Just opened our inground pool (closed it ourselves last year and rented a powerful air compressor to force the water out of the underground lines) and our skimmer does NOTHING. Everything else seems to work fine... the main bottom drain is pulling water and the water is going fine out of the 3 water returns. The fountain also works fine. When I close the main drain to test there is no water being pulled in (from) the skimmer. I can't tell if the maybe the valve to open the skimmer line is defective (not actually opening) or if the problem is more sinister. Can you tell me what I should check before calling a technician?
Skimmer with zero suction
- Thread starter jdaahines
- Start date
-
- Tags
- pool skimmer skimmer
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,897
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcome to TFP! 
Are you still having that skimmer suction issue? If so, can you post a pic of your equipment pad so we can see what you have to work with? We're also assuming any plugs (i.e. Gizmo) was successfully removed and there's no chance of a total blockage from debris or anything? Have you tried pushing water backwards from the pump inlet back to the pool skimmer (w/ drain closed of course)? See if you get any water movement backwards?
Are you still having that skimmer suction issue? If so, can you post a pic of your equipment pad so we can see what you have to work with? We're also assuming any plugs (i.e. Gizmo) was successfully removed and there's no chance of a total blockage from debris or anything? Have you tried pushing water backwards from the pump inlet back to the pool skimmer (w/ drain closed of course)? See if you get any water movement backwards?Are you slowly opening the skimmer ball valve with the main drain fully suctioning? You should see an onslaught of incoming air that will try to break the water seal, once you do, close the skimmer line a little bit to allow the basket to keep prime. You will then start to see a tiny trickle of water coming from the skimmer. Do not open the ball valve fully until you see the air intake stopped.
I spoke with my friend who helped me close the pool and he says there is a plug in the skimmer that I Need to remove but that I will need a special tool. I am going to wait until he can come and show me as the "hole" I think he is talking about seems to have a "female" connection which I certainly will need a tool to remove. Thanks for your ideas... I'll let know you if the skimmer "plug" is the problem. I really hadn't remembered putting a plug there when we closed the pool last year. 