More Noob Questions

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KBoy420

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2020
48
Eastern PA
Hey guys,

A few more noob questions for you all.

Skimmer basket and pump basket. When emptying the pump basket, I need to use the plug in the skimmer to stop the water from pouring down the skimmer hose and into the pump. Well I thought I did, and when I twisted the pump basket cover off water just poured out - and kept pouring out. Tried to insert the plug several times, no matter what I did it would not stop the flow of water. Are there different sizes or some other trick I'm missing?

Also performed my first backwash. Went fine, and ran it until the sight glass was clear - however a bunch of sand got into the sight glass. Is that normal? Should I have kept flushing until that sand was out of the sight glass?

After back washing for about 4 minutes, I shut the pump off, switched to rinse and ran for another 4 minutes. During rinse there was still water coming out of my backwash hose. Is that normal?

Finally, I believe the pump pressure, clean, is around 15 psi. When backwashing and rinsing pressure dropped to 10 psi. That normal as well?

Final question - the first several times I vacuumed I just inserted the hose with plate into the skimmer on top of the skimmer basket. Tonight I wasnt getting any suction thru the vacuum hose, took it off, put it back, re-purged the hose of air, still no suction. Finally just took the skimmer basket out and then viola. Are you supposed to leave the skimmer basket in (I assume so to catch all the crud you are vacuuming).

Thanks all!!
 
Sand in the sight glass is of no concern.
Yes, backwash and rinse go out the same hole as does vacuum to waste.
15 to 10 is perfect.
I leave the basket in. You may not have been getting a good deal with your basket in place. Might need a new vacuum plate with a better gasket.
 
Your plug may not stay because you may not have removed the complete return fitting. Sometimes while unscrewing the return it separates from the back portion.
What you saw in the sight glass was most likely dirt which is what backwash is about. Rinse needs not more then 15 seconds
 
wireform said:
Your plug may not stay because you may not have removed the complete return fitting. Sometimes while unscrewing the return it separates from the back portion.
Click to expand...

Can you pretend I dont know at all what I'm doing and elaborate on this? Al I did was place the plug into the skimmer with the basket out. Sounds like I missed some steps or completely butchered this process.
 
KBoy420 said:
Can you pretend I dont know at all what I'm doing and elaborate on this? Al I did was place the plug into the skimmer with the basket out. Sounds like I missed some steps or completely butchered this process.
Click to expand...
Sorry thought you were speaking of the pool return. The skimmer should be 11/2" fpt. You can get a screw in plug that utilizes the threads or use the tapered rubber one used for winterizing. I think it may take a #10 plug.
 
wireform said:
Sorry thought you were speaking of the pool return. The skimmer should be 11/2" fpt. You can get a screw in plug that utilizes the threads or use the tapered rubber one used for winterizing. I think it may take a #10 plug.
Click to expand...
Yes I am trying to use the rubber plug for winterizing, but no matter how I put it in, when I remove the pump basket cover water continuously pours out. But it came with the pump so it has to be the right size, no? And I shoved it down pretty hard, hard enough I was concerned about too much stress on the skimmer housing.
 
Filter - in through pump to filter, water flows through the sand from top to bottom, up through the bottom, up center pipe, out to pool return. Normal position, used to clean the water and return it to the pool.

Backwash - in through pump to filter, through the center pipe to bottom, up through the sand, out the backwash port. Used to clean the sand and send dirty water out. Backwash until the sight glass is clear.

Rinse - in through pump to filter, water flows through the sand from top to bottom, up through the center pipe, out the backwash port. Used to resettle the sand after backwashing, and send dirty water lingering in the filter out. 15-30 seconds. Sight glass might look dirty again at the beginning, but this should clear quickly, within the 15 seconds or so.

Waste - in through pump to filter, out backwash port. Never comes in contact with sand. Used to vacuum "to waste," usually to remove flocculant. Not really used if you follow TFP.

Closed - seals everything up. Turns the filter into a giant shutoff valve - water can neither enter nor exit. Never turn your pump on with the MPV closed.

Recirculate - in through pump, out to pool returns. Water never contacts sand. Sometimes used to keep circulation when water is too dirty to run the filter overnight early in a SLAM, or if there is a problem in the filter that needs to be fixed.
 
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