Where to attach a suction cleaner

[beezar]

Had a question for those with a suction pool cleaner. I have a 18000gallon pool with two skimmers and one main drain. Would you attach the suction cleaner to the skimmer? I read something about having a separate dedicated suction line. Is that better? And if so, what's the difference?

Thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

If your skimmers and/or main drain are plumbed together you'll most likely have to shut them all off but one to get enough suction to vacuum successfully. With a dedicated line you can open it up and shut back the skimmer/MD line to get good suction for the cleaner. It also keeps you from having to deal with a skimmer plate.

 

[beezar]

If your skimmers and/or main drain are plumbed together you'll most likely have to shut them all off but one to get enough suction to vacuum successfully. With a dedicated line you can open it up and shut back the skimmer/MD line to get good suction for the cleaner. It also keeps you from having to deal with a skimmer plate.

A pool guy (who I paid to teach me about my pool) said that I should not shut down everything else except the skimmer I attached a manual vacuum to, as it may be too much suction and can pull up the plaster off of the pool. So when I manually vacuum, my main drain is open halfway while the vacuum is attached to the skimmer. My pump is a 2 HP pump. Are suction-side cleaners different in that I should shut off everything except the skimmer the cleaner is attached to? Thanks

 

[carlos31820]

Too much suction on manual vacuum can make the hose collapse. I have to leave my main drain open while using manual vacuum and I have a 1hp Jandy Stealth Pump.

Sent from my DROIDX

 

[susa]

I have just one skimmer and one main drain (bottom) but turn off the bottom when I run my cleaner as the pump allows me to turn down the RPM to below 900 (~ 85 watts) and the cleaner moves along quite well.

another tested method (for me) is to run a 15 GPM cycle at about 1250 RPM (~ 145 watts) and then I have to open partially the main drain as the cleaner flies as ramming speed ("Ben Hur"). At a 20 GPM cycle I remove the cleaner as it tries to escape to the lawn and garden.

so, it depends on your ability to control pump speed as to what works in any given situation.