Anyone ever rig a polygroup summer waves sand filter for real vacuuming? This is the pool and filter that has a hole in the wall with a grid cover on the suction side.
Rigging a vacuum
- Thread starter The Mermaid Queen
- Start date
Can you take that cover off? If so I bet something could be rigged up if the pump is strong enough to pull a suction for the vacuum.
Kim
Kim
Pump is def strong enough, but the cover is connected to (read: is) what keeps the plumbing sandwiched to the liner. We used a Glad bowl with a hole cut to go over the grate but it suctioned to wall so hard that it collapsed on itself. We had to turn off the pump to remove it, and everything that got vacuumed floated right back in. Boo. Next season we will install a real thru the wall skimmer, but until then...
Is it small stuff or leaves and such that you want to get up?
I will so some looking around and see what I can find.
Kim
I will so some looking around and see what I can find.
Kim
The Intex robots do a great job, and they connect on the return side. I got one last year for $50 on Amazon and have only vacuumed once manually since then. I used to do it every time before I got in the pool.
Best $50 I've ever spent on a pool! All you have to do is have a return eyeball that is threaded around the collar inside the pool to screw it on to.
Best $50 I've ever spent on a pool! All you have to do is have a return eyeball that is threaded around the collar inside the pool to screw it on to.
For my Intex AGP I used the included inlet strainer to attach a few plumbing parts from Lowe's to bring the diameter down to the size of my vac hose. Ended up using a 4" to 2" abs reducer as that was a close fit. A few wraps of waterproof tape around the outside of the inlet strainer made it a snug fit. From there another reducer brought it down to the vac hose size.
I even rigged up an inline canister to catch leaves and other dirt using a fine mesh screen like a hair net. This means I don't have to backwash after every vac session.
I do have to block the other inlet when using the vac, and usually have to empty the canister 2-3 times for each vac session. The fine mesh catches a lot and flow slows rather fast.
I even rigged up an inline canister to catch leaves and other dirt using a fine mesh screen like a hair net. This means I don't have to backwash after every vac session.
I do have to block the other inlet when using the vac, and usually have to empty the canister 2-3 times for each vac session. The fine mesh catches a lot and flow slows rather fast.
Hey TMQ,
Long time, no see!
Can you place an inexpensive, stainless mixing bowl over the grate and let the suction pull it to the wall?
Long time, no see!
Can you place an inexpensive, stainless mixing bowl over the grate and let the suction pull it to the wall?
Thanks everyone for the responses... I've gone a different route and ordered a hayward skimmer. I decided I would be spending as much or even more to get something to work for a season, similar to ashtonfitzgerald's setup. so Win Win for me!
To answer the questions, yes, a bowl will suction to the side. Trying to get up grass, small leaves, dead june bugs and some other kind of beetle, etc. I skim the surface a couple times a day, but stuff till ends up on the bottom. Also nice to hear that the intex auto cleaner works well... it looks so 'low tech' compared to so many things out there that I was skeptical!
Thanks everyone!
TMQ
To answer the questions, yes, a bowl will suction to the side. Trying to get up grass, small leaves, dead june bugs and some other kind of beetle, etc. I skim the surface a couple times a day, but stuff till ends up on the bottom. Also nice to hear that the intex auto cleaner works well... it looks so 'low tech' compared to so many things out there that I was skeptical!
Thanks everyone!
TMQ
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