vacuum port

[jkpayne]

Plumbed a vacuum port today and it doesn't seem to be working. This is a 15x30 above ground pool with what I was thinking was an oversized pump (1.5 HP). I was having problems with possibly too much suction, and too high power a return because of that. This was causing all kinds of havoc with my vacuum, which is a suction side. So I decided to plumb a vacuum port halfway down the side of the pool. We put a valve just under the skimmer, then a T and another valve right off the T on the way to the vacuum port. I was hoping I could plug the vacuum in and let both the skimmer and the vacuum run at the same time. Eventually I was planning on getting a cheap over the side skimmer and using a hose to hook it up to the vacuum port to have a second skimmer. This would also give me a little safety if either ever got plugged. So the vacuum won't pull enough to run with the skimmer valve open. But when I close the skimmer off the pump water level drops to half, not pulling enough water from the vacuum to allow it to run full. Have seen other posts with people succesfully pulling this off, and I am really confused as to what the problem is. It is two inch pvc line and my husband thinks this could be the problem, since the vacuum hose is so much smaller. But we never had that problem when we plugged into the skimmer. The only difference I see is the distance from the pump, but we are only talking about ten feet total distance. Looking for any ideas on what might be the problem and if it is fixable.

 

[Guest]

Can you post a pic? That might help figure it out.

 

[coloeb]

Place a tee on the suction side of the pump within say 1 foot of the suction strainer. Run your vacume to here, to make up for the difference in pipe diameters crack the strainer valve untill pump is running with no air bubbles in the pump. You might get it to work by opening the skimmer slightly with your current set up . Also be sure the vacume hose is full of water when you start the vacume.

 

[Bama Rambler]

From the sounds of it you did things right with the plumbing.

So the vacuum won't pull enough to run with the skimmer valve open. But when I close the skimmer off the pump water level drops to half, not pulling enough water from the vacuum to allow it to run full.

What you need to do is to only partially close the skimmer valve. You'll have to play with it to get the right amount of suction for your vacuum but it's not hard to do.