Skimmer Weir Door Tabs Worn - I need a retrofit Door Fix

[Jazzyguy]

Hi,

This is my first post. I am a VERY new pool owner. We just purchased a house with a pool and I have been reading, learning and soaking up anything I can on this forum. Great topics. Anyway....

It seems the clips that are attached to the skimmer for the Weir Door are not broken but they are very worn. The door won't stay hinged for long and floats into the skimmer. The actual door is fine, it is the fault of the tabs/clips that are attached to the skimmer itself.

Short of installing a new skimmer at an incredible expense and mess, is there some sort of retrofit door that will work for me? I have seen ONLY ONE company sell spring loaded Weir Doors as a fix. Does anyone have any experience with these? Any other suggestions for me at all?

The Skimmer is an Equator brand. It does NOT have holes on the sides of the skimmer. The door was held on by 2 clips on the bottom which allows the door to swing freely. These clips are worn and therefore the door does not stay hinged.

Thank you for any input.

 

[alanpaul]

Jazzyguy,
Try a search for Kafko Equator Skimmer parts, either in your area, or online. That may be the manufacturer.
Good luck.
Alan

 

[PilsnerScott]

Hi,
I have only owned my inground pool with an equator skimmer for 2 seasons. My skimmer door seems to be the same model as yours. No screws or spring loaded door. Only the clips under the water that snap into place on the door. Let me be the first to say but this is a pathetic, horrible design. Seems to me that the clips in the skimmer at least should of been a removable and replaceable. Mine has done the EXACT same thing. The door looks in fine shape but won't stay snapped in. I have a hard time believing that buying a $30 new door is gonna fix it when the door is fine. It floats off the snapping hinge when any sort of a wake hits it. I've tried multiple solutions. Unfortualaty none of them have made a long lasting solution. The best luck I've had was 1 week of staying on by applying "gorilla tape " to the section of the door that goes in the snapping hinge. I've also tried a two part, 15 min cure epoxy that I would of bet the moon was gonna work. But low and behold the **** stuff just flaked off in 2 min. Could.Not.Believe.It. Upon scouring the wonderful internet for other fixes to this glorious conundrum, I found your post. Looks like u bought your house a week after we did and you have the exact same problems down to the brand. So, have you had any luck???

 

[Sminor]

I've had the same problem although I think mine is a Hayward skimmer. The best fix I've come up with is to make the skimmer door "spring loaded" so it grips the side of the skimmer. My door has a hollow tube on the bottom that snaps into the tabs - probably same as yours. I take a couple small springs from an ink pen and slide them into the center of the tube. Then I get a couple pieces of plastic (also from a cheap pen I think) and slide them in from each side to keep the springs in the middle. I trim them so about 1/2 inch is sticking out so when pushed in toward the spring they are almost flush. Then I carefully bring the door to the skimmer and snap it into place. This little setup provides just enough tension to keep the door in place but allow it skim even with the worn out tabs... Works great and just need to change out the springs every year as they get rusty!

Hope this helps!

 

[PilsnerScott]

Good engineering! I'm kind of worried how the steel spring will effect the water chemistry though. The gorilla tape I put on yesterday made it through a whole day swim session. ( thank goodness). Maybe I'll try the spring retrofit in addition. Thanks!

 

[jzhjr]

I too Have Equator/Kafko skimmers and have had good success in fixing by:

Taking a heat and carefully, slowly heating the ends were the hinge clips hold the weir and inserting a tapered punch larger than the opening.

Leaving in until it cooled enough to keep the same expanded size, then I do the same to the other side. I have done this for many years now & it always lasts at least a couple.

Do not over do it or you might break a hinge tab during reinstallation. After all it is made of plastic pvc!

 

[Clinker]

jzhjr - Great suggestion! my 20+ year old Equator/Kafko skimmer weir was always popping out - I was using tape on the weir-axle but that would last about two days. I ground a steel pin to make a very slight taper and used boiling water to heat the weir plastic (I tried a propane torch but that was going to end badly) and your suggestion worked very well. Thanks for that advice!