Trying to vacuum for first time. I hear main drain needs to be turned off. None of mine were labeled. I have 3 handles. 1 handle controls which returns water comes out of (spa vs pool). Another controls something with the skimmer. If turned one way, the pool doesnt seem to spill over well. The other side, it does. The last one I never touch but it is a prelead to the previous one mentioned that has some control over spill over. Any suggestions on what this setup is and how to maximize it for vacuuming? The reader mine came with (if it still works) doesnt move but there is suction in the skimmer. I have the adapter seperating the skimmer plate and the rest of the hoses. I believe blue nozzle set on MAX.
Vacuuming for first time
- Thread starter meccanoble
- Start date
We need a photo of your equipment pad from a couple of angles please. We'll be able to deduce quite a bit from that. 
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The one on left controls jets between pool and spa so it's pushes water out.
Second farthest from right controls skimmer. When non skimmer side is off, not enough water flow unless I completely open far right. I tried to only open skimmer but nothing pulls out of hoses. I assume I can feel a suction?
Alright, so you have an attached spa with spillover into the pool?
I'm assuming you have a main drain in both the spa and the pool?
Do you have a dedicated suction port - it'll look like a water return (eyeball) but instead of the eyeball there will be a flap covering it - somewhere on the side of the pool a foot or two below the surface?
I'm assuming you have a main drain in both the spa and the pool?
Do you have a dedicated suction port - it'll look like a water return (eyeball) but instead of the eyeball there will be a flap covering it - somewhere on the side of the pool a foot or two below the surface?
Yes attached spa with spill over into the pool. I didnt think I had a main drain in spa but when the filter is stopped, the water in spa goes to a lower level depending on how the things are set so maybe? I have a dedicated suction port on the side of pool not too far from one of the return jets. Right now it has a skinny straight part sticking out. I never used it nor that auto vacuum on the floor. It seems to have a bad bearing or something. Sorry for my ignorance, I'm still figuring out this pool a year later lol.
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Just to reiterate:
The one on left controls jets between pool and spa so it's pushes water out.
Second farthest from right controls skimmer. When non skimmer side is off, not enough water flow unless I completely open far right. I tried to only open skimmer but nothing pulls out of hoses. I assume I can feel a suction?
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Just to reiterate:
The one on left controls jets between pool and spa so it's pushes water out.
Second farthest from right controls skimmer. When non skimmer side is off, not enough water flow unless I completely open far right. I tried to only open skimmer but nothing pulls out of hoses. I assume I can feel a suction?
Sorry, I'm asking these questions to get a handle on the three pipes on the right side. When you look in the spa, is there a drain looking thing on the bottom?
With the pump off, open up your skimmer, pull out the basket, and look in the bottom.
Is there a diverter plate? It looks something like the two disks in the image (you'll only have one):
If you see one of those, gently pull it upwards (it should come up fairly easily) and look underneath and tell me how many holes you have. If you only have one hole (diverter plate or no), let me know please.
My assumption, starting from the far right for the three pipes going into the pump is:
Spa Drain
Skimmer
Suction Port
If you're not getting any water when the second farthest from the right is on skimmer, that is likely because the dedicated suction port is closed off.
Are you trying to use the suction port to vacuum?
The spa is likely draining with the pump off because the check valve is stuck open and needs to be serviced (the water in the spa, due to gravity, will drain down to the height of the pool water through the spa returns). That's the black part with a round clear window just in front of your heater there. There is a flapper in that valve that is supposed to close if the water ties to go backwards through the pipe to prevent the water from back flowing.
With the pump off, open up your skimmer, pull out the basket, and look in the bottom.
Is there a diverter plate? It looks something like the two disks in the image (you'll only have one):
If you see one of those, gently pull it upwards (it should come up fairly easily) and look underneath and tell me how many holes you have. If you only have one hole (diverter plate or no), let me know please.
My assumption, starting from the far right for the three pipes going into the pump is:
Spa Drain
Skimmer
Suction Port
If you're not getting any water when the second farthest from the right is on skimmer, that is likely because the dedicated suction port is closed off.
