Skimmer question

[ohana4]

Please forgive my new pool ignorance, but I have to ask this question of somebody who would care about my pool rather than the builder, who may deny anything wrong. So I’m asking all of you on this board

in the skimmer, when you pull out the basket, we have two holes (or drains, pipes, whatever). One is used for the suction that a skimmer is supposed to function for. The other has nothing for about 2 - 3 inches, where there’s a bunch of sand sitting. We asked the pool start up guy what the second hole was for and he told us that’s just for if we ever wanted to get a second suction to make the skimmer more powerful, and every pool has this option now. When we asked him about the sand blocking the hole, he said not to worry because it’s “capped off”.

So so I pulled up my sleeve today, in search of said cap. Because the hole is only big enough for about two of my fingers, pulling out this sand took forever. But I got a good amount out, and still no sight or touch of a cap. I would figure this cap would be flush with the bottom of the skimmer floor, as that is where the threads are for something to maybe screw on to this hole.

Am i crazy? Does everyone have a second hole in their skimmer, and if so, is it capped off at the top, or somewhere inside the hole? Should I take my wet vac and see if I can suck more sand out of this thing, or will all the sand come out from under the pool shell and collapse the pool? Ok, that last bit was a bit sarcastic, but I want to know what I’m dealing with here. Maybe I need to put this on my punch list before we close on the pool.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Jimrahbe]

O,

Almost all skimmers have two holes... In the old days one hole went to the pump at your equipment pad, and the other hole was connected to the main drain.

In more modern pools, the Main Drain is plumbed to a valve at the equipment pad and the unused hole is either plugged or connected to a equalizer port in the wall of the pool right below the skimmer.

If you can feel sand in yours, it pretty much has to be plugged... If not, water would leak out like crazy.. My "guess" is that your water level would leak down to just below the skimmer mouth in a day or so.

How may pipes feed into your main pump? And how many skimmers do you have?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ohana4]

So the picture of course is distorted, but the hole in question is the black one at the top of the picture. We have had the pool filled for almost a week now, and besides the water we lose from the Magic Bowls when first turning it on, we haven't lost any water. The pool would really have to drain a lot to get down to the level of the skimmer. We have only one skimmer. And as for how many pipes go into my main pump....one? I think? Haven't been to pool school yet, but there is one pipe connecting the pump and the filter and a pip connecting the pump and the "pool cleaner"? I'm not sure. Sorry, I'm not really familiar with the piping system yet.

 

[JamesW]

It's probably capped off. Periodically clean it out by putting a garden hose in it to flush it out.

 

[Jimrahbe]

o,

Please show us a picture of your equipment pad...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ohana4]

Looks like it's capped off down there. I scoured the internet for a picture of the skimmer and it said sometimes sand gets in there and if there is a question of whether it's capped, stick a screwdriver. After crushing a bunch of rock and concrete pieces from the build, the screwdriver finally hit something that seems smooth and "cap-like" So now I am taking a measuring spoon and scooping out the sand and grit.

These are the pics from during the build.

 

[JamesW]

Stick a garden hose in the hole and turn it on to clean out the debris.

 

[Jimrahbe]

o,

Your pump appears to have three inputs that you can select by using the Jandy valves that are directly in front of the pump..

I'm sure your main Drain is run back to the pad...

My "guess" is that the valve that is furthest way from the pump allows you to select between the Skimmer and the Main drain and that the valve closest to the pump allows you to select a suction vacuum port..

I see that you have found the bottom of the plugged hole...

Make sure the pool builder shows you how to operate all the valves before turning the pool over to you..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.