Where to start on suction problem

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annabananamc
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My Pool: inground, 10x30, DE filter, new pump, hayward ultra pool vac, diamond brite finish

Where to start on suction problem

Postby annabananamc » Sun 08 Mar, 2009 08:44

We have an inground 10x30 pool, one skimmer basket, main drain, and sidewall inlet for automatic pool vac. The pump is new within past several months. I am getting good suction with main drain open and skimmer open, but when I try the vacume I have no suction through the inlet where it plugs into the pool wall.

With main drain closed, skimmer closed, and vacume valve open, air is being sucked into the pump. I assume that this means there is some place in the plumbing between the inlet on the pool wall and the jandy valve it runs to where I have a leak. Or perhaps a clog could cause this? If so, how would it suck air if it's clogged?

So where/how to I start to troubleshoot this?

We've recently had plants dug out of a planter bed close to the inlet and I am suspicious that the workers broke a line. Do we have to dig up the whole line to prove this, or is there some other method of verifying the problem?

Any other ideas/tips? SO HAPPY I found this forum!


Me...
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Where to start on suction problem

Postby Me... » Sun 08 Mar, 2009 11:05

Get everything running nicely with the vacuum NOT hooked up. Set the Vacuum up and then either hold the hose over a return fitting to purge the air out of it or use a hose to fill it up.

Then put the vac hose in the vac fitting. Shut off the skimmer and see it the vac starts sucking. Then start shutting down the main drain to see if the suction increases some more. You only want to get enough vacuum to do the job so completely closing the skimmer and/or main drain might not be required.
annabananamc
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun 08 Mar, 2009 08:36
My Pool: inground, 10x30, DE filter, new pump, hayward ultra pool vac, diamond brite finish

Where to start on suction problem

Postby annabananamc » Sun 08 Mar, 2009 12:05

Me... wrote:Get everything running nicely with the vacuum NOT hooked up. Set the Vacuum up and then either hold the hose over a return fitting to purge the air out of it or use a hose to fill it up.
Then put the vac hose in the vac fitting.


Thanks so much for this reply....

I'm not getting any suction at the vac fitting with skimmer and main drain off and vac valve wide open and vac detached (basically open fitting underwater on side of pool = no suction). I haven't tried priming the vac and hose and will do that, but am more suspicious of a blockage or leak in the pipeline itself.

I read back through some older posts, and think that getting that drain king thing and trying to flush out the line backwards or forwards might be a good idea. What do you think?
Me...
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Joined: Thu 26 Feb, 2009 11:11

Where to start on suction problem

Postby Me... » Sun 08 Mar, 2009 12:24

First I would be very careful clearing a line. Using a hose with city water pressure in it could rupture something in your pool system quite easily and cause a great deal of damage. Might be best to call someone in.

That said it sounds like maybe the vac line is blocked. You can, or at should be able to, vacuum through the skimmer too. I am not sure what you have but a skimmer would typically have 2 holes in the bottom. The one closest to the pool would be plugged or tied into the main drain. The one farthest from the pool would go directly to the pump. That is the one to put the vac hose into. Prime your vac hose and see if that works.
annabananamc
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun 08 Mar, 2009 08:36
My Pool: inground, 10x30, DE filter, new pump, hayward ultra pool vac, diamond brite finish

Where to start on suction problem

Postby annabananamc » Sun 08 Mar, 2009 13:22

Me... wrote:First I would be very careful clearing a line. Using a hose with city water pressure in it could rupture something in your pool system quite easily and cause a great deal of damage. Might be best to call someone in.

That said it sounds like maybe the vac line is blocked. You can, or at should be able to, vacuum through the skimmer too. I am not sure what you have but a skimmer would typically have 2 holes in the bottom. The one closest to the pool would be plugged or tied into the main drain. The one farthest from the pool would go directly to the pump. That is the one to put the vac hose into. Prime your vac hose and see if that works.



Hey! The skimmer thing worked! (It just had one hole in the bottom, but it looked like the picture in my Hayward manual, so I used the cone adaptor and it's cleaning like crazy. I think with that alternative in place, I am inclined to just leave the other vaclock outlet alone for now. No need to damage things, and we have a working vac now so that is the goal. Thanks so much!
Me...
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Where to start on suction problem

Postby Me... » Sun 08 Mar, 2009 13:53

And rereading everything I am inclined to think the vac line does have an air leak. If no bubbles return to the pool and you now can vacuum then thats great. You can deal with the vac line issue anytime now.

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