Vacuum & Skimmer Advise

[TexasGal007]

So I switched from the AMAZING INTEX PUMP (insert sarcastic tone here) that came with my 18X48 Intex Easy Set pool to a Hayward WAY TOO MUCH BUT I LOVE IT pump. The Churning water is amazingly clear and sparkly and no signs of the green stuff...

The issue is now the Intex deluxe skimmer and the Intex vacuum that I used before no longer work because they stop the flow on the pump every time I try to hook one of them up....

I'm a bit frustrated :grrrr: ... seems like I just can't win with this darn pool

any suggestions? I'm thinking maybe a Catfish battery operated blah blah blah, but that's another hundred bucks!

 

[duraleigh]

Your sarcasm is well placed. :grrrr: on Intex.

The issue is now the Intex deluxe skimmer and the Intex vacuum that I used before no longer work because they stop the flow on the pump every time I try to hook one of them up....

Help us understand that a bit better. Does the pump drop prime when you hook up the vac?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Would a plain ole manual vacuum and hose work?

 

[Casey]

Have you upgraded and cut a hole for a new skimmer? If you haven't, maybe you should and you can get a telescopic pole and vac head to make vacc'ing a whole lot easier.

 

[TexasGal007]

Yes that is exactly what happens it drops prime. I guess I could try that manual vacuum and hose. How does that work? Does it put fresh water back into the pool or just create a suction (blonde). Please stop lol now. :lol:

 

[TexasGal007]

OH NO! I Don't wanna CUT anything! Too SCARY!!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Sounds like you need to check the basket oring and lube it up good and check and reseal the drain plug on the pump too.

The manual vacuum doesn't add any water. It runs off suction from the pump.

 

[msgtdan]

The cutting is scary, but several of us have done it for various reasons and it's really not that bad. I agree with Bama I think you have a suction side leak, I've had the same problem with my manual vac with a through wall skimmer and hayward pump.

 

[TexasGal007]

I'm more confused now (DUH). When you said manual I thought you meant those type that hook up to the water hose and have a little bag to catch junk that it sucks up. I saw them at my Academy. I have one that runs off the suction of the pump just like the skimmer, that also stops the pump as soon as I attach it to the intake opening. In fact the vacuum attaches using the skimmer.

 

[crokett]

are you getting all the air out of the Intex vac hose before you hook everything up? if not, your pump will lose prime.

 

[duraleigh]

Yes that is exactly what happens it drops prime.

You are sucking in air somewhere between the connection and the vacuum head...perhaps in the hose itself. find where the air is sucking (that's why your pump drops prime) and I think you will be able to vacuum.

 

[msgtdan]

Manual as in I move it rather than automatic movement. I've used the garden hose type as well and it is manual, but if you have a vacuum hose on a head with a pole that you move around it's a manual. There are various types of automatic, some use suction, some use pressure (like the garden hose or the return water from your pump), some called robots use electricity.

 

[TexasGal007]

Thanks for the advice. I am filling the vacuum hose with water from the out take before using it, but it's pretty long to reach all the way across the pool. It does the same thing when I connect the skimmer which has a very short hose and easy to fill. The hoses that came with the Hayward pump are longer than the intex pump hoses were and I have them connected to the valves with a connector I purchased at Leslie's. Can the air leak be on that side?

 

[duraleigh]

Can the air leak be on that side?

Perhaps.....I'm not sure which hoses you mean.

The circulatory system has a suction side and a pressure side. The suction side is all the equipment and pipes coming from the pool all the way to the pump. The pressure side is all the equipment and pipes exiting from the pump and returning water to the pool.

Pump running, The air leak will be only on the suction side.

 

[mrmacdad12]

Do you use the screw on attachment at the inlet for your vacuum? on attachment for the skimmer (larger) and a different attachment for the vacuum hose (smaller).... with twist style intex plunger valves.

If you are using this style of attachments you need to drill relief holes into the screw on attachment for the vacuum hose. The attachment has a 1" opening for inlet and hose connection and it is starving your pump when you try to attach. This is what happened to my pump when I upgraded to the sand filter style system. The culprit for the inlet air was from the anti-suction entrapment valve located on the newer twist style intex plunger valves. The skimmer screw on attachment wont trigger the valve, but due to the smaller opening on the vacuum attachment and the stronger suction it would trigger the valve and air would enter the prefilter pump basket.

If your not using the twist style plunger valve with the aint-suction entrapment valve you have a inlet leak somewhere else. or the 1" inlet on the screw on attachment is too restrictive in which case you still need to drill holes.

 

[TexasGal007]

Yes I'm using those in the picture exactly and I have the skimmer with screw on hose attachment as well. Where exactly and how many holes do I drill? What size holes? Do I drill them into the blue screw on adaptor? Sorry this is a bit confusing for me (Not brainy Smurf obviously ) In the mean time I purchaced a Catfish battery operated vacuum and it actually works pretty well. I would like, however to be able to use the bigger vacuum when needed.

Thanks

 

[CeeElGee]

Do you use the screw on attachment at the inlet for your vacuum? on attachment for the skimmer (larger) and a different attachment for the vacuum hose (smaller).... with twist style intex plunger valves.

If you are using this style of attachments you need to drill relief holes into the screw on attachment for the vacuum hose. The attachment has a 1" opening for inlet and hose connection and it is starving your pump when you try to attach. This is what happened to my pump when I upgraded to the sand filter style system. The culprit for the inlet air was from the anti-suction entrapment valve located on the newer twist style intex plunger valves. The skimmer screw on attachment wont trigger the valve, but due to the smaller opening on the vacuum attachment and the stronger suction it would trigger the valve and air would enter the prefilter pump basket.

If your not using the twist style plunger valve with the aint-suction entrapment valve you have a inlet leak somewhere else. or the 1" inlet on the screw on attachment is too restrictive in which case you still need to drill holes.

Finally! An explanation for why I have a similar problem! I at least have the through-the-wall skimmer, which I can leave partially open, to help keep the pump fed, but I still get air in the pump's skimmer chamber. Short of eliminating the Intex valves, is there a way to disable the anti-entrapment thingy? I'm with Smurfette in needing answers about modifying the screw-on attachment.

 

[poolnew-b]

Somewhere in the pool box or pump box is a little plastic bag with 2 rubber pieces that go over the top of the anti suction valve to stop them from triggering when vacuuming.

I just put a piece of duct tape over the valve well vacuuming since i lost my plugs.

 

[CeeElGee]

Somewhere in the pool box or pump box is a little plastic bag with 2 rubber pieces that go over the top of the anti suction valve to stop them from triggering when vacuuming.

I just put a piece of duct tape over the valve well vacuuming since i lost my plugs.

So that's what those were for! Now I just have to find them

 

[TexasGal007]

I'm thinking....hmmmmmm wonder what I did with those 2 rubber thingies? Hopefully in the box in the utility shed.... I'm still :? confused however. Where is the anti suction valve? I'm a Texan so I'm familliar with "fixn" stuff with my trusty "DUCK" tape as we call it here in da Souff... but where are you putting the tape? I was still deciding what to drill and how many holes.....

Thank the Lawd I purchased a Catfish battery operated vacuum to keep me busy while I'm trying to fix the other vacuum issue. Is it Margarita time yet?

Please forgive my blondness...