Question on air in hoses when one inlet is blocked

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kimray

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2022
277
Mobile, AL
Pool Size
4025
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Questions for you guys. I learned something new every year and this forum has been a great resource.
So I have 15 foot Intex above ground pool with the 2800 series Intex sand filter and I just use the basic Intex skimmer basket that hangs over the side of the railing.
Yes, one day I intend on getting the Hayward skimmer that goes in the side of the pool, but I haven’t done it yet because quite honestly I don’t trust myself to cut a hole in the side of the pool and not end up with leaks lol but that’s another story LOL!!

My question today is when I plug off one of the inlet ports so that the skimmer gets better suction, my pump becomes markedly louder because of the air being sucked in. I have tried using a plug that had the little tiny hole in it to let minimal water through and I have also tried using a plug that was solid to just close it off and I have the same issue. If I have both ports open, the pump is so quiet I forget it’s running and it’s beautiful. But then, of course I get no suction at the skimmer and its effectively not doing its job

So my question.. is this normal? I feel like it isn’t because I can see the air bubbles going through the line and it does cause the pipe to pulse occasionally. And I know that’s not good for the motor.
So what is the trick? Do you guys just bypass that one inlet all together and run one hose straight from the pump to the skimmer port? I currently have it teed off to where one hose is going to each port and then converging in the third hose that goes to the pump.
 

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kimray said:
Questions for you guys. I learned something new every year and this forum has been a great resource.
So I have 15 foot Intex above ground pool with the 2800 series Intex sand filter and I just use the basic Intex skimmer basket that hangs over the side of the railing.
Yes, one day I intend on getting the Hayward skimmer that goes in the side of the pool, but I haven’t done it yet because quite honestly I don’t trust myself to cut a hole in the side of the pool and not end up with leaks lol but that’s another story LOL!!

My question today is when I plug off one of the inlet ports so that the skimmer gets better suction, my pump becomes markedly louder because of the air being sucked in. I have tried using a plug that had the little tiny hole in it to let minimal water through and I have also tried using a plug that was solid to just close it off and I have the same issue. If I have both ports open, the pump is so quiet I forget it’s running and it’s beautiful. But then, of course I get no suction at the skimmer and its effectively not doing its job

So my question.. is this normal? I feel like it isn’t because I can see the air bubbles going through the line and it does cause the pipe to pulse occasionally. And I know that’s not good for the motor.
So what is the trick? Do you guys just bypass that one inlet all together and run one hose straight from the pump to the skimmer port? I currently have it teed off to where one hose is going to each port and then converging in the third hose that goes to the pump.
Click to expand...
Starving the pump of water does not eliminate the suction it has. It is now getting air in place of the water from anywhere it can, most likely the pump lid O ring. That would be the most common place to look. After that, anywhere in front of the pump would be suspect.
 
You have two suction ports to minimize the chance of being stuck in one of them. Please never plug one if there are swimmers. I don't like it even then, without swimmers, because people forget things like taking the plug out for swimmers.

That all said, the skimmer you're using is often upgraded for a reason. You will not get a massive improvement out of it, or people wouldn't need to upgrade it IMO.


And welcome back !! :wave:
 
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1poolman1 said:
Starving the pump of water does not eliminate the suction it has. It is now getting air in place of the water from anywhere it can, most likely the pump lid O ring. That would be the most common place to look. After that, anywhere in front of the pump would be suspect.
Click to expand...
Replaced it last week because I had thought of that. Nice tight seal there now
 
Newdude said:
You have two suction ports to minimize the chance of being stuck in one of them. Please never plug one if there are swimmers. I don't like it even then, without swimmers, because people forget things like taking the plug out for swimmers.

That all said, the skimmer you're using is often upgraded for a reason. You will not get a massive improvement out of it, or people wouldn't need to upgrade it IMO.


And welcome back !! :wave:
Click to expand...
Yea. I plan on it eventually. But just trying to get by for now. I have already replaced hoses, orings and a few fittings in the last couple weeks.
If both ports are open its perfect. Its when I block one to use the skimmer that it get noisy.
(Its only 2 adults that ever use pool so leaving the plug in is not an issue )
I figured my next move is to plug that inlet, remove the hose and just run a hose from the skimmer to the pump
 
kimray said:
Yea. I plan on it eventually. But just trying to get by for now. I have already replaced hoses, orings and a few fittings in the last couple weeks.
If both ports are open its perfect. Its when I block one to use the skimmer that it get noisy.
(Its only 2 adults that ever use pool so leaving the plug in is not an issue )
I figured my next move is to plug that inlet, remove the hose and just run a hose from the skimmer to the pump
Click to expand...
"After that, anywhere in front of the pump would be suspect." The noise is cavitation. The pump is starving for water. Every hose connection is suspect. In the picture there is a collapsed hose on the left right at the pool. That is an area I would look at. Is that the plugged port? Or, don't plug a line. The pump needs a certain amount of water to work and one line, or maybe even one skimmer, may not be supply enough.
 
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1poolman1 said:
"After that, anywhere in front of the pump would be suspect." The noise is cavitation. The pump is starving for water. Every hose connection is suspect. In the picture there is a collapsed hose on the left right at the pool. That is an area I would look at. Is that the plugged port? Or, don't plug a line. The pump needs a certain amount of water to work and one line, or maybe even one skimmer, may not be supply enough.
Click to expand...
Would you explain to me what you mean by collapsed hose?
If you are referring to the one with plumbers tape on it, I literally replaced that after I made this post with a brand new hose and nothing has changed
 
kimray said:
Would you explain to me what you mean by collapsed hose?
If you are referring to the one with plumbers tape on it, I literally replaced that after I made this post with a brand new hose and nothing has changed
Click to expand...
And I have tried not plugging a line and it works beautifully. But then the skimmer doesn’t get enough suction because it split between the two inlets and it renders the skimmer useless.
 
Either add a valve to reduce some, but not all of the suction from the inlets, or add 15 ft of hose oustide the pool so more suction comes from the path of least resistance.
 
Newdude said:
Either add a valve to reduce some, but not all of the suction from the inlets, or add 15 ft of hose oustide the pool so more suction comes from the path of least resistance.
Click to expand...
Wouldn’t adding a valve to reduce some of the suction be the same as me trying to put the plug in it? I’ve tried the plug with no opening and with an opening for reduced flow.
And as far as the hose solution, I’m more of a visual gal so do you by chance have a picture of what you are explaining?
 

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kimray said:
Wouldn’t adding a valve to reduce some of the suction be the same as me trying to put the plug in it? I’ve tried the plug with no opening and with an opening for reduced flow.
Click to expand...
The valve would allow you to fine tune the suction so you'd be more likely to find the sweet spot that the skimmer pulls well, without sucking air. Maybe that's 75% flow, maybe its 39%. You can't adjust the plugs, they are either in or out.


kimray said:
I’m more of a visual gal so do you by chance have a picture of what you are explaining?
Click to expand...
With an equal sized T, it pulls from both sides fairly equally. Your skimmer pipe is longer than the other side, so the other side is getting more of the suction. But if you close the other side, you have too much suction for just the skimmer and it sucks air.

So maybe making the other side longer than the skimmer side will favor more suction from the skimmer, but not too much.
 
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