Skimmers Have No Suction

[Maritime]

Hello,

Recently purchased a home with an inground pool and noticed our skimmers do not have any suction to them. Having some knowledge of pools from when I was younger, we took a look at the obvious:

1) Are there any valves turned off that should be in the open position? We tried running the pool with the main drain and skimmer valves in the open position (desirable)..no change. We also tried closing the main drain to force the skimmers to suction. No change.

2) Could there possibly be something jammed in the lines preventing suction from taking place? We purchased a garden hose bladder to blow the line clean. Water came up through the line and to the main filter which tells me that there is no major object creating a blockage. We also used the shop vac to push air through the lines and force any debris free. When doing this on the furthest skimmer from the pump house, the water came up through the closest skimmer no problem. When doing this same excercise on the closest skimmer, the water came up through the pool filter no problem. It does not appear from my untrained/inexperienced eye that we have any major glaring blockage in the line.

This is an 18x36 gunite pool with a sand filter which appears to be a Sta-rite.

Looking for any suggestions as I need to get this cleared up before I can continue treating the water. Attaching pictures below for reference.

Thanks.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I'm not an equipment pro but... that multiport valve seems to have a white dash marker pointing toward the left. Yet it seems to be between options. It seems set between "rinse" and "recirculate" if I'm seeing it clearly. Shouldn't it be aimed at one or the other if that is the selector marking?

Maddie

 

[ajw22]

We also tried closing the main drain to force the skimmers to suction. No change.

I assume when your pump is running it gets water flow.

When you closed the main drain what happened? Did the pump continue to have water flow or did the pump run dry?

 

[Maritime]

I'm not an equipment pro but... that multiport valve seems to have a white dash marker pointing toward the left. Yet it seems to be between options. It seems set between "rinse" and "recirculate" if I'm seeing it clearly. Shouldn't it be aimed at one or the other if that is the selector marking?

Maddie

Hi Maddie - crummy picture by me. The valve is set to "filter".

I assume when your pump is running it gets water flow.

When you closed the main drain what happened? Did the pump continue to have water flow or did the pump run dry?

Pump continued when main drain was closed. Definitely still had water flow.

 

[ajw22]

Pump continued when main drain was closed. Definitely still had water flow.

If the pump had normal water flow when the main drain was off then your skimmers have normal suction. It is the only place the water can be coming from into the pump. Suction into the skimmer is often not noticeable on the surface.

 

[Jimrahbe]

M,

Why do you believe that the skimmers have no suction? Did you take the basket out and feel what the suction was like at the bottom of the skimmer?

What does the flow feel like at the pool returns (Eyeballs)...

What does in look like when you look thorough the pump lid? Does water fill the pump (prime) when the pump is turned on?

Is the water in the pump basket clear or does it look agitated, like it was a blender?

What is the filter pressure when the pump is running?

Have you made sure the impeller is not clogged?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Do you have weir doors in your skimmers? If you do you should see water flowing over the weir doors.

 

[Maritime]

If the pump had normal water flow when the main drain was off then your skimmers have normal suction. It is the only place the water can be coming from into the pump. Suction into the skimmer is often not noticeable on the surface. I had the baskets out and placed my hand in the skimmer hole and felt zero suction. After the water had settled from my hand disturbing it I observed no dirt/debris being pulled in w/o the basket (I realize the basket is supposed to be in there and taking the basket out isn't a good long-term idea). Pretty sure they are not operational at this point.

M,

Why do you believe that the skimmers have no suction? Did you take the basket out and feel what the suction was like at the bottom of the skimmer? No suction when I took the basket out for both skimmers.

What does the flow feel like at the pool returns (Eyeballs)... Good/normal pressure at the jets

What does in look like when you look thorough the pump lid? Does water fill the pump (prime) when the pump is turned on? Pump is priming and filling the basket

Is the water in the pump basket clear or does it look agitated, like it was a blender? Appears clear; cleaned out what little debris was in there

What is the filter pressure when the pump is running? 10 PSI

Have you made sure the impeller is not clogged? This I have not done; not really familiar with the "impeller" location on equipment. Sorry for my ignorance - still learning this!

Thanks,

Jim R.

Do you have weir doors in your skimmers? If you do you should see water flowing over the weir doors. One skimmer has a weir door, one does not. Water is coming into the skimmer but not because the skimmer is "drawing" it in.

 

[Maritime]

Just did a quick search on the impeller location.

I'll attempt to see if there is a clog in that area tomorrow after work by using a screw driver to free up any possible vegetation/Crud.

 

[ajw22]

Water is coming into the skimmer but not because the skimmer is "drawing" it in.

What do you believe is drawing the water in?

Where do you believe the water is getting to your pump if not through the skimmers?

