Please help me identify this old Skimmer!

[GuilliHo]

Hi! The reason why I am trying to identify this skimmer is because currently, water is only being sucked from the skimmer. This is a very old pool and it came with the house and it has been driving me crazy since nothing I've tried has worked. I already tried a float valve but it didn't work because this skimmer doesn't have the groove for the o-ring and the float valve doesn't fit pretty well. I also tried the Hayward SP1082GV Skimmer Main Drain Valve and it doesn't fit either. Studying the skimmer closer, it seems that it has its own mechanism to do this, the skimmer has the marks for "Main Drain", "Both" or "Skim", there is also a small hole between the main drain's hole and the pump's suction hole. Also there are 2 little columns (I am sorry I don't know how to call those) that seem to be there to restrict the movement of something (maybe the basket?).
It's obvious that there is something missing here, but I just can't find anything online. I already went to leslie's pool with these pictures and showed them but they don't know anything about it.

I was hoping that maybe somebody in this forum would know about this type of skimmer and could should me what's missing.

Thank you very much for your help. I've attached some pictures and I added some notes to one of them.

[Teapot]

Can't help with the make but can explain how it works.
There is no O ring, hence no O ring groove.
The pegs are there to support the weight of a full skimmer basket, not seen in your photos, do you have one?
The writing at the bottom is for a plastic cover that can be used to obscure one or other or partially to balance the flow between two skimmers if fitted. The small hole between the two ports is for the screw that attaches it. You should be able to pick one up from a pool shop they are pretty universal. Obscuring the main drain port will give you a better surface skimming action as the dirt enters from the surface. Main drains do very little but I wouldn't completely block the main drain as bacteria could grow in the pipeline, better to have a little flow.

[MonkeyMan]

I know this post is a little old but this information is usually slow coming.

I have the same skimmer and have been trying to figure out what it is. Frankly, it baffles me that large pool supply chains like Pinch-A-Penny and Leslie's don't put a little effort in and do the research then post the images and results on thier website. Too much trouble I guess. Let the customer do all the leg-work and then sell them over-priced "Made In China" crap. Oh well... Yet I digress...

Anyway, I have attached pics of my skimmer. I think that I have found it to be a PacFab (now Pentair) SKIMCLEAN.

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GET PENTAIR CATALOG FROM PENTAIR WEBSITE INSTRUCTIONS:

Go to the Pentair website (http://www.pentair.com). Under the "Products" drop-down menu, select "Pool White Goods", go to the bottom of the page and click on "Pool Parts", then download a copy of the Full 2020 Catalog.

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CATALOG PAGE\DESCRIPTION:

Go to page 598 of the catalog or search for SKIMCLEAN. There are a couple of tell-tale details in the graphic that has me pretty sure that my skimmer, which matches your skimmer, is a SKIMCLEAN model.

1) There is a line where the upper part of the rectangular port to the pool is made from a seperate piece and then assembled (with screws?). So there is a line of separation there.

2) There is tongue or spike that faces down to stop the Weir Door from opening too far.

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OTHER LINKS:

Unfortunately, there is not a picture of the inside (anywhere on the web so far, yours and mine may be firsts!).

Also, here is another link that shows the skimmer (hopefully this forum allows links):
http://www.inyopools.com/Products/07501 ... tm#details

More link references:
https://www.intheswim.com/p/skim-clean
https://www.poolzoom.com/skim-clean-ski ... embly.html

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SKIMMER LID (the clue)

Also, I have what I think is the original cover for my skimmer although it is broken. There is a part number on it of 51-3030 which matches the part number for the lid in the Pentair Full Catalog 2020. This part number is really what got me on the trail because I found replacement lids on Amazon using that part number. Some parts mentioned Pentair.

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PORT SELECTION "EAR"

Also, you will see in the catalog that there is an "ear" that can cover any one of the ports. It is not available as a separate part number from the skimmer assembly from Pentair.

However, it is available here.
https://www.poolsinc.com/516228.html

Actually, the "ear" in the above link is for the Bermuda skimmer but it might work. Give Pentair customer service a call or just blow $14 and try it. My skimmer only uses one port the other is "capped' so no issue for me.

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CAN'T ATTACH PHOTOS - USING DROPBOX

I don't see how to attach images to this forum. Some forums require a certain number of posts to turn that on. Maybe I just missed it. Anyway, I have too many photos to attach in one shot. So, I have provided a Dropbox link with the photos in it as well as the Pentair catalog.

At some point, I would like to attach the photos to follow-on posts so they stay with the forum as an atomic record. Otherwise, they will be lost from this post when I remove them from Dropbox at some point.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yjg2vcl08qgp ... Brswa?dl=0

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CLOSING SIGN-OFF:

Look this info over. Hopefully it identifies your skimmer.

