Intex pool through wall skimmer vacuum question

[PapaX5]

New member. Love this forum!!
I have a 20' X 48" Intex Ultra Frame above ground pool. We replaced the pump last year with an Intex 16" sand filter pump. After browsing this forum I have decided to install a through wall skimmer and hard plumb the pool.

I am curious as to which through wall skimmer would work best with our pool. I have seen mostly Heritage, Hayward, and Waterway Flo Pro listed in all the posts I have looked at. Also curious if the wide mouth skimmer would work OK on a round pool. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Now on to the plumbing. I think I have a grasp on how to make the adapters after reading many, many posts on that subject. My questions come in on connections to the pool and about using the vacuum after you hard plumb. Do all the through wall skimmers come with an adapter that you hook your vacuum to? I also noticed on one picture that someone had plumbed both the through wall skimmer, and the old intake into the intake on the pump. Does that allow you to use the old intake as your vacuum port?

I can't wait to get started on this project and am hoping to do it right the first time with some help from folks that have "been there, done that." Will post pics as the project progresses.

Thanks in advance for any advice and / or tips.

 

[Taterfink]

I just installed a hydro pro (not especially recommending this one, the basket is quite small) wide mouth skimmer in my pool. With the 26' pool the widemouth skimmer works fine. Before I installed it, I held the skimmer to the outside of the pool wall to make sure there wasn't too much curvature of the pool wall in relation to the flat surface of the skimmer. It turns out that the horizontal curvature was a lot less worrisome than the vertical curvature. It did go in quite nicely tho and everything tightened down just fine.

 

[PapaX5]

Angie M., Thank you!! I think I am going to give the wide mouth skimmer a try.

Another thing I thought of in reference to the through wall skimmer conversions is that I notice on most of the pics I have seen, the through wall skimmers are being added very close to the return. (Closer in some cases than the original intake) Anyone having any issues with this, or maybe wishing they had installed the through wall skimmer further away from the return?

Thanks again!!!

Tim D

 

[Taterfink]

I placed my skimmer in the panel next to the intake panel. It's only been a week but, no problems so far. And don't foresee any problems.

 

[PapaX5]

Looks like it might make the plumbing a little easier too.
Thanks for the info. Still hoping to also get some info on best ways to vac the pool.
Skim vac or plumb in old intake and use it for the vac.
Looking forward to getting the project started. Appreciate any additional ideas and advice from anyone.

T

 

[Taterfink]

I'll set up my vac in a bit and take a few pics for you. It's fairly straight forward for mine. I have Hayward's Diver Dave. Mainly because it was within my budget and its cute and it really does do a good job

 

[Taterfink]

Here are a few pictures of my vacuum set up.
I turn off the pump while I hook everything up
I submerge the vacuum and hose slowly in order to remove air from the line then, I hook it up to the adapter/whosit. Then I just turn the pump back on. And Dave does the rest. He does not climb the walls but he does a bang up job on the bottom.

 

[barbaradomanski]

Angie m
Was looking at your Set up for the sandpro 75 could u send me pic there seemd to be different types

aNYONE chime in with what sand filter has worked bestheard to run auto vac best to Get at least 3/4 hp what r u guys using and how is it working out

Could some help me understand what you mean by pluming The pool?

Also what auto vacs work best looking at the hayward bug

And what thru wall skimmer is suggested to be the best

 

[Taterfink]

Angie m
Was looking at your Set up for the sandpro 75 could u send me pic there seemd to be different types

There are 3 I think. Here is a link to my install. At the bottom of page two are some pictures of the pump and swg. The pump is 3/4 hp single speed. The people in the know on here recommend a two speed pump which unfortunately is NOT a SandPro. My set up works pretty well but, a two speed pump with a larger filter would do much better. I plan to upgrade as soon as I can.

the-process-of-installing-our-intex-26-x52-pool-t46052.html

 

[barbaradomanski]

Mine is 1 hp its a pentair sand dollar filter and pump is that going to make a difference for the 24x52?

 

[barbaradomanski]

Says a two speed pump

 

[Taterfink]

i would think that your set up is better than mine. your pump being 2 speed alone is better than my single speed. I think pintair is a fairly well known brand.

 

[PapaX5]

Angie M.
Thanks for the vacuum pics. My wife likes Dave, may have to get one now.
I ordered my through wall skimmer yesterday and will be visiting the hardware store this week to get the stuff to build my custom fittings and to get all the pvc.
Should have some pics coming soon for the "before" shots.

 

[Taterfink]

Cool, Can't wait to see!

I like watching Dave because as the surface of the water ripples, his eyes look like one gets larger and the other smaller and then they switch. Makes it look like he's really putting in the effort for us. I didn't notice it till I took the pictures. I just need to rename him since he's the only poolboy I'll ever have.

 

[PapaX5]

Got the PVC and all the fittings lined up. I was drawing up my plans and have come up with a concern.
It is one that I have seen mentioned in some of the other posts on this forum but have not been able to find very much information about it. It concerns the install of the new skimmer and the existing return. If I install the skimmer just below the welded seem and bring the water level down to about half way of the skimmer opening, will that bring the water level down below the top edge of the return jet?
Will that be a problem? Wondering what other folks who have installed the through wall skimmers have encountered.

Thanks,

Tim D.

 

[Taterfink]

The top of the return on mine is exposed but the eye itself is under water. It sometimes blows bubbles but I think it's because the index return is an open grid and I think it's sucking air right there at the return. I think that will get better once I swap out the return for the one that came with my skimmer. It's housing is solid.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

 

[PapaX5]

Skimmer came today. Re-thinking my plans. Originally planned for dual intakes and possibly dual returns.
Been doing some additional research and reading and now see no reason at all for either. Tried to attach "before" photo but get message saying image was invalid. Now planning to install skimmer above original intake and capping off the original intake, and planning to use the existing return and plumbing in a fountain for the granddaughters. Keeping it simple, I hope. Already nervouse about cutting the liner!!

 

[Livinright]

Right behind ya brother! My skimmer is in the mail and I'll be cutting in the near future too.

I decided to locate it in the panel between the existing intake/return holes. I'm going to put it off center as far away from the return as I can. The distance will be a little over 3 feet and for my pool looks like it will work pretty well. My return jet has an eyeball that I can point away from the skimmer so the water is circulating clock-wise, and moving around the pool towards the new skimmer location.

I was concerned about cutting the skimmer opening so close to the existing inlet and only having 6" or so of fabric between the two holes. My mind played images of a tear developing across the small distance. However, I have seen pictures of others who have done this and not read about any trouble.

Good luck with your install!

Jim

 

[PapaX5]

Ok, going to try and attach the pic again.
This is the "before" pic with the plan for the skimmer and the plumbing in red.
1. Skimmer
2. Return
3. Fountain with 3/4" pvc reduced from 1 1/2" pvc from the return line
The black lines are where I am planning to place the valves.
Planning to cap off the old intake.
Thinking about starting a new post with the "plans" to see if anyone throws any red flags.
[attachment=0:1bvkbc3q]Skimmer Plan.jpg[/attachment:1bvkbc3q]

 

[Livinright]

I'm going to locate my skimmer just to the right of the number "3" in your picture. As close to that leg as possible and as high as possible. Probably going to end up with the bolt holes right against the top seam, and the inside trim plate a little past the seam. I want my water level as high as possible !