Are you trying to use the suction port to vacuum?
The spa is likely draining with the pump off because the check valve is stuck open and needs to be serviced (the water in the spa, due to gravity, will drain down to the height of the pool water through the spa returns). That's the black part with a round clear window just in front of your heater there. There is a flapper in that valve that is supposed to close if the water ties to go backwards through the pipe to prevent the water from back flowing.
Skimmer has 2 holes, 1 seems to be blocked off or at least different looking.
I can't find any holes in the spa unless it's the ones that look like jets?
I also had that piece with knob tightened all the way clockwise.
Adapter for skimmer basket gets suction.
I can't find any holes in the spa unless it's the ones that look like jets?
I also had that piece with knob tightened all the way clockwise.
Adapter for skimmer basket gets suction.
I found that far right pipe is main drain, next is spa and 3rd from right is skimmer. Spa has 2 drains. I can't get enough flow into pump if I single focus on just skimmer. Skimmer and spa share some pipe so best I can do is open spa a little and skimmer all the way. I tried different scenarios but none would move the gauge that came with my Hayward xl vac. I don't feel any suction but skimmer basket plate sucks tight over skimmer basket. I tried testing with shorter houses just to see but same issues.
Any advice on what I'm doing wrong? When you connect hoses to skimmer, shouldnt you feel the suction under water? I thought it would be a strong suction. I'm able to turn main drain off completely but water from skimmer alone doesnt seem to be enough to keep the pump primed. I see the other basket losing water and fighting to keep flow when I mess with skimmer and all points to skimmer. My water level is descent where water gets in skimmer. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
First of all, thanks a ton for the pictures. I had a busy weekend - sorry I wasn't able to respond sooner.
I'm going to kick this up the chain and see if there is an expert here that can move the ball forward.
I'm going to kick this up the chain and see if there is an expert here that can move the ball forward.
Thanks. I looked at a few other videos and realized I may be using that adapter wrong with the blue knob. I see people connect hose directly to hole under skimmer basket and that adapter sits inbetween 2 hoses. I might not even need it. My basket plate hole seems too small and the hose wont fit on directly. Since the pump has a basket, I may be able to still vacuum in filter mode and be safe.
With a pump basket, you'll have no problems vacuuming that way. My kreepy dumps everything it picks up straight into the pump basket, no worries, just clean it out frequently.
Thanks, that will be my next step to getting good suction. Ugh, that means I wasted my money on this stupid Hayward plate.....
I see you have a suction side cleaner how do you control it. If you have suction on the cleaner then the skimmer will be weak, most of the time you can put the hose from the cleaner head on your vacuum and tennis ball the skimmer hole that has suction. Be careful if you have larger debris you may want to use a inline leaf cannister
I never used that suction side cleaner. I remember seeing a bubble float out of it before lol but I dont think it is setup to suction. I have a broken Polaris connected to the pipes. I think this was a setup the previous owner had/used. How can I confirm its completely off? The Polaris seems to be connected to the same pipe used to send water out the pool jets.
Mecca - can you please fix your images? I have an expert trying to look but can't see them (nor can I).
Thanks!
Thanks!
The navigator is a suction only cleaner, anyways I can't see the photos to see your valve setup.
sorry guys, i uploaded in photobucket. I think they require some add on for your browser if you are using chrome. Can you try to view in different browser? I'll try to fix asap.
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Photobucket Embedded Image Fix - Chrome Web Store
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Photobucket Embedded Image Fix - Chrome Web Store
I'm going to try to upload pics a different way. Anyway, the hole under basket requires threading to connect. the hose can fit but it can easily come out. Maybe it wont come out when the skimmer starts sucking? Might be strong enough to keep it in place. I'll try that because I tried taking basket out and using plate again but it just wont keep a prime. I may be doing something wrong. I see in the videos that they turn pump off after full connection then turn back on. So frustrating...
FYI pool looking great, I can see the bottom now but just cant get the vacuum to work.
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Picture
FYI pool looking great, I can see the bottom now but just cant get the vacuum to work.
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Picture
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