Skimmers working but something seems amiss

[Omnipotent]

So skimmers work, suction is really good when I turn down/off main drain, but pool surface is still full of stuff. Weir doors stay open and don't seem to close or lift even a little. They move freely as I can push them up and there is no restriction. Also I know the suction works great as it almost ate my hand off when feeling for suction. When I crank rpm up to 3000 flow improves but still debris tends to float by. Water is midway, maybe slightly higher up the door and if I hold the door close skimmer drains very quickly.

Any ideas?

 

[jblizzle]

Does the weir float up when the pump is off to prevent stuff from floating out? If so, they are fine.

I would be embarrassed to show a picture of my pool right now. It is COVERED in flower droppings from the palm trees and has been for a week. Constant cleaning of the skimmer is not helping it seems

The skimmer can only do so much and if the wind is blowing away from the skimmer, it will not catch much.

 

[gtnos]

So skimmers work, suction is really good when I turn down/off main drain, but pool surface is still full of stuff. Weir doors stay open and don't seem to close or lift even a little. They move freely as I can push them up and there is no restriction. Also I know the suction works great as it almost ate my hand off when feeling for suction. When I crank rpm up to 3000 flow improves but still debris tends to float by. Water is midway, maybe slightly higher up the door and if I hold the door close skimmer drains very quickly.

Any ideas?

like jblizzle said, if the winds are blowing away from the skimmer, it is useless. You say "skimmers" so do you have more than one? if so, can you turn them off independently of each other? I have 2, one on each end of our oval pool, each plumbed with its own ball valve and depending on whether the wind is out of north or south, I turn one of them off and keep the one going that has the wind in its favor. My pool is always clean. thank goodness I opted for the second skimmer....

 

[bridgman]

There's supposed to be some kind of float at the top of the weir door, usually a piece of foam I think. Eventually it rots & falls apart, then the door behaves as you describe. Something to check...

 

[Omnipotent]

I do have 2 skimmers and can turn them off independtly. To your point the wind has been from the NW and blowing everything to the deep end, so I will try that.

Also will test to see if the skimmers are off in the weir door raises into place, I'm just used to watching them bob back an forth creating a Venturi of sorts to suck more water in with each opening/closing.

Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

The skimmer that I have now does not really "bob" as much as I remember at my previous house. It must have been for buoyant. As long as it is not laying flat, it is forcing the water to draw from the surface which is what it is supposed to do.

I imagine you could add some foam to the back of the door to make it float more, but would have to be careful it does not float too much and let air be pulled in.

 

[Omnipotent]

So just closed shallow skimmer and door closed like it should. Will keep shallow skimmer off and see if deep end skimmer will work better. Also opened mains as well (had them off trying to force more suction through skimmer).

Also, my returns are just 1" PVC with no directional adjustment. Is it possible to add directional adjustment to these returns? PB looked at me like I had 2 heads when I asked if they were putting directional fittings on the returns.

Thanks again.

 

[jblizzle]

There are no eyeballs in the returns? That is odd for a new pool. Usually they are 1.5" female threaded fittings in the pool that allow you to screw a jet into it.

 

[Omnipotent]

Yeah these appear to be 1in straight PVC, definitely no threads. Only threaded fitting is for the Polaris cleaner. Anything to retrofit these to accept an eyeball.

 

[jblizzle]

Wow, that is strange ... not impressed with that pool builder.