I have a 20x40ft 1970's era inground pool. I have 1 skimmer and 2 returns. Below the skimmer I have a plugged opening of some sort. I had always assumed that it was an old equalizer line that a previous owner had capped for safety reasons. I'm okay with that, although I do dislike having only one suction source.
A friend of mine just bought a house in our neighborhood with a nearly identical pool. However, his suction below the skimmer is still open. It's not connected to the skimmer as an equalizer, it goes straight back to the equipment pad and meets the skimmer line at a diverter valve. Notes from the previous owner state that they normally leave it open 50/50, but when they use the vac hose to the skimmer, they turn the valve to pull mostly from the skimmer.
Our questions are:
1) Is this safe? He has no kids, but I know for me I'd worry about the possibility of getting trapped by the lower suction, especially if the valve were turned to pull 100% from there.
2) If it's not safe, what would you do? The easiest thing would be just to plug it like mine it, but I don't know if that's the best way either.
A friend of mine just bought a house in our neighborhood with a nearly identical pool. However, his suction below the skimmer is still open. It's not connected to the skimmer as an equalizer, it goes straight back to the equipment pad and meets the skimmer line at a diverter valve. Notes from the previous owner state that they normally leave it open 50/50, but when they use the vac hose to the skimmer, they turn the valve to pull mostly from the skimmer.
Our questions are:
1) Is this safe? He has no kids, but I know for me I'd worry about the possibility of getting trapped by the lower suction, especially if the valve were turned to pull 100% from there.
2) If it's not safe, what would you do? The easiest thing would be just to plug it like mine it, but I don't know if that's the best way either.
