Having a couple issues

[Enzman]

First

I'm having a **** of a time trying to get my skimmer to clean the top of my pool. I have a valve that controls either skimmer or vacuum. I thought that if I stopped vacuuming every day (and having to set my pump at 2800 rpms), I'd be able to save money by just running the skimmer. Unfortunately, I just can't get it set right. I've tried 1600 rpms-2600 rpms. At @ 2200+ I start to get the vortex and sometimes can see the floaties diving down into the skimmer basket. This is while having only the skimmer side of my valve open.

Is it possible my water level is slightly too high which doesn't allow the skimmer to work properly? It's in the top half of my tile, which puts it just over halfway up the skimmer opening in the side of my pool. Is 2600 rpms too much for one 2" line? I think I also read somewhere that you don't want the vortex in your skimmer, but if not then you can't even see the recent pollen that has created a film on top of my pool moving in the direction of the skimmer.


Second

Somehow, either late at night or early in the morning, my spa is losing a lot of water. It only started happening recently, and I thought that perhaps it was a leak (because there's a crack in the stair leading into my spa). That being said, there's an automated valve that returns back to my pool and spa (labeled pool and spa obviously). When the spa is off, the valve opens the pool portion ever so slightly, and closes again when I turn on the spa. If I turn off the automation, and keep the pool portion closed, my spa will stay full overnight. Did I just answer my own question? Do I have a leak in the pool returns?


That doesn't make sense either, because the spa has one of those single direction valves on it. Hmm.
Ugh, too much frustration.

 

[jblizzle]

Do you have a weir door on your skimmer?

Sounds like the spa is draining backward through your slightly open valve ... where apparently the check valve might not be working.

 

[Enzman]

I don't know what a Weir door is, but if you mean the swinging flap at the skimmer then no I do not.

Oh... so if that valve isn't working, the water is draining back through there and into the pool? Any idea what could cause that problem, as it's only started being a problem fairly recently.

 

[woodyp]

Valves just go bad.

 

[jblizzle]

I think most of your skimming problem is the lack of the weir (swinging door) on the skimmer.

 

[Enzman]

I think most of your skimming problem is the lack of the weir (swinging door) on the skimmer.

Is this an easy installation?

Anyone recommend a replacement check valve or just good old amazon?

 

[jblizzle]

Depends what weir you get. If you find the one that is supposed to be on your skimmer, there may be a few screws. Or there are cheap ones that have spring loaded feet that push on the sides of the skimmer to hold it in place.

What kind of check valve do you have? You should get one of the true pool check valves (with a clear lid) from Pentair or Jandy or Hayward.

 

[btolley]

Is this an easy installation?

Anyone recommend a replacement check valve or just good old amazon?

Try to find a brand name on your skimmer, sometimes on the lid. If you can get the one thats made for your skimmer it will be more reliable. If not, universal work, but they become dislodged and can give you suction problems. You just have to remember to check the position and adjust every now and then. Matching brand is the way to go if possible.

 

[Enzman]

Depends what weir you get. If you find the one that is supposed to be on your skimmer, there may be a few screws. Or there are cheap ones that have spring loaded feet that push on the sides of the skimmer to hold it in place.

What kind of check valve do you have? You should get one of the true pool check valves (with a clear lid) from Pentair or Jandy or Hayward.

I'll check tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I have a clear top Pentair one. It's black, I know that. I will also look for a name on my skimmer.

 

[ktyler]

My skimmer doesn't do a good job of cleaning the top either. Our pool is less than a year old and my skimmer didn't have a door on it when they installed it, is there some that come without doors or could he just have forgotten to put it on? I looked inside it and can't see where one would attach to. Everything that does goes into it just kind of floats on top, nothing is pulled down into the basket.

 

[jblizzle]

You can get a universal one that works on any skimmer using springs and fiction to hold it in place.

 

[tommyd123]

You can get a universal one that works on any skimmer using springs and fiction to hold it in place.

The non-fiction ones are usually a little more accurate.

 

[jblizzle]

The non-fiction ones are usually a little more accurate.

But usually not as entertaining :lol:

 

[Patrick_B]

This is entertaining ::

 

[Enzman]

MP Industries makes my skimmer (and by the looks of it, I have their entire pool starter kit). I can't find that they have or don't have a weir specific to their skimmer, of which I can't even find their skimmer online unless I'm absolutely missing it. Should I get a fiction one?

Also, my check valve is pentair, and I took the 8 screws off of the top and took a look at the gasket. I'm obviously no expert yet, but it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with it. Perhaps the spring just isn't as strong as it once was and has a tendency to leave the door open just the slightest? I would still think the backpressure from the spa would manage to keep it closed though? I may wait on changing this and messing with it some more.