water is drawn-in from either skimmer.
If I'm mistaken on the function of those two Jandy Valves (kind of had to tell from the pic), let us know. I was hoping they were your suction lines "from" the skimmer(s), but if they are returns back to the pool (jets and waterfall) then we'll reassess.
If I'm mistaken on the function of those two Jandy Valves (kind of had to tell from the pic), let us know. I was hoping they were your suction lines "from" the skimmer(s), but if they are returns back to the pool (jets and waterfall) then we'll reassess.
I would also check the sliding covers at bottom of skimmers ( if you have them ) that adjust the amount of flow at each skimmer.
I'm puzzled.. it seems to me that if the skimmer is not filling with water then there are only two possibilities...
1. That the skimmer has too much suction (which I doubt) even if the pump is only connected to the one skimmer.
or
2. That water cannot get into the skimmer fast enough to replace the water going back to the pump. I can only see this happening if the water level was really low or of the weir is stuck up.
Megan.. Try this. Hold the weir gate down, and let us know what is happening. Water should flood over the top of the weir by an inch or so and quickly fill the skimmer basket.
Jim R.
1. That the skimmer has too much suction (which I doubt) even if the pump is only connected to the one skimmer.
or
2. That water cannot get into the skimmer fast enough to replace the water going back to the pump. I can only see this happening if the water level was really low or of the weir is stuck up.
Megan.. Try this. Hold the weir gate down, and let us know what is happening. Water should flood over the top of the weir by an inch or so and quickly fill the skimmer basket.
Jim R.
Thank you everyone. Just to make sure it is not the water level, I am going to fill the pool up this afternoon and check the skimmer again and valves tomorrow when I don't have a three year old hanging on to my leg. 
I will let you know what happens tomorrow.
I will let you know what happens tomorrow.What is the water level in the pool? All of the above advice assumes you have the right level of water in your pool.
68,000litre, IG vinyl, LorentzPS 600 Solar Pump & 1/2 HP Tristar, Sandfilter, Aquarite T-15 SWG
68,000litre, IG vinyl, LorentzPS 600 Solar Pump & 1/2 HP Tristar, Sandfilter, Aquarite T-15 SWG
Sorry megan - should have read your last post more carefully! Hopefully the problem is simply a slightly low water level!
68,000litre, IG vinyl, LorentzPS 600 Solar Pump & 1/2 HP Tristar, Sandfilter, Aquarite T-15 SWG
68,000litre, IG vinyl, LorentzPS 600 Solar Pump & 1/2 HP Tristar, Sandfilter, Aquarite T-15 SWG
