Quick product review - Val-Pak Skimmer Baskets

[dfwnoob]

Earlier this week I finally had enough of the garbage pool store replacement baskets that are in my skimmers. Both of them were cracked and dealing with the hairnet "skimmer socks" was annoying since they had a metal bar to contend with. Plus the old ones kept floating! Despite my best efforts, tons of junk made it past them (due to the floating) and would end up in my pump basket and filter. I saw someone mention the Val-Pak skimmer baskets on here a couple of weeks ago and decided to give them a shot.



What a difference! These things are practically bulletproof compared to the cheap, thin wall junk. The old ones may have been made of tissue paper, comparatively. Amazon did a really bang up job shipping these.. they included them in a shipment with a big case of Red Bull. Fortunately, these baskets are so robust, they made the trip over with no problem. Any other ones would have been reduced a pile of broken plastic.

They do NOT have a stupid metal bar handle, instead they have a handle formed into the side of the basket, making it a breeze to use hairnets. They are also weighted, and already seem to be doing a much better job at not floating. Initial impressions are very positive and I can't wait to see how they hold up. Made in USA too! For anyone else with the Pentair/Pac-Fab Bermuda skimmers, the part number is V22-110.

 

[Texas Splash]

Nice feedback.

 

[jark87]

One of those items people don’t think much about, but can be annoying. I don’t care too much about the metal rod, but I dislike needing a rock in my skimmer baskets to keep them from floating. Adding a built-in handle and eliminating the rod would be a bonus! I don’t have any idea what kind of skimmers I have, but if they make these for mine, I’m in!

 

[DavidArmenB]

I purchased this basket at a local pool shop after my cheap one broke, not knowing how amazing and thick they are. I’m happy with my purchase every day!

 

[Jimrahbe]

DFW,

You know the metal rod just pops in or out??

If you had to use a rock to hold the basket down, what keeps your hairnet from floating up?

My baskets do not float, but I have to use a rock to keep the hair net down, at least until they get a little dirty.

Do they have baskets for Hayward Skimmers??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[dfwnoob]

I did know the metal rod was removable, but then in the rare times the basket actually stayed in place, it was very difficult to remove without the rod there. The stuff that would get caught in the hairnets would tend to stay even if it floated, so that was good. With the new baskets, the hairnet does float when the pump is running slowly, but I have no problem getting any "flyaway" debris when I remove it.

Hayward Replacement Baskets – Val-Pak Products

val-pakproducts.com

They seem to make baskets for some Hayward models.

 

[Jimrahbe]

dfw,

I take the metal rod out, install the hairnets, and then put the rod back it..

I remove the baskets with the pump running, so almost impossible to do without the rod, if the basket is full.

I also have two sets of skimmer baskets, so that I just take the dirty ones out, and put the clean ones in.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[dfwnoob]

I take the metal rod out, install the hairnets, and then put the rod back it..

Guess I never thought of that

Either way, the baskets were cracked and needed to go anyway.

 

[Klutz14159]

I take the metal rod out, install the hairnets, and then put the rod back it..

I got a new basket with a plastic rod, and it took me a year before I figured out this solution

 

[Klutz14159]

My skimmer uses this 513036 basket: Amazon.com

It has this weird raised semicircular bottom to accommodate the two pipe holes offset to one side. I don't see any Val-Pak skimmers with that odd base, so I assume I'm out of luck getting a basket that doesn't float?