Pump looses prime when vacuuming with hayward skim vac adapter

[benjydog]

Hi all.

Hopefully this is an easy one to solve!

This year, when trying to vacuum my pool with my manual vac, when I use my Hayward Skim Vac adapter (the circular plate that covers the skimmer basket), very shortly after it starts pulling water, I get a massive air bubble come back through the skimmer, which causes the plate to pop off and the pump looses prime. Even if I reconnect and wait, it repeats all over. Tried holding down the plate too but no luck. I prime the vac hose as much as I can but will get some air as I transfer it to the skimmer.

I had switched the orientation of the hose (neither end rotates and both are glued to the hose) when first trying to vacuum, and switched them back with no change. I have since reversed it again and replaced one end with a new screw-on type (because I noticed the old one was cracked) but still I cannot use the skim vac adapter. I've checked the adapter and don't see any cracks in it.

If I plug the hose directly into the bottom of the skimmer, it works 100%.

Ideas?

The hose is old, but I don't see any cracks. Trying to do as much cost saving troubleshooting before taking the dive and buying a new hose (not sure that will fix anything).

Thanks!

 

[mikemass]

If I plug the hose directly into the bottom of the skimmer, it works 100%.

Ideas?

Yes, my idea is to "plug the hose directly into the bottom of the skimmer". Apparently it works 100%.

Hate to be facetious, but why do you feel the need to use the Hayward Skim Vac adapter? I really don't see the advantage to those. I always just shove the hose down into the skimmer hole. The adapter is just another component in the system that could possibly fail.

 

[Geebot]

Yes, my idea is to "plug the hose directly into the bottom of the skimmer". Apparently it works 100%.

Hate to be facetious, but why do you feel the need to use the Hayward Skim Vac adapter? I really don't see the advantage to those. I always just shove the hose down into the skimmer hole. The adapter is just another component in the system that could possibly fail.

#1 - Makes for an easy on/off.
#2 - Allows for simultaneous use of the skimmer basket

 

[benjydog]

It catches the bigger things before they get into the pipes and/or pump.

 

[benjydog]

Any ideas as to what may be happening?

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk

 

[Cap'n Hook]

If it's working without the adaptor, then you're obviously gonna have to find a way to bleed all the air from the hose with the adaptor if you wanna use it! If the adaptor is extending the hose up into the air in the basket area, you may have some leak in this area of the adaptor, and it's sucking air there?

 

[nlindelldc]

I was gonna say, you might try a new adapter and if that is not the answer you could return it.

I used to vacuum with the hose plugged directly into the skimmer before I knew there was a such a thing as a vacuum plate. I shudder to think because I vacuumed up huge chunks of concrete, rocks, etc. I would not recommend it. That's gotta be hard on the plumbing and it fills up the filter basket awfully quick.

Now, for leaves and grass, small stuff it might not be that big of a deal

 

[benjydog]

Local pool store doesn't do returns (all sales final) so maybe I need to find a new one. I'll try again this weekend, maybe tape up the hose end and see if it helps. If not, need to find the part number and order the new plate. Good thing they are all standard sizes (notice the sarcasm!).

Thanks all

 

[Jamison04]

Does the neck of the vacuum plate stick out of the water at all? If it does than its possible the seal made between the hose and the vacuum plate isn't sealed off well enough and sucking in air.

Since you state it works just fine when the hose is directly in the skimmer bottom than maybe the end of the vacuum hose has lost its pliability and doesn't seal off well or has some hairline cracks in it.

 

[benjydog]

Good points. I've replaced both vac ends with new screw on one's and electrical taped up the connection (because that's all I had). The end does stick up above the water but the end of the hose goes under the water. I'll double check that. May just resort to ordering a new one off amazon and hoping it works