Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the pool?

[rock]

Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the pool deck to fit the baskets back in?

Both my baskets are tight in the skimmer, too tight actually, so I'm going to have to sand them down.
The only question is whether to sand down the pool deck or the basket itself.

When this happens to you, which do you sand down?

 

[Richard320]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

Sand the basket. If you mess up somehow, it's pretty easy to buy a replacement basket, not so easy to redo the lip embedded in concrete.

 

[rock]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

Sand the basket

I took your advice and sanded down the lip of the basket (the one at left is sanded; the one at right is untouched):

The basket now fits in smoothly, without hassle:

I also had a similar problem with the cover, which was so tight it could barely be removed by hand without hurting your fingers:

The cover was harder to sand though, because it wasn't a lip; it was a clip:

I'm not sure the longevity of adding the gasket sealer, but I used some anyway:

The result is that the lid also fits nicely now, without tugging & cursing:

Thanks for the advice.
If you have other ideas for why this happens in the first place, and how to resolve it, I'd love to know your solutions.

 

[wjames469]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

My guess is that when the deck was poured, the skimmer body was compressed slightly out of shape.

Wes

 

[rock]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

Based on the fact the skimmer cover and basket "used" to fit, I am forced to conclude that the hole, inexplicably, shrank about 1/32 of an inch or, that the basket (nylon?) and cover absorbed water or something, to make them grow the distance.

Is this possible?
Does this happen to others (or just to me)?

 

[wjames469]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

Ah, sorry, missed that part. Wonder if the concrete expanded from temp changes?

Wes

 

[harleysilo]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

Regardless excellent execution on the fix!

 

[rock]

Re: Do you sand down the skimmer basket or the lip on the po

Regarding this particular basket, I had run the pumps when there were leaves in the pool, over the winter, and they blew out the bottom of the basket, so I had to replace it.
This blue basket from leslies is a smaller fit, and therefore didn't need any fitting.
I hope it works when I can get the water level high enough to start the equipment again!