Returns

[carnivalday]

Okay, I got interested in reading more about skimmers (after checking mine out, seems a-ok to me). From what Im reading, the placement of returns has a large part in the skimmer working properly. I posted a picture (that I stole off of Google) that shows my returns (x), the direction the returns are going, and where the skimmer is. At each return, the water is pretty wavy; it looks like they are pointed sideways. The one return is pointed directly at the skimmer. From what Im reading, the returns should be pointed away from the skimmer, and should be pointed downward, to keep the surface of the water quieter so that the skimmer can do its work, and that the deeper water will circulate. That being said (and if thats all horse do do, let me know that too), do I need to turn the returns to go opposite of how they are now and point them downward so they dont ripple the surface so much, and that they point away from the skimmer?

 

[carnivalday]

Crud. The picture would help, huh.

 

[Jimrahbe]

C,

The idea is to have the pool returns (eyeballs) pointed so that the water in the pool flows like in a flushing toilet bowl, only much, much slower. In my mind anyway, it does not matter much if the eyeballs are pointed a little up or down..

This swirling action pushes the surface debris past the skimmer openings...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[carnivalday]

Jim, that seems like how it is for now. I think Ill just leave them as is, unless someone has a really strong opinion otherwise.

 

[ajw22]

Your prevailing winds have more of an effect on surface water circulation then the returns. Toss some ping pong balls in the pool and see how they move. Play with moving the returns around and see if it makes any difference in the surface water flow.

 

[carnivalday]

Winds pretty much come from the east, which is the side that the skimmer is on. I get pretty good circulating flow, as I watch bugs and the occasional leaf float around. Im just not sure what is the best flow for the skimmer to work optimally.

 

[gonfishin]

I would leave things alone.

From the picture, I think if you pointed the returns the opposite way from what they are now and you have winds coming from the same side of the pool as the skimmer, everything would end up hanging around on the side opposite from the skimmer and then fall to the bottom of the pool (eventually).

 

[carnivalday]

Geez, sometimes Im so stupid. The winds come from the WEST, which is the side the skimmer is on. I assume that wont make a difference? So Ill just leave it be. The pool is actually staying pretty clean, what with my toy Dolphin playing on the pool floor every couple of days.