Poor Suction When Vacuuming

[Mattyssox]

Hello.

I recently bought a house with an inground pool. I am learning as I go, but the current issue seems to be poor suction when vacuuming. I have a 20 by 40 pool with a 1.5hp pump (very new). The sand filter is in good condition and has newer sand in it (last year). When the pool runs on 'filter', the pressure going into the skimmers looks fine. You can see water flowing into it, as the basket collects leaves etc. My issue is when I vacuum the pool, I seem to get weak/no suction. I end up just moving debri around, rather than vacuuming it up.

Setting up the vacuum:

Remove all air from the vacuum hose (new hose this year). Attach hose to triangle vacuum piece and pole, while keeping it under water. Then I make sure my vacuum plate is over the skimmer basket. Then I cover vacuum head with my hand and attach it to the vacuum plate real quick, so I don't allow air in. Then when I put my hand under water by the triangle vacuum piece, I barely feel suction. I feel the same suction whether I run waste or filter. What am I missing? All I do is move particles around under water, rather than suck them into the hose line.

[rbdeli]

Are you using the vacuum underneath the skimmer basket, or does your pool have another hole on the side?

I usually vacuum my pool from the skimmer. I have never been able to get the vacuum line on the side of the pool to work properly. My vacuum line never seems to be primed, so I always leave the pump setting on Skim rather than VAC.

I get plenty of suction through the skimmer. Try one of the two holes underneath your skimmer basket.(The one with the most suction)

I'm sure someone else can give you a more reasonable, well defined answer.

[Mark]

If you have separate suction lines from another skimmer and/or main drain OR your main drain is plumbed through the skimmer you are trying to use, then that can have a effect on the suction of the cleaner. Basically, you need to shut off or reduce the flow from these other suction ports so you get more suction from the vacuum. Also, make sure the filter isn't dirty as that will reduce suction as well.

[Mattyssox]

I noticed today using a direct line to the hole below the basket in the skimmer worked better.

So I got a lot of debri out of the pool.. Next issue. After vacuuming for a while and feeling the pressure slow, I emptied out the pump basket of all the crap i vacuumed. Then I backwashed till the water going out the back looked clear (through clear valve). Then I rinsed for about half the time i backwashed. then i put the filter back on and saw debri come back into the pool for a few seconds. Will this always happen? I vacuumed a lot of crap in there and didnt see it coming back in the pool as I vacuumed. It just came back in After i vacuumed. Thoughts????

I appreciate the helP!

[Niccola]

I noticed today using a direct line to the hole below the basket in the skimmer worked better.

So I got a lot of debri out of the pool.. Next issue. After vacuuming for a while and feeling the pressure slow, I emptied out the pump basket of all the crap i vacuumed. Then I backwashed till the water going out the back looked clear (through clear valve). Then I rinsed for about half the time i backwashed. then i put the filter back on and saw debri come back into the pool for a few seconds. Will this always happen? I vacuumed a lot of crap in there and didnt see it coming back in the pool as I vacuumed. It just came back in After i vacuumed. Thoughts????

I appreciate the helP!

If you got a lot of debris on the bottom then you have to vacuum to waste, only to filter under normal conditions.

[Gavin]

if there was a lot of debris in the pool the larger stuff will clog the pump basket. so will need to empty that. also shut the main drain off. if the pump loses prime then you will need to open the maindrain a little till prime. however I think you say you have a vacuum hole on the side of the pool. so cut off the main drain and also the skimmer valve. (you can also use a tennis ball to shut off skimmers).

also some vacuum heads can be lowered. check that out also. lower head will give you even more suction.

what I also like to do right before vacuuming is to bump DE filters like 15 times..if you have one. open the air bleed before bumping to reduce the chance of damaging the filter. bumping seems to help with suction a bit.

also back wash if psi goes up like 10psi above normal.

[Todd4]

I found a product for 10 bucks that attached to my skimmer vac plate. Works great. Ive lost my info., but think co.name is poolvacsaver.

[RDspaguy]

Hi Todd. That thread has been dead for a decade, let it rest in peace.

[Todd4]

Hi RDspaguy, Ive been using this new gasket for a couple months now and am real happy. I am picking up debris AND have a small hole in my hose! I noticed this gasket has alot of "overhang", Im guessing thats how it's different. New spin on an old idea maybe?

 

[Todd4]

Hi RDspaguy, my wife explained "thread" to me.lol. I now get it. Thanx for helping out a "newbie".