Vacuuming

[spaige]

Should I be able to turn my main drain off when vacuuming through a skimmer plate? My pump seems to lose prime when I do. I have two skimmers and vacuum through a plate into the skimmer basket and put another plate on my other skimmer and close it off. Usually the plate I am not vacuuming through will move out of place and not stay seated. I was just wondering what the typical procedure might be.

By the way, I am filling the hose with water before I begin this process. Thanks.

SP

 

[JohnT]

Probably not. Your pump needs more water than the vacuum hose can provide, so you can't close everything else off. I start with the main drain valve about half closed. I only have one skimmer.

 

[waste]

SP, welcome to TFP!!

As a rule of thumb on vacuuming:

Set up the vac as usual then go over and close the second suction (MD in your case) until you see a 1/2 - 1lb drop on the pressure gauge - this will give you good suction but not be so much that the vac head sticks to the floor

From your post it sounds like the 2 skimmers have a communal line ( !), is the main drain on it's own line or does it connect to one of the skimmers? As said, shutting down the suction through the other skimmer and/ or main drain is the way to get optimal vac performance. The plate you speak of in the other skimmer probably has a screw to hold it in place, just tighten that screw when you don't want it to move.

 

[spaige]

I don't believe my skimmers share a line. I have three lines coming out of the ground; a main drain, and two skimmers. However, my pool builder has the skimmers to the right of the valve and my main drain to the left of the valve. Therefore, I can close both skimmers or the main drain, but I can't close the skimmers individually.

 

[waste]

Thanks for the extra info on the plumbing

Without a valve to control the suction between the 2 skimmers (I'm glad!! they have separate lines!) you might want to try a tennis ball to plug the skimmer you're not using to vacuum :idea: and then adjust the valve for the MD to get the suction you want/ need.

I hope this will help you maintain a trouble free pool! 8)

 

[spaige]

Thanks for the info. Now that I think of it there is a small flap that I can swing over the hole in the bottom of my skimmer that will help seal off the flow. I always wondered what those things were for!!

 

[giulietta1]

How DOES one close off (or half close) the main drain?

Up until now I've always used a Pool Buster, which recently died. I've been trying to use the vac head, but my suction sucks.

I did fill the vac hose with water and turned the pump to high. The vacuum plate appears to be firmly seated in the skimmer. It barely sucks up silt, doesn't pick up leaves, and forget about pebbles!

Help??!

 

[spaige]

I believe what John is referring to is adjusting the valve that is connected to main drain line. Most pool builders put a valve on your main drain line that you can close, open or adjust anywhere in between. Its kind of like opening a water faucett a little or a lot to let less or more water flow. By adjust the main drain valve between half open/closed more suction should come from the skimmer your vacuum line is attached to; the path of least resistance so to speak. This is a layman's explanation. There are guys on this forum that can give a much better explanation than I can.

 

[giulietta1]

I believe what John is referring to is adjusting the valve that is connected to main drain line. Most pool builders put a valve on your main drain line that you can close, open or adjust anywhere in between.

Thank you, and it seems like a good explanation to me! My pool was largely a DYI by the folks who sold us the house. I am not sure where such a valve might be! There are push-pull valves on two pipes on the equipment pad. I may have to take some pics of the system.