I’m new to this and I was wondering about what controls the strength of the skimmer suction? Can anyone answer this question please?
I’m new to this and I was wondering about what controls the strength of the skimmer suction? Can anyone answer this question please?
- Thread starter harveyb
- Start date
Harvey,
Patience is your friend when it comes to skimmer operation.
Skimmers are not designed to reach out into the pool and suck things in.
Skimmers, 'skim' because of the weir door that floats up and down with the water level. The weir door is between the mouth of the skimmer and the skimmer basket.. It basically makes the water in the skimmer appear to be lower than the water in the pool. This causes just the surface water to 'fall' into the skimmer. Without an operating weir door, there is no skimming action, because water is being sucked into the skimmer from the bottom of the skimmer's mouth, instead of the top, where all the floating debris are.
Pump speed has some effect on the amount of water entering the skimmer, but a well operating skimmer will still work at low RPMs, it just takes a few minutes longer..
The way to set the Intake valve for the best skimmer action is to open the skimmer valve as fully open as possible and shut off the main drain or only open it about 5 or 10%. Never run a Suction Vacuum and the Skimmer at the same time, if you want the best skimming.
Why do you ask???
Thanks,
Jim R.
Patience is your friend when it comes to skimmer operation.
Skimmers are not designed to reach out into the pool and suck things in.
Skimmers, 'skim' because of the weir door that floats up and down with the water level. The weir door is between the mouth of the skimmer and the skimmer basket.. It basically makes the water in the skimmer appear to be lower than the water in the pool. This causes just the surface water to 'fall' into the skimmer. Without an operating weir door, there is no skimming action, because water is being sucked into the skimmer from the bottom of the skimmer's mouth, instead of the top, where all the floating debris are.
Pump speed has some effect on the amount of water entering the skimmer, but a well operating skimmer will still work at low RPMs, it just takes a few minutes longer..
The way to set the Intake valve for the best skimmer action is to open the skimmer valve as fully open as possible and shut off the main drain or only open it about 5 or 10%. Never run a Suction Vacuum and the Skimmer at the same time, if you want the best skimming.
Why do you ask???
Thanks,
Jim R.