 

[Maritime]

What do you believe is drawing the water in?

Where do you believe the water is getting to your pump if not through the skimmers?

I see your point. Perhaps you can provide some insight as too why when priming the vacuum correctly and hooking up to the skimmer I am still not getting suction to the vacuum; I'm at a loss.

 

[lazygirl1978]

Feel dumb asking this, but when was the last time you backwashed the filter? What about the pump basket — is it clean? If you have a SWCG, is it functioning correctly? I figured out I needed to backwash when my SWCG complained that it’s flow was too low. The skimmers weren’t doing much and the returns were pushing water through but not much. My pump basket was also a mess! (I think my pressure gauge isn’t functioning. It always says 10. PB has “ordered a new one.”)

 

[Maritime]

Feel dumb asking this, but when was the last time you backwashed the filter? What about the pump basket — is it clean? If you have a SWCG, is it functioning correctly? I figured out I needed to backwash when my SWCG complained that it’s flow was too low. The skimmers weren’t doing much and the returns were pushing water through but not much. My pump basket was also a mess! (I think my pressure gauge isn’t functioning. It always says 10. PB has “ordered a new one.”)

Not a dumb question, especially for a new pool owner like me. We have backwashed the filter several times especially since the pool was just opened about two weeks ago. We do clean out the filter basket periodically and I checked today with no debris in it.

 

[ajw22]

Please answer Jims questions in post #6.

What type of pump and filter do you have?

When you try and vacuum do you turn off the main drain and the other skimmer so all the pump suction is coming from the skimmer connected to the vacuum?

 

[Maritime]

Please answer Jims questions in post #6.

What type of pump and filter do you have?

When you try and vacuum do you turn off the main drain and the other skimmer so all the pump suction is coming from the skimmer connected to the vacuum?

Jim's questions were answered in post #8. May have to hit expand to see the whole thing.

We have a sand filter. See pictures on post #1.

We do turn off the main drain. The (2) skimmers only have one valve that controls both. This is an older pool - late 70s, early 80s.

 

[ajw22]

Provide specific model for your pump. If you don’t know then post pictures of the labels.

Are you new to this pool? The vacuum ever work?

Some pump/filter systems never vacuum well. Look into a robot pool cleaner.

 

[Maritime]

Provide specific model for your pump. If you don’t know then post pictures of the labels.

Are you new to this pool? The vacuum ever work?

Some pump/filter systems never vacuum well. Look into a robot pool cleaner.

I’ll grab a picture of the “boiler plate” off the pump tomorrow. Surprised I didn’t have one already.

Yes to this being a “new to us” pool.

We did have the pool manually vacuuming a few days back when the skimmers had adequate suction. With the skimmers not functioning anymore I cannot get a properly primed vacuum to work correctly.

Re: robots, prior homeowner had a three year old Aquabot Turbo T that they purchased for $1200 brand new in 2016. After one use it quit on us and requires $400 repair between parts and labor. For that money we are just planning on just buying a new robot next season since swimming weather is almost over in New England.

 

[Jimrahbe]

M,

It is impossible for there to be "Good flow back to the pool" if the skimmers are not working... and the Main Drain is shut off..

Since you only have one pipe labeled Skimmer, then I have to assume that one skimmer is tied into the other skimmer.

Shut off the main drain and make sure you still have good flow back to the pool.. Then with your hand, test the suction at the bottom of both skimmers and see what you have.

Water has to come from some place and if not the skimmers or the main drain, then where???

Let us know what you find after running the above test.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Maritime]

M,

It is impossible for there to be "Good flow back to the pool" if the skimmers are not working... and the Main Drain is shut off..

Since you only have one pipe labeled Skimmer, then I have to assume that one skimmer is tied into the other skimmer.

Shut off the main drain and make sure you still have good flow back to the pool.. Then with your hand, test the suction at the bottom of both skimmers and see what you have.

Water has to come from some place and if not the skimmers or the main drain, then where???

Let us know what you find after running the above test.

Thanks,

Jim R.

I apologize. I just re-tested this morning. PSI reads at 5 instead of the normal 10 when MD is closed and only skimmers. You are correct in your assumption that both skimmers operate off of one valve.

 

[ajw22]

To recap, your skimmers and main drain work for normal pump and filter water flow. Your are now having problems getting adequate suction from a skimmer to vacuum. You were able to vacuum a few days ago.

Anything you vacuumed had to flow through the pump basket and impeller to get into the filter. Does your pump basket have any large gaps in it? I would check inside the pump around the impeller for debris that got caught there.

If the pump basket and impeller area is clear of debris then I would again look at backwashing or opening your filter and checking the sand. Have you ever deep cleaned the sand?

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