Need Help With Valves! (Newbie here)

[mayman34]

I need some help with what settings I should leave my valves on. We bought the house recently and the previous owners had nothing labeled. Our pool is 18,000 gallons, salt water fiberglass pool.

I tried to hook up the suction vacuum today and was not sure what RPM to set my variable speed pump at (I choose 2600 RPM) is that good? It did work for a bit then the hose disconnected off of the hole in the skimmer (it is the only place in the pool to put the hose for the vacuum).

Also, I am not sure how to turn off the main drain? I attached a picture so you could see/hopefully help me out as to what I should set these valves at for 1) basic running and 2) vacuuming/cleaning. I would like to leave the vacuum in the pool and set the pump to clean it for 3 hours during the night/early AM.

Any suggestions/help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Jimrahbe]

34,

I assume you do not have a spa.

If you do not have a vacuum port in the side wall of your pool, then the main drain should be plumbed back to the valve in front of the pump. One pipe is for the skimmer and the other is for the main drain. In your pic, either the skimmer, or the main drain, is shut off, but no way we can tell which is which.

I have no clue what is going on, on your return side..

What do you have for water features?

I suggest that you dump the 1960's and move into this century and buy a Robot, like this one....

Without a vacuum port it is impossible for you to set up any way for the vacuum to work the way you want. You need a skimmer, so you can't leave the hose connected to the skimmer all the time.

I suggest that you run with the skimmer port wide open, and the main drain port either off, or only on about 10%.

Thanks,

Jim R.