Vacuum hose directly into skimmer suction hole?

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dannieboiz

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2015
286
San Jose, CA
Whenever I use the skimmer cap and put it over my skimmer basket, it never create enough suction to pull anything and often lose suction. I gave up on that and removed everything and shove the vacuum hose straight into the suction hole. I love the pressure, so strong it can probably suck an eyeball out.

Although my pump skimmer catch a lot of this, is that a bad idea?
 
I do the same. But I'm wary of sticking the hose directly in, as a few years ago someone lost the sleeve off the end of the hose and it got caught in the underground plumbing. I use a threaded PVC coupling and a hose barb.The adaptor is too big to get sucked down the hole.
 
Do you have multiple skimmers, or just the one? And do you have a main drain?

I have 2 skimmers and a dual main drain.

For me to get suction and avoid your issues, I have to go to my valves, and close the other skimmer, and then I half close the main drain. At that point the vacuum stays easily in place. Are you following this type of practice? Also, are you filling the vacuum hose with water before trying to get the skimmer to hold the hose into place?
 
dannieboiz said:
Although my pump skimmer catch a lot of this, is that a bad idea?
Click to expand...

I think it's a bad idea, because I think that's how I got a lot of debris in one on my skimmer lines. Not positive, though, so I'm not sure it's a bad idea.

I did find a good solution to the problem of sucking too much debris into the skimmer line: get an in-line leaf filter. It plugs onto the end of the vacuum hose & into the skimmer. The leaf filter has a mesh bag inside, kind of like the mesh on a leaf skimmer or a Polaris pool cleaner. I love my leaf filter. Traps big debris, so I'm not worried about clogging the lines, and traps an amazing amount of small, sandy debris. I can actually vacuum while on filter mode. Used to have to vacuum to waste to keep the water clear. Wish I had known about this gadget 20-years ago.

Good luck!
 
aeromitch37 said:
Can you post a picture?
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The end of the vacuum hose fits snug in the threads. There's a step inside my skimmer hole that keeps the coupler from going down inside. Just measure the hole with a tape measure and then go wander the hardware store.
 
CUTiger78 said:
I think it's a bad idea, because I think that's how I got a lot of debris in one on my skimmer lines. Not positive, though, so I'm not sure it's a bad idea.

I did find a good solution to the problem of sucking too much debris into the skimmer line: get an in-line leaf filter. It plugs onto the end of the vacuum hose & into the skimmer. The leaf filter has a mesh bag inside, kind of like the mesh on a leaf skimmer or a Polaris pool cleaner. I love my leaf filter. Traps big debris, so I'm not worried about clogging the lines, and traps an amazing amount of small, sandy debris. I can actually vacuum while on filter mode. Used to have to vacuum to waste to keep the water clear. Wish I had known about this gadget 20-years ago.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I can't seem to find one that fits into my skimmer, what model do you happen to have ?
 
toofast said:
I can't seem to find one that fits into my skimmer, what model do you happen to have ?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I have the Pentair 186 "Snap Open" Leaf Trap. I'm using the hose that came w/ my Kreepy Krauly and it came with an adapter for the skimmer hole. You can buy that adapter separately, as a replacement part for the Kreepy Krauly Great White.
 

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