Skimmer not working

[Texasandersons]

I'm going to try to be concise.
35,000 gallon in ground pool built in 1979.
professional replaced motor and seals last week
one side intake which we have closed, intake in skimmer, two out takes
We don't have a diverter that closes off only the skimmer line. We have a close off for both intakes or all the way open. There is a 90 degree angle from each intake before the close off to the pump filter basket.

I started vacuuming after new motor from the intake on the skimmer using the waste out feature. I should have used the vac with the bag to catch leaves but I didn't. It vacuumed for about 3 minutes then no suction.

I thought I had plugged up the line so here is what I did:
1st with side intake closed I blew backwards from the pump with the air compressor and the line plugged so all the air went through to the skimmer intake. At first some leaves came through but not a bunch then it all just blew bubbles up in the skimmer area.
We filled everything with water and turned the pump back on. Nothing.
Removed the side intake cap and that works fine. Water in the side intake and out through both out takes, water to the top of the pump filter basket cap.
closed the side intake and nothing through the skimmer.

So we turned everything off again and opened up the pump basket and made a homemade 'drain jet" and pushed water through the hole in the skimmer intake and it flowed into the pump basket.

I don't think it is clogged.

We put it all back together correctly. We turned on the pump and no suction through the skimmer. We took off the cap of the side intake and that works.

What else can it be or what can I try?

Brenda

[duraleigh]

It sounds like the impeller may be clogged. With the pump breaker pulled, remove the pump strainer basket and, with your hand, see if you can feel debris (leaves) clogging the impeller. YOu may feel like you are reaching in farther than you would like, but there's no danger as long as the breaker is off.

Let us know if that works.

[Texasandersons]

Ok, it is not the impeller. With the side intake open I vacuumed the pool today and then cleaned out the pump basket just so I could clean the pool.

With the side intake open I have about 12-15 psi. With the side intake closed or capped then I get 0 psi until it bursts to about 8 psi then immediately down to 0 psi. The pump basket with the clear lid shows the water level going down and air getting in the pressure builds up, the water level rises to the top and then the psi bursts to about 8 pushes the water through and then the water drops and air gets in again.

I shut it off.

Brenda

[floridapooltech]

Ok, it is not the impeller. With the side intake open I vacuumed the pool today and then cleaned out the pump basket just so I could clean the pool.

With the side intake open I have about 12-15 psi. With the side intake closed or capped then I get 0 psi until it bursts to about 8 psi then immediately down to 0 psi. The pump basket with the clear lid shows the water level going down and air getting in the pressure builds up, the water level rises to the top and then the psi bursts to about 8 pushes the water through and then the water drops and air gets in again.

I shut it off.

Brenda

That sounds like you may have a clog that keeps freeing itself then clogging up again. Be careful as it only takes about 30-40 seconds of the pump running dry and everything will overheat and melt! One of THESE should do the trick.

[Texasandersons]

It was clogged. I spent hours trying to unclog it with air pressure and water pressure. I finally just gave up.

My husband came over and pushed down the close off valve which he has told me to leave alone and never touch. He opened it back up and ta da, the clog pushed through. Argh! Why didn't he spend hours getting wet and frustrated. He said I loosened it up and he just happened to be there when the clog pushed through.

I was happy I didn't have to pay to have it fixed but mad that he spent one minute looking at it and fixed it when I literally had been on my belly by the pool or in the pool or cramped by the pool pump for hours trying to get it unclogged.

Lesson learned; always, always, always use the leaf bag vac first.

Thanks for your advice.

Brenda