Can I Snake It?

[ChipTait]

My pool is two years old and fantastic. I even enjoy cleaning it, which is odd for me, but I do; maybe it is a "zen" thing.

The pool was built with a "cleaner line", which employs a Hayward Navigator to wander around the pool and vacuum when I can't be there myself. A couple weeks ago I noticed that the Navigator was slacking in its duties. I pulled it out, opened it up and found no blockage. I took the sections of hose apart and again, found no blockage. When the pool was first built, the cleaner line porduced enough suction to raise a hickey on a race horse; now there's barely enough to pull a melted slurpee through a twisty straw.

I figure that the line is somewhat obstructed (not unlike my own arteries.) The lines are made of PVC, as are the valves. Can I run a length of plumber's cable (snake) down the line, or will that damage the valve?

signed,

It barely sucks in South Austin.

[poollady]

My pool is two years old and fantastic. I even enjoy cleaning it, which is odd for me, but I do; maybe it is a "zen" thing.

The pool was built with a "cleaner line", which employs a Hayward Navigator to wander around the pool and vacuum when I can't be there myself. A couple weeks ago I noticed that the Navigator was slacking in its duties. I pulled it out, opened it up and found no blockage. I took the sections of hose apart and again, found no blockage. When the pool was first built, the cleaner line porduced enough suction to raise a hickey on a race horse; now there's barely enough to pull a melted slurpee through a twisty straw.

I figure that the line is somewhat obstructed (not unlike my own arteries.) The lines are made of PVC, as are the valves. Can I run a length of plumber's cable (snake) down the line, or will that damage the valve?

signed,

It barely sucks in South Austin.

Could the problem be in your pool lines? Do you have good circulation (not you, the pool) meaning is there pressure where the water returns to the pool? It should push your hand away when you hold it in front of the return. If not, you may have to have someone pressure test the lines. If this is not the problem, then call Hayward's toll-free help line. It should be listed on the paperwork that came with it. Or go to Haywardnet.com

[ChipTait]

Could the problem be in your pool lines? Do you have good circulation (not you, the pool) meaning is there pressure where the water returns to the pool? It should push your hand away when you hold it in front of the return. If not, you may have to have someone pressure test the lines. If this is not the problem, then call Hayward's toll-free help line. It should be listed on the paperwork that came with it. Or go to Haywardnet.com

Thanks for the reply....

All of the pool lines are functioning well, except for the cleaner line. If I switch to just one of the skimmers and attach the manual vacuum hose, whoosh! lots of suction! The return lines are very strong as well.

I'm almost certain that there is an obstruction (acorn? tree branch? brother-in-law's wallet?) stuck in there holding things up. I really want to snake the line, but I don't want to break anything. Any of the repair folks around here ever deal with thins kind of issue?

[sharkman009]

Thanks for the reply....

All of the pool lines are functioning well, except for the cleaner line. If I switch to just one of the skimmers and attach the manual vacuum hose, whoosh! lots of suction! The return lines are very strong as well.

I'm almost certain that there is an obstruction (acorn? tree branch? brother-in-law's wallet?) stuck in there holding things up. I really want to snake the line, but I don't want to break anything. Any of the repair folks around here ever deal with thins kind of issue?

It does sound like youve got a blockage. You cant usually run a snake through the line because the 90 degree elbows used to plumb a pool system are not like the sweep 90s in your home plumbing. If you have a local hardware store go down and look in their plumbing department for a drain jet. Its a attatchment for a garden hose that you place inside the plumbing coming into the suction pipe on the pump and then close off all the lines except the vac line. when you turn the water on it blows the attatchment up so it seal off the line and then forces the pressure backwards and hopefully forces out whatever is lodged in there. Good luck.

[ChipTait]

It does sound like youve got a blockage. You cant usually run a snake through the line because the 90 degree elbows used to plumb a pool system are not like the sweep 90s in your home plumbing. If you have a local hardware store go down and look in their plumbing department for a drain jet. Its a attatchment for a garden hose that you place inside the plumbing coming into the suction pipe on the pump and then close off all the lines except the vac line. when you turn the water on it blows the attatchment up so it seal off the line and then forces the pressure backwards and hopefully forces out whatever is lodged in there. Good luck.

As the Guinness guys say: "Brilliant!" I had not thought of that. I am able to isolate the vac line, so I will give it a go tomorrow. I'll post my results in this thread.

Thanks so much.

Cheers!

Chip

[Swimfan]

As the Guinness guys say: "Brilliant!" I had not thought of that. I am able to isolate the vac line, so I will give it a go tomorrow. I'll post my results in this thread.

Thanks so much.

Cheers!

Chip

I had the exact same problem. Tried the snake; no luck. Tried the hose method; no luck. Called my pool maintanence company - they did a shot of hydrogen into the line at the filter end; blew a rat out of the line and that took care of the problem. (Cost $25.00)

[poollady]

I had the exact same problem. Tried the snake; no luck. Tried the hose method; no luck. Called my pool maintanence company - they did a shot of hydrogen into the line at the filter end; blew a rat out of the line and that took care of the problem. (Cost $25.00)

A rat? Eeww!

[Jerry Materne]

I had the exact same problem. Tried the snake; no luck. Tried the hose method; no luck. Called my pool maintanence company - they did a shot of hydrogen into the line at the filter end; blew a rat out of the line and that took care of the problem. (Cost $25.00)

A rat huh? WOW!!!

Now, that's $#@#$#@ funny!!!

Jerry.......

[ChipTait]

It does sound like youve got a blockage. You cant usually run a snake through the line because the 90 degree elbows used to plumb a pool system are not like the sweep 90s in your home plumbing. If you have a local hardware store go down and look in their plumbing department for a drain jet. Its a attatchment for a garden hose that you place inside the plumbing coming into the suction pipe on the pump and then close off all the lines except the vac line. when you turn the water on it blows the attatchment up so it seal off the line and then forces the pressure backwards and hopefully forces out whatever is lodged in there. Good luck.

The hydro-jet wasn't able to clear the clog, so, alas, I called in a professional. They did the same sort of thing, but with air. That did work. $90. Ouch.

[Tagprod]

The hydro-jet wasn't able to clear the clog, so, alas, I called in a professional. They did the same sort of thing, but with air. That did work. $90. Ouch.

Did they find a rat?