What are the two holes in the skimmer

[Krickett]

I have a skimmer with two holes in the bottom. One I know is the regular suction to the filter, but what is the other one for. The problem is that a rock dropped into that hole. I can see the rock and can partially get some screwdrivers on each side but can't get it out. So actually I have two questions:

1) What is second hole for?
2) Is there a way to get a rock out of it (i.e. reverse water flow, etc.).

 

[polyvue]

I have a skimmer with two holes in the bottom. One I know is the regular suction to the filter, but what is the other one for. The problem is that a rock dropped into that hole. I can see the rock and can partially get some screwdrivers on each side but can't get it out. So actually I have two questions:

1) What is second hole for?

Could be connected to the main drain, another skimmer, a bypass inlet (if the latter, there will be an inlet under the water line close to this simmer), or... nothing, in which case that's what you should do with it. On my skimmer, the builder just dead-ended into concrete/rubble, so it has no useful function. (Guess they could have screwed a plug into it, but that would've cost more money!) :lol:

2) Is there a way to get a rock out of it (i.e. reverse water flow, etc.).

Do you see that a rock is down in the throat of a PVC pipe connected to the skimmer? or just beneath the connection? Might be difficult to blow it out if it's connected to main drain.

 

[mcmoyer]

Could you use a wet/dry vac to try to get the rock out?

 

[fordsbyjay]

The second hole is a blank. When I replaced my skimmer last year there were two holes on the bottom. I plumbed into one and put a plug in the other. It sounds like yours is the same as the rock is just sitting there and no went down the pipe. BTw, the original one was the same way as well.

 

[laurandavid09]

During pool school I was told the other whole is for construction reasons.

 

[Pool Clown]

The second hole is a blank. When I replaced my skimmer last year there were two holes on the bottom. I plumbed into one and put a plug in the other. It sounds like yours is the same as the rock is just sitting there and no went down the pipe. BTw, the original one was the same way as well.

That may not be entirely true. The forward hole is sometimes plumbed into the main drain. Unless of course you have a main drain line coming up at the equipment pad. Or, (in the case of two skimmers) it could go to an equalizer line that would come out just below the skimmer throat. This prevents the skimmer from running out of water in the event that your water level drops, and the skimmer cannot get the water it needs thru the skimmer throat.

 

[waste]

Equalizer line or main drain are the most common uses (the most common non-use is to plug it and have it do nothing, in that case the plug is usually applied from the bottom when installed).

However, the company for which I work uses the extra line in another way, we plumb a reserve line in on installation. This line is run to the filter pad and stubbed up next to the live line (it doesn't get plumbed into the system). If anything ever happens to cause the live line to fail, we can utilize the reserve without having to bust up the deck or dig up the yard

If you have the equalizer line, you can force water or air through the poolside port to try to dislodge the rock. By the by... you really should find out where that pipe goes and what it does