In floor cleaning system - low pressure/suction from main drain?

[Lpaul626]

I have an in floor cleaning system with 5 rotating jets. After a few weeks of brushing floor debris towards the main drain, I noticed the debris doesn't seem to dissipate. Having decided to check the main drain, I noticed little pressure/suction from the drain itself. I did notice there is debris caught in the drain itself (too large to get through the trap - not clogged though). I also turned off the valve from the skimmer so that the main drain was the only feed back to the filte. I noticed little change. Should I be able to sense some pressure/suction from the main drain or is this normal? I should mention that when I shut the valve for the skimmer, the flow from the main drain does seem fine.

Sorry if this is obvious. This is our first season with the new pool.

thanks in advance-

 

[proavia]

Do you know the brand name of the in floor system?
How many main drains are in the bottom of the pool? Some systems use a dedicated drain for the in floor, others use the main drains plumbed to the filter system.

If you're unsure of the system brand, maybe post a couple pictures of the associated equipment.

 

[Lpaul626]

I believe it's a Paramount system. There's one drain. Looks like this one:

Vantage - Paramount Pool and Spas

 

[proavia]

In that case, do you have the in deck leaf/debris canister? If so, is the debris bag clean?

 

[Lpaul626]

In that case, do you have the in deck leaf/debris canister? If so, is the debris bag clean?

I don't. I do have this drain :

Buzztop - Paramount Pool and Spas

 

[JayBauman]

How are you determining that you don't have much pressure? I have a Paramount in-floor system. Due to the design of the floor drain, it does not appear to have very much suction even though it does. Also, due to the design of my leaf canister, even if it is full there it can still pass lots of water with minimal pressure drop.

 

[Lpaul626]

How are you determining that you don't have much pressure? I have a Paramount in-floor system. Due to the design of the floor drain, it does not appear to have very much suction even though it does. Also, due to the design of my leaf canister, even if it is full there it can still pass lots of water with minimal pressure drop.

Just by diving down and inspecting by hand. I'm not feeling any pull ( unlike the skimmer draw). It does appear the drain is designed with a couple of layers. I suspect it may just be the design? Given that there is flow entering the pump when turning off the skimmer valve, there is obviously draw. I thought it was curious that the floor debris wasn't diminishing after several weeks of brushing, etc. and I wasn't sensing any pressure at the drain.

 

[JayBauman]

Just by diving down and inspecting by hand. I'm not feeling any pull ( unlike the skimmer draw). It does appear the drain is designed with a couple of layers. I suspect it may just be the design? Given that there is flow entering the pump when turning off the skimmer valve, there is obviously draw. I thought it was curious that the floor debris wasn't diminishing after several weeks of brushing, etc. and I wasn't sensing any pressure at the drain.

Where is the floor debris accumulating? Is it close to the drain, or in other areas? If the jets don't push the dirt to the drain, it will not find its way into your filter.

 

[Lpaul626]

Where is the floor debris accumulating? Is it close to the drain, or in other areas? If the jets don't push the dirt to the drain, it will not find its way into your filter.

.

Agreed- It seems to settle in the same areas (next to the drain is one area). But I'm continuously brushing it out within range of the floor jets and it doesn't seem to diminish. Just resettle without being picked up by the drain which which is why I decided to take a look at the drain.