Low suction

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stew930

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Apr 15, 2012
87
South Dakota
Pool store opened the pool last week and I felt like I had more suction during vacuuming right after the opening. I didn't know I had to connect my hose to a disk then put it in the skimmer. I just took the skimmer basket out and plugged the hose after filling it with water into the port at the bottom of the skimmer. The second time I vacuumed it don't feel like port at the bottom of the skimmer grabbed the hose like it did the first time.


I have been running the pump overnight and during the day I empty the baskets and the water does sound like it drains from the plumbing. I pour some water into the pump to help start the prime but most of the time it runs down the plumbing. Once I start the pump it takes maybe a minute or less to prime. I can see some bubbles but it just looks like a torrent of water through the pump basket.

I don't have much suction at the skimmer. I always see debris floating around above the skimmer which I would assume should be pulled down and caught in the basket. There is some debris in the basket but I would expect more.

The sand filter pressure had risen since opening and I have backwashed it. Jumped from about 14PSI to just above 20 so I backwashed it and now it is back down to 14PSI.

When the pool store opens a pool are they supposed to open the release valve on the filter to let air out? I never saw them do that. I have done that and air comes out and a little water which seems like it was a little foaming like water/air mixture.

Thanks
 
Most common problem is sucking air. Rule of thumb for mechanics is "The last thing you worked on is the first thing that breaks." So.... go take the lid of the pump strainer again. Be sure it's greased up good and there's no dirt or grass stuck to it. Be sure it's back on tight. You may need to tap on the ears with a block of wood or a rubber mallet to get it all the way closed. Look around the base of the pump and filter for any drain plugs that may have gotten loosened. Then start the pump, let it run a bit to prime, and open the air relief if there is one. A lot of sand filters don't. Next go look at the skimmer. Be sure the water is at least halfway up and that the weir - the flapper door - is not sticking. Be sure there's good suction there; maybe you closed a valve somewhere and forgot to move it?
 
I let the relief valve open for 15 minutes and the water coming out hardly increased. I have seen Youtube videos where it should be coming out with some force. Mine still seemed like there was a lot of air in the water coming out.

When I was trying to make sure the valve for the skimmer was open all the way the valve broke when I was making sure it was open. Now it just spins and nothing is being sucked into the skimmer.
 
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