Weir door water flow problem.

[LiveHereNow]

I have water flowing UNDER my weir doors and creating a flow that makes debris pile up behind the door (video HERE). They're brand new and identical to my old doors. They're free to move but don't much.

Background: My old weir doors were shot (foam disintigrating and discolored badly). I got new weir doors that are physically identical in every way (Pentair 8 3/8"). I will admit the old ones I replaced were likely replacements and had a snail logo on them but are otherwise identical. So I don't truly know what's "correct" as the pool is over 25 years old and I've owned it for 2.

Anyone have any insight here as to a fix?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Now,

Where is your water level? Should be at the middle of the skimmer mouth...

Water should mainly flow over the top of the door... As the water goes down the top of the door should go down, with the door sort-of laying on the water.

If the weir door does not float with the water level, then it seems to me it is too buoyant..

Edit... I did not initially see the video.. The door needs to move a lot more than that... The higher the water level, the less the skimmer will work.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[borjis]

Is there a gap beneath the door? Are they spring loaded? If so try pushing it down gently. I had to do this on mine. But I had placed it a little bit high.

 

[zea3]

It doesn't look like the flow of water into the skimmer is very strong. The leaves should be sucked into the skimmer basket, not floating around. Either the water level in the pool is too high, your filter needs cleaning to restore flow, or you need to adjust the valves that control flow to the skimmer.

 

[Yev]

They're free to move but don't much.

Free to move by hand or freely moves as water level moves? I recommend taking your hands, and causing an inrush of water to go into the skimmer. You should see the door go all the way up then down, back and forth.

In your video, the door is oddly still.

I guess that while you can move by hand, the male plastic pins sticking into the female hole in the housing ti too tight, adn therefore not ale to freely flow.

Take your hand, and force the door all the way down, then up, then down, etc. After a few times, it should free up

 

[sktn77a]

Looks like the door is sticking. Frequently happens when a generic weir is used and it's too wide for the skimmer opening. You can cut the sides back 1/4" or so to free them up. Another possibility is that the spring loaded pins have stuck although this is less common because of the leverage of the door at the pivot point.

 

[griffths]

...The higher the water level, the less the skimmer will work.

@Jimrahbe not arguing but would you please explain this?

It is my understanding that the job of the weir is to compensate for fluctuating water levels in order to keep the skimmer functioning the same regardless of the water level in the pool.

The same amount of water is flowing through the skimmers and if the weir is free to move up and down, should present the same amount of edge to the surface of the water.

Now, after all of my quasi-science explanation above, empirically I agree with you.

Regards,

 

[mas985]

Increase the RPM of the pump. It is too low. Water should flow over the top of the weir door.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jay, @griffths

I have no technical justification why higher water levels do not skim as well as lower water levels... If I had to guess I would say the higher the water the more the action of the door is dampened by the water..

By observation it is pretty clear that if the water level is just above the skimmer mouth, you can see and hear the water rushing into the skimmer.. As the water gets higher, visually anyway, the "rush" seems to taper off. When the water is almost at the top of the skimmer there appears to be little hurry left.

I have three pools and they all seem to work the same..

** If you were looking for a math based technical answer, I'm afraid you are in for a long wait...

Thanks,

Jim R.