Sticky skimmer flap

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mknmike
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Sticky skimmer flap

Postby mknmike » Sat 17 Jul, 2021 01:32

I’ve owned a pool for two weeks now, and we are very excited in the middle of July to be able to use the pool.

I can’t leave the skimmer running though because the skimmer flap gets stuck up very often, resulting in the basket sucking dry before the door falls down. The problem is that I get air into the system/filter. So I just leave it off most of the time.

The plastic door is about a 1/2 thick and has styrofoam in the back to help it float. I was trying to figure out how to remove the flap but haven’t figured it out.

I took a video of the flap, and can post it to YouTube to show it getting stuck.

Anyway, is this a common problem?

Maybe a little waterproof lube of some sort would allow the sides to get kinked less frequently.


mknmike
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Re: Sticky skimmer flap

Postby mknmike » Sat 17 Jul, 2021 08:33

Here’s the video of my sticking flap:

https://youtu.be/FmVsZkVmII0
Denniswiseman
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My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
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Re: Sticky skimmer flap

Postby Denniswiseman » Sat 17 Jul, 2021 09:59

Those plastic skimmer doors are generally just bent in the middle to fit into small holes in the skimmer
Try bending it up in the middle to get it out and trim down the edges a little
There doesn't seem a lot of water over the skimmer opening, Should be a 1/2 to 2/3 up
mknmike
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Re: Sticky skimmer flap

Postby mknmike » Sat 17 Jul, 2021 16:40

Denniswiseman wrote:Those plastic skimmer doors are generally just bent in the middle to fit into small holes in the skimmer
Try bending it up in the middle to get it out and trim down the edges a little
There doesn't seem a lot of water over the skimmer opening, Should be a 1/2 to 2/3 up

Thank you!

I did try that around the time I took the video yesterday, but figure maybe my pool guy will know better how to remove it.

I decided I wanted to run the skimmer today and put a brick on top of it to hold it all the way down. Since it’s pulling water from an inch or so lower than it would otherwise, just pulling a tiny bit over the top of the tilted door, it seems as if it’s not sucking in the debris floating on top as fast as normal. I guess that’s why there’s a floatation device (foam) behind the plastic.

I’m learning.
mknmike
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Re: Sticky skimmer flap

Postby mknmike » Wed 21 Jul, 2021 18:44

My totally awesome pool guy stopped over and replaced the skimmer flapper door for me. I see the old one was broken out, so it makes me feel like I wasn’t just being wimpy in my effort to remove it. It looks like it had to be broken to be removed.
Denniswiseman
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My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Sticky skimmer flap

Postby Denniswiseman » Thu 22 Jul, 2021 01:48

They don't have to be broken to take out, how did he get the new one in
It was probably brittle with age
mknmike
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Re: Sticky skimmer flap

Postby mknmike » Thu 22 Jul, 2021 06:45

Denniswiseman wrote:They don't have to be broken to take out, how did he get the new one in
It was probably brittle with age

I don’t know because I wasn’t there. I agree it was brittle due to its age.

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