Install through wall skimmer questions

[jasonolson]

Now realize, I don't even have my pool or skimmer in hand yet but these questions are keeping me awake at night

I've seen skimmers placed in the panel between the intake and return, is this the best spot?
Do people run their skimmers/pumps 24/7 or on a timer?
Can a solar cover (i'm in MN) be placed on the pool with the skimmer running?

When hooking the skimmer to the pump, I will need to make a splitter with ball valves (I love what crookm11 did in his post here.) Although I won't be doing PVC for all, just the splitter...have to figure what I'll all need for the parts yet.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Jamison04]

Placement is going to be what works best for your situation. I've seen them put skimmers between the old intake port and the return and that then gve them two returns. I also know that the location of the current return and intake can determine whether or not one of the openings is high enough to the waterline that you could possibly capture it in the new skimmer opening and that would give you only one return. My first Intex the intake and return were very low on the wall about a foot or better below the water line so capturing one hole in the slimmer would not work. My new pool has them both pretty high up almost to the waterline so I was able to capture one existing hole in the slimmer opening. Each pool is different tho so it's reall what will work best for your situation.

Yes you can run the pump and skimmer with a solar cover in place, no problem.

Our pump is on a timer but I am running it 24/7 right now with all the trees dropping junk this time of year.

 

[jasonolson]

Thanks for the reply. From the manual I've been studying it looks as if the intake and return are pretty high up.

What do you mean when you said you were able to capture one existing hole in the skimmer opening? Did you cut out the intake hole and place the skimmer in that location?

 

[Jamison04]

What do you mean when you said you were able to capture one existing hole in the skimmer opening? Did you cut out the intake hole and place the skimmer in that location?

Yes that is exactly what I was trying to say. The location of the intake and return are less than an inch below the water line on my pool when full. The mouth of the skimmer opening is a good 6-7inches wide and about that in depth so I was able to position the skimmer right at the top of the seam and the old intake hole fell within the area I had to cut out so that's the way I did it. So now I have a skimmer where the old intake was and the return stayed the same. If you'd prefer to have two returns or the old hile wont land with in the mouth of the skimmer you are putting in than you can just have two returns its really all what you prefer to do. Nothing is set that says you have to set your pool up one way.

 

[jasonolson]

OK, thanks for the clarification. I never even thought about doing that. I guess I thought that having 2 intakes would be best so I could hit the top and the middle but if the current intake is that high doesn't really make that much difference.

I wonder what would be easier on the pump, more intake or more returns...hmmm...more sleepless nights

 

[Jamison04]

The Intex 1600 sand filter/pump is a 1/2horse pump iirc so you'd probably be best to stay to one intake skimmer and one or two returns. Someone with more pump knowledge will be able to better answer that. I can tell you that the larger Intex sand filter/pump set up, the 2600 I believe, really circulates the water in my 18' with one skimmer and one return.