Auto-vac question using vacuum plate

[Plastered]

Hi all, just took over a gunite pool which seems rare in my location and hoping to tap into the broader TFP expertise.

My IG pool has one skimmer - Hayward SP-1080 series I think. There are two pipes in the bottom of the skimmer - I believe that one pulls from the bottom drain and the other is suction to the pump. I insert a vacuum plate when vacuuming, this plate has a screw valve that I can set to "Drain Open" or "Drain Closed". Am I doing any damage to the pump by running my Baracuda G3 pool vac on the Drain Closed setting? It seems to have better suction but I'm not sure how these vacuum plates are meant to operate.

Thanks... Jake

 

[AftonJeeper]

I haven't used one myself but you need to make sure not to starve the pump of water. Many skimmers have a valve built in main drain diverter that you can dial in the flow from the main drain. If you don't have one it might be worth looking into so you can get optimal performance out of your cleaner and not overheat your pump.

 

[Plastered]

This is the plate by the way: https://www.amazon.com/Hayward-SPX1080AA-Selector-Replacement-Automatic/dp/B004VTG848. The previous homeowner said this is how he vacuumed. The small round flow valve has been removed - the pool and the plate are old - and the vacuum hose is inserted directly into the valve hole opening. Everything seems to run/sound fine this way but as mentioned I notice the Baracuda gets more powerful the more the drain dial is set towards Drain Closed.

And thanks for the tip & link Jeeper - I can't tell if my plate is meant to function as a built-in valve diverter but your link led me to other hops that seem to assure me I'm using my plate ok.