Skimmer not skimming

[Obecalp86]

Hi all,

I’ve been having issues with the skimmer door often staying upright and water flow into the skimmer being low. i have one valve on my pluming - pump, skimmer, vac. Since I don’t use the vac, water flow is only on for pump and skimmer.

Sometimes it skims well, but other times it does not skim well - in this situation I assume that the floor drain is pulling in relatively more water (?).

Anyhow, not sure how to troubleshoot this problem, especially when it is intermittent. I am getting no pressure warnings, there is no air in the system etc.

I did have my pool replastered 3 months ago and wondered if there could be a clog in the skimmer. The skimmer itself contains this large plastic “thing” (always has) that is a little clogged around the side, see pic. Can I remove this (if so, how?), turn it to adjust water flow..?

Any help will be much appreciated!!

 

[Obecalp86]

Perhaps I did a stupid thing, but I stopped my pump, tried to pull the thing in the pic up (did not succeed), and now the skimmer works well..?

 

[Jimrahbe]

86,

That thing in the bottom of your skimmer is a floating diverter valve.

When the water is low, it will shut off the skimmer and suck water from the main drain.

The basic idea here is.. Don't let the water get low...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

86,

I re-read your post and it could be that your weir door is sticking up.. When this happens, the pump will suck all the water out of the skimmer, and the floating diverter valve will sink to the bottom and start sucking water from the main drain.

Make sure your weir door is not getting stuck up, You might have to trim it a little to make sure it moves freely.

Removing the floating diverter will not normally hurt anything, as long as you don't let the water level get too low, and that the weir door is working like it should. Thousands and thousands of pools don't have an operating main drain and they all work just fine.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Obecalp86]

Thanks, Jim. This might also explain why starting/restarting the pump sometimes makes the skimmer start working again.

I have an automatic water “filler” (yes, terminology…), so low water levels are never an issue.

There is some plaster sand around the floating diverter. How do I remove it?

 

[Obecalp86]

86,

I re-read your post and it could be that your weir door is sticking up.. When this happens, the pump will suck all the water out of the skimmer, and the floating diverter valve will sink to the bottom and start sucking water from the main drain.

Make sure your weir door is not getting stuck up, You might have to trim it a little to make sure it moves freely.

Removing the floating diverter will not normally hurt anything, as long as you don't let the water level get too low, and that the weir door is working like it should. Thousands and thousands of pools don't have an operating main drain and they all work just fine.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Should’ve hit reply. See above, please.

 

[Jimrahbe]

There is some plaster sand around the floating diverter. How do I remove it?

86,

I can't think of any way other than to use something to scrap it out.. Whatever you use, either plug the holes in the bottom of the skimmer, or use something too big to drop down the hole...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Obecalp86]

86,

I can't think of any way other than to use something to scrap it out.. Whatever you use, either plug the holes in the bottom of the skimmer, or use something too big to drop down the hole...

Thanks,

Jim R.

I’ve tried pulling at the thing to get it out, but it won’t budge. Any special tool for this? ;-)