SLAM valve settings

[m100psi]

Hi all,

I haven't seen much other pool equipment, but I'd guess mine is typical in that you can direct water coming to the filter/pump through either the main drains or skimmer (to various degrees), and water returning to the pool can run out the wall jets or to the positive pressure vacuum (also to various degrees). When SLAMing, does it make sense to send all the water back to the pool through the vacuum and bring all the water leaving the pool through the drains? Seems like the skimmer and jets won't contribute much to removing the algae that gets swept up.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[mknauss]

To be honest main drains do little when it comes to circulation. You are best to primarily have your suction coming through the skimmers. It sounds like you have a pressure cleaner? If so, good to run that some during the day but if you run it all the time your electricity usage would be very high.

 

[m100psi]

Oh, ok. The tradeoff between the wall jets and pressure cleaner is pump speed...if I send more flow to the cleaner, I need lower pump RPM and less energy to drive it. But I guess if the way to eliminate suspended algae is circulation, then the wall jets are important during SLAM as well?

 

[mknauss]

Circulation is key. So more to wall jets would be good.
You say less rpm to run pressure cleaner. I assume you have a booster pump for it?

 

[m100psi]

No booster pump. I just mean there’s a certain amount of water returning to the pool, and I can divert a variable amount to the jets or the pressure vacuum. The more I divert to the vacuum rather than the jets, the less RPM is required to drive the vacuum.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[mknauss]

Interesting. I was under the impression all pressure cleaners needed a booster pump.

What pump and cleaner do you have? Can you add that to your signature?

 

[m100psi]

I will look them up, they were both included with the pool installation. Just guessing, but maybe boost pumps are required if you don’t have a diverter to choose between returning water to the pool via the vacuum vs jets. Since my pool was installed assuming use of a positive pressure vacuum, the diverter was included in the plumbing.