Water flow at skimmer?

[the_sphynx]

I posted in another thread about me buying an M500 and giving up on the Rebel. In doing that I figured I could adjust the suction to focus more on the skimmer since I don't really need the suction port on the side anymore.

I, perhaps naively, thought that I could just open the valve to pretty much be full on for skimmer suction. When I do that there is a huge rush of water and gurgling that happens in the skimmer...so loud that you can hear it anywhere around the pool and within 20ft of the pool. I do use a skimmer sock but that is relatively clean. Just a huge force of water and rushing sounds going down into the skimmer.

My question I guess is about how open do most people run their skimmer valves once you have a real robot cleaner? I suspect I'll have dialed mine back to about half or so before the skimmer becomes silent again. Is that pretty much where the line is drawn for most people (right on the cusp of it being silent but still getting some slow water moving)?

 

[mknauss]

What RPM are you running your pump at?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bryan,

Sounds to me like your weir door is stuck up... In "theory" the pump should not be able to suck more water out than can come in from the pool.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[the_sphynx]

Marty,
Looks like the pool is set to be in "Pool" mode and the RPM on that setting is 2200 RPM. There is a "Cleaner" mode that comes on once a day (not at this time) that runs at 2600 RPM.

 

[mknauss]

First, check the weir door as Jim recommends. Then, if still too strong, I would suggest lowering your flow rate. Your flow rate is now needed for two reasons, one is to generate your chlorine with the SWCG, and the other is to skim. So try lowering the flow rate until the flow switch opens on the SWCG (red light on SWCG showing low flow). Then raise your RPM by 100 or so and be sure the flow light is now green.

See how that works. I would eliminate the Cleaner function unless you think a higher rpm time is needed for skimming.

 

[the_sphynx]

Bryan,

Sounds to me like your weir door is stuck up... In "theory" the pump should not be able to suck more water out than can come in from the pool.

Thanks,

Jim R.

You might have just figured it out. I just bumped it up (the door) and water seems to calm down a lot, no noise, still swirling...

If that is it, then do you think that I could just open the skimmer valve up wider until I find what's comfortable?

 

[mknauss]

I suggest you go full skimmer. No need to pull water from anywhere else.

Then look at your flow rates to save on electricity.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bryan,

The "door" floats.. It should move up and down... The door should not be stick up or stick in the down positions..

As the pump sucks water out of the skimmer, the water level drops (slightly) and the door opens to allow more pool water into the skimmer.

This is why it is normally impossible for pool pumps to suck more water out of your skimmer than can flow in from your pool..

Jim R.

 

[the_sphynx]

Thanks for the help yet again! I'll adjust to full skimmer and make sure the door still floats properly.

On the bright side...the surface of the pool was VERY clean and sparkly when I went out there!