That's all for now,
Regards,
MM

[MonkeyMan]

I found a parts diagram of a PacFab specifially stating "before 1990". It shows that the Hayward Automatic Skimmer Vacuum Plate - W490R is compatable with the skimmer. However, this is for attaching a vacuum. I do not know if it serves the additional purpose of port selection. It seems that it might.

The site that shows the pre-1990 parts diagram:
http://www.inyopools.com/pool_parts_pac_fab_skim_clean.aspx

The page that shows the Hayward Automatic Skimmer Vacuum Plate - W490R
http://www.inyopools.com/Products/02231193029262.htm

I just added a folder to my Dropbox link in the previous post that contains screen-shots of the website from top to bottom.

Regards,
MM


keywords: PacFab Pac-Fab Pac Fab ???

[MonkeyMan]

You know it occurred to me that some years ago, I figured this out. Actually, I half figured it out because I didn't connect it to the text embossed inside the skimmer.

It happened like this:
1) My drain does not connect to my skimmer. The skimmer and drain lines run right to the pump each with it's own valve.
2) I had the drain valve completely shut off to run the pool cleaner from the skimmer.
3) Not thinking about that, I removed the skimmer and put the basket back.
4) The water quit flowing and the pump started moaning.
5) I figured out that the basket had blocked the skimmer intake and that the raised side had to be over the port so water could flow.

Now, that happened with the "ORIGINAL OEM BASKET." I had a pivoting handle not the "straigh across stick" type handle that all of the aftermarket crap has. Go my Dropbox link in the previous post and look at the folder named "Pentair Skimclean sold on OfferUp 1997 (or so)". There you will see the picture of an ORIGINAL BASKET with the "swinging\pivoting" handle.

Fast-forward to the original question in this post. The bottom of the skimmer basket acts as a diverter valve! Depending on its rotation, it block one port or the other. In the middle, both ports are open. That is why the bottom of the thing is shaped so funky and NOT flat. Further, I think the two nibs\bumps\bosses in the bottom of the skimmer are either to center the basket and keep it tracking OR they fall inside the basket half-moon perimeter to act as rotation stops. I will have to take some measurements to verfiy.

Now, here is the kicker. I have an aftermarket basket now. It fits like crap. I cannot make it block the port like the ORIGINAL. It seems a little to short. Also, it wobbles arond on the ledge because it should be slightly larger in diameter. Just a cheap copy. No real engineering went into this clone copy-cat junk.

This is just my guess on all this. But, I think it is correct. I would really like to get a real OEM basket again to check it out. I don't think Pentair makes it anymore. If so, it is probably just one of the crappy clones and they resell it with their name on it. I called Pentair and spoke with Tech Support. They did NOT know anything about how the embossed text was used.

See the images here in my Dropbox folder:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ryzpdzuwd8wcboe/AAB95T2gR-JPHXoyBkzKSx8ta?dl=0
and here
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yjg2vcl08qgphw6/AACMSaZdI3tjm1NM9bppBrswa?dl=0

Regards,
MM

[ptm39]

MonkeyMan, do you have a vacuum plate that is compatible with your SKIMCLEAN model? Curious if you have information on vacuum plate parts other than the Hayward Automatic Skimmer Vacuum Plate that is compatible?

[MonkeyMan]

Hi ptm39,

I have scoured the web pretty hard and have not found any mention of a vacuum plate made for this skimmer. That said, the skimmer is old (and pre-Internet) so the information just may not be out there.

Re-read my post from Friday, April 24th. The post with the list in it numbered 1 through 5. I will summarize it here.

I am starting to believe that there NEVER was a vacuum plate for this skimmer. Could be wrong, but it seems that the basket itself acts as the vacuum plate. That is why the bottom of the basket has such a weird half-moon shape and stem on it. Rotate the basket, it covers a port, depending on the direction of rotation.

My skimmer is only plumbed for skimmer. I accidentally put my "original OEM PacFab basket" in incorrectly one time and it blocked that port. I had the drain shut-off so the pump started moaning.

Unfortunately, the Chinese knock-off baskets are not dimensionally accurate so this doesn't work correctly. Also, unfortunately for me, tossed my old "original" PacFab basket because, at the time, I didn't put 2-and-2 together. I wish I still had it just to compare dimensions.

The guy at our local Leslie's Pool Supply did look up a $40 basket (in the Admiral catalog?). This "might" be made from the original PacFab molds, not sure. The reason I say that, is that parts catalog from Pentair, who acquired PacFab years ago, shows a $40 basket.

Regards,
MM

P.S. If you click on the pictures that are embedded in the post, it will zoom them to actual size.