Help me understand my pool plumbing
- Thread starter mwpow3ll
- Start date
It is not uncommon (both of my pools have been this way), for the floor drains to be plumbing into the bottom of the skimmer and then a pipe from the skimmer to the pump. What do you see under your skimmer basket? There should be a float diverter that you can lift out to reveal 2 open holes (one to the pump and one from the floor).
The valve at the pump selects between the skimmer/floor and the vacuum port so you can adjust the suction that the vacuum gets. The float diverter sitting under the skimmer basket allow you to reduce the skimmer floor and force more flow from the floor. It also is a "safety" device in that if the water level dropped below the skimmer, water would be pulled from the floor to protect the pump.
The valve at the pump selects between the skimmer/floor and the vacuum port so you can adjust the suction that the vacuum gets. The float diverter sitting under the skimmer basket allow you to reduce the skimmer floor and force more flow from the floor. It also is a "safety" device in that if the water level dropped below the skimmer, water would be pulled from the floor to protect the pump.
Does the "cap" look like this:
There should be a sliding flap on the bottom that will shut-off the skimmer and force more suction from the floor.
For suction cleaners, you need to be able to set the suction flow rate within a certain range. So it makes sense for the vac port to be on its own pipe that can be adjusted with the valve. Ideally the floor and skimmer would also be plumbed to the pump separately offering more control, but there is no real problem with the setup you and I have.
There should be a sliding flap on the bottom that will shut-off the skimmer and force more suction from the floor.
For suction cleaners, you need to be able to set the suction flow rate within a certain range. So it makes sense for the vac port to be on its own pipe that can be adjusted with the valve. Ideally the floor and skimmer would also be plumbed to the pump separately offering more control, but there is no real problem with the setup you and I have.
Is is a hand vac or a Krawly type automatic vac? The suction cleaners usually come with a gauge of some sort to optimize the amount of suction. If it is just a hand vac, then set it to what works best (I have never done it). I would think too much could be a problem is it gets stuck to the pool.
Having both half open or fully open will not change anything. Do you have a valve on each line or a single 3-way?
You have to close the skimmer more than the vac port if you want to increase the vac suction. For vacuuming, I would fully open both and then close the skimmer until you have the correct amount of suction for the cleaner.
You have to close the skimmer more than the vac port if you want to increase the vac suction. For vacuuming, I would fully open both and then close the skimmer until you have the correct amount of suction for the cleaner.
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