Need suction side option for pool cleaner

[briggss3]

My pool has the skimmer and bottom drain connected and there is a pressure compensation bypass created by a skimmer venturi. If I understand this correct from a pool builder in the area. Very atypical in his words but he has seen this before. Result... no suction in the suction port for the suction-side cleaner (brand new Polaris Maxx). There is no option to manually connect to skimmer. In other words the main pump is not connectible to the suction side cleaner.


Option B?.... Can I add a small cartridge or even sand filter to the wayerfall.pump and plug into the waterfall pickup in the pool? If so, any suggestions? My WF is a Pentair Dynamo Punp on a Century 1.0HP single speed motor.

Option C?.... if Option B is a bad idea or not going to work, is there a single unit (all in one) that has a pump and filter that i can use as needed to clean and then put away when not needed? Like above ground equipment? If so, any suggestions?

Trying to avoid adding another 1000 for a robot on top of the 550 i already paid for the Polaris Maxx. Which I can't give away for 300 even though it's brand new.

 

[Dirk]

@JoyfulNoise, if he added a leaf canister with a hair net on the hose between his Polaris Maxx vac head and his waterfall pump, would that protect the pump sufficiently, and do a decent job of vacuuming? (Pentair Dynamo Punp on a Century 1.0HP single speed motor)

 

[Dirk]

My pool has the skimmer and bottom drain connected and there is a pressure compensation bypass created by a skimmer venturi. If I understand this correct from a pool builder in the area. Very atypical in his words but he has seen this before. Result... no suction in the suction port for the suction-side cleaner (brand new Polaris Maxx). There is no option to manually connect to skimmer. In other words the main pump is not connectible to the suction side cleaner.


Option B?.... Can I add a small cartridge or even sand filter to the wayerfall.pump and plug into the waterfall pickup in the pool? If so, any suggestions? My WF is a Pentair Dynamo Punp on a Century 1.0HP single speed motor.

Option C?.... if Option B is a bad idea or not going to work, is there a single unit (all in one) that has a pump and filter that i can use as needed to clean and then put away when not needed? Like above ground equipment? If so, any suggestions?

Trying to avoid adding another 1000 for a robot on top of the 550 i already paid for the Polaris Maxx. Which I can't give away for 300 even though it's brand new.

You might post pics of your plumbing. Perhaps you're overlooking an "Option D."

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Do you have a dedicated suction port or are you referring to something at the skimmer?

Need to see pictures of the skimmer and equipment pad.

 

[Poolbreh]

They do have a dedicated suction line and an in floor leaf canister. Plug the vacuum into the dsl and adjust your filter pumps intake diverter valve. If it works you should pick up a leaf trap to avoid needing to open the in floor leaf canister.

 

[briggss3]

Do you have a dedicated suction port or are you referring to something at the skimmer?

Need to see pictures of the skimmer and equipment pad.

The primary pump has a dedicated suction port and one of those in ground leaf catchers. I originally thought it was leaking and why I had almost no suction on the suction port. But it turns out the system itself defeats the suction. No matter what you do you will never have suction since the system is designed to balance the skimmer and bottom drain to prevent suction risks.

 

[briggss3]

You might post pics of your plumbing. Perhaps you're overlooking an "Option D."

Posted in another reply....

 

[briggss3]

@JoyfulNoise, if he added a leaf canister with a hair net on the hose between his Polaris Maxx vac head and his waterfall pump, would that protect the pump sufficiently, and do a decent job of vacuuming? (Pentair Dynamo Punp on a Century 1.0HP single speed motor)

I need to capture sand and some pea gravel that ends up in my pool. I have In floor cleaning system and it tends to puddle up floor debris in a common location.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Steven,

It appears to me like you have a suction cleaner port in the sidewall of your pool..

Show us several pics of your equipment pad so we can see the input lines to the pump..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[briggss3]

I have a standard T connection for the main pump with a 3 way valve for skimmer, drain, and pump suction. The suction cleaner port produces no suction. The pool company/local builder came out to inspect and told me it will never work as the system was built to maintain a balance and reduce suction risks to swimmers. So the skimmer plumbing (pic posted) has pressure balance in it.

Connect anything to the suction port that produces back pressure the pressure is moved to the other drains. Self defeating system.

So my question is why not connect it to the waterfall inlet and put a small filter in line? The Polaris Maxx cleaner came with a leaf basket. So I just need to capture the small bits, sand, pea gravel, etc that accumulate on the floor.

 

[Dirk]

If it were me...

I would defeat the drain altogether and get that suction port working, and drive the debris into the main filter. It's basically what I DID do. I don't miss the drain at all, and my suction-side vac works great. I don't have to use, worry about or clean an additional filtering system.

It's possible that advice wouldn't apply to an in-floor cleaning system, I wouldn't know. Frankly, if I had one, I'd defeat that, too, and just use the suction-side vac. I have a very clean yard and pool, so that what works for me. YMMV.