Snake out skimmer?

[inhelder2]

My pool has 2 skimmers and 1 main drain at the bottom. I'm new to owning this pool but it's been in the ground for close to 30 years. We replaced all the equipment this year and I'm not getting my SWG to have enough flow under 2200rpm on my VSP right after a backwash. A couple days after backwash and filter goes up 3psi or so and 2200rpm isn't enough flow.

Now I noticed that the skimmer closest to the pump gets great flow but the far one doesn't seem to have barely andy flow. I was thinking of running a (clean) toilet snake/auger down the line to see if there is a blockage or something.

Thoughts on that plan? Any reason I shouldn't do this? Any other thoughts to get better flow at lower rpms?

 

[PoolStored]

My guess is that you have algae growing.

Can you post a full set of test results, and I'd perform an OCLT...Link-->Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

 

[ajw22]

You have a medium size pump and a gas heater restricting your flow.

2200 rpm is around what I would expect.

Bypassing the heater when not using it will improve the flow - Heater Bypass - Further Reading

Needing to increase RPMs is a sign of algae buildup. Do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

 

[inhelder2]

My guess is that you have algae growing.

Can you post a full set of test results, and I'd perform an OCLT...Link-->Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Thanks! I'll do an OCLT tomorrow night but my results from tonight's tests are below:

FC: 3.0
CC: 0.5
PH: 7.2
TA: 80
CYA: 60
CH: 50
Salt: 3600

 

[inhelder2]

You have a medium size pump and a gas heater restricting your flow.

2200 rpm is around what I would expect.

Bypassing the heater when not using it will improve the flow - Heater Bypass - Further Reading

Needing to increase RPMs is a sign of algae buildup. Do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Bypass is a great idea, I'll look into that, thanks!

Gonna do an OCLT tomorrow night as well.

 

[1poolman1]

My pool has 2 skimmers and 1 main drain at the bottom. I'm new to owning this pool but it's been in the ground for close to 30 years. We replaced all the equipment this year and I'm not getting my SWG to have enough flow under 2200rpm on my VSP right after a backwash. A couple days after backwash and filter goes up 3psi or so and 2200rpm isn't enough flow.

Now I noticed that the skimmer closest to the pump gets great flow but the far one doesn't seem to have barely andy flow. I was thinking of running a (clean) toilet snake/auger down the line to see if there is a blockage or something.

Thoughts on that plan? Any reason I shouldn't do this? Any other thoughts to get better flow at lower rpms?

NEVER use a "snake" type device for pool plumbing. They are designed for use on drain systems with large, smooth, "sweep" curved fittings that allow unpressurized water to flow.
Pool fitting use "hard" 90-degree fittings. Get the snake past two of them and it might not come back out. Past three and it won't.

 

[inhelder2]

NEVER use a "snake" type device for pool plumbing. They are designed for use on drain systems with large, smooth, "sweep" curved fittings that allow unpressurized water to flow.
Pool fitting use "hard" 90-degree fittings. Get the snake past two of them and it might not come back out. Past three and it won't.

Thanks I'll stay away from the snaking idea. I feel like there is something there constricting flow in the far skimmer but maybe it's just the distance from the pump that's the issue. I'll see if I'm losing chlorine tonight and report back. Thanks for the help!

 

[inhelder2]

Here we my results from the OCLT last night. Thinking I'll look into the bypass for my heater as a next step as it doesn't appear I failed the OCLT? Or am I missing something here on that test? Any chemicals look out of balance besides low FC for my CYA level?