In-Floor Pool Cleaning System

[jack in oz]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post. I have recently become the owner of a concrete in-ground pool with the Paramount PCC2000 cleaning system installed. I've been running the system for about 4 hours a day in total, but I still have quite a few leaves on the pool floor after the system has finished its cycle. Today, while the system pump was running, I swept the leaves into a pile and pushed the pile on to the MDX debris remover in the centre of the pool. I expected the leaves to be sucked up immediately, but they just sat there. I also tried switching on the filter pump to see if that made any difference, but it didn't.

So I dived in and placed both hands over the MDX and I couldn't detect any suction at all. There are a few leaves in the sock that's in the canister mounted outside the pool, so I guess some leaves are being removed. Can anyone with experience with this system advise me how much suction (subjectively) there should be?

I am also surprised to see that water only enters the skimmer box when the PCC2000 pump is running. I expected the filter pump to draw its water through the skimmer box (it doesn't) and the PCC2000 to draw its water through the floor return (MDX). I'm confused.

I appreciate any info anyone can provide as it's all new to me!

Regards,

Jack.

[Pool Clown]

Depending on when the system was installed, there could be a couple of ways the system is plumbed. The current way the system is being plumbed, the in floor pump draws from the skimmer only. The filter pump draws through the main drain via the canister (in the deck). As stated before, that is one way. Another way,(one pump system) would be the filter pump runs the filter, plus the in floor. Some two pump systems have a go between, between the skimmer and canister. We need to determine which way your system is plumbed to give you accurate help. Would you know when the pool was built?

[txpoolguy]

Some of the in-floor systems use a venturi-style main drain which uses a water jet to create a suction which draws in the debris and deposits it into a container built into the deck. It may be that your system simply needs re-adjusted to create the proper venturi to draw in debris. Normally, you should not be able to feel a great suction at the main drain, or you would also have an entrapment hazard. These main drains are not really intended to pick up large piles of leaves. They do a decent job on a few leaves & the smaller debris.

[jack in oz]

Thanks for the replies. It's a new system. I've done some research and I've determined that the in-floor pump draws through the skimmer and the filter pump through the main drain. There's no go-between linking the canister and skimmer. As stated by txpoolguy, the suction through the main drain is deliberately low to prevent entrapment. I guess the system is working fine, it's just not as aggressive at removing leaves as I expected.

Thanks for the help.

[Pool Clown]

The filter must run along with the cleaner pump. You may notice two floor pop ups that don't seem to rotate and are up all the time (when the filter pump is running). These are the two "fixed" heads and should be near the main drain and should be pointing their jet stream towards the main drain. This directs the debris towards the main drain while the rest of the cleaner gets all the debris to the deep end or "bowl" of the pool for these two to do their job.

[jack in oz]

The deep part is in the middle of my pool. There are 2 small eyeball downjets in the wall on each side adjacent to the main drain. The are about 1ft above the floor.

I have the infloor pump running for 90 minutes morning and afternoon during the periods that the filter pump is running. I was told to run it for half the time the filter pump runs.

rgds

[Pool Clown]

The deep part is in the middle of my pool. There are 2 small eyeball downjets in the wall on each side adjacent to the main drain. The are about 1ft above the floor.

Thats fine, it should still work in the same way... The down jets will do the job of the fixed heads.

Some info on run times.

The manufacturer suggests that the cleaner runs long enough to rotate the heads around twice. If you have the new style pop ups (16 position) and only one water valve or module, each head receives water for approx one min every 6 min. So that would be one position every 6 min times 16, or one full rotation of the pop ups every 96 min or 1 hour 36 min. So two rotations will take about 3 hrs 15 min. If you have two mods, that run time jumps to almost 5 hours, and even longer (almost 6 and a half hrs)with 3 mods.

Check my math.... it's 6:30am.

[jack in oz]

Thanks,

I think I have 8 position popups. Is there an easy way to tell?

I have one 6-way water valve which cycles about every 1 minute. By my calcs each popup should complete a full revolution every 48 minutes. So in 3 hours each popup will do 3 3/4 revolutions.

Does that sound right?

[Pool Clown]

I think I have 8 position popups. Is there an easy way to tell?

Just cut the times i gave you in half for 8 position heads.