pebble sucked into skimmer hole

[chulinet]

I accidentally dropped a pebble with the size of an extra large egg into the skimmer hole and it was sucked into the underground pipe before I could take it out. It does not seem to be blocking the flow into the pump and the filter pressure seems to be normal for now.

Should I consider taking it out somehow? If left in the pipe, will the pebble together with leaves eventually block the water flow into the pump? On the other hand, is there any way to take it out without digging out the pipe?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[ajw22]

Here is a recent discussion of ways to get a rock out of the skimmer...

Rock in skimmer line

I've googled this and found a couple posts similar to this issue but was unclear about the resolution. I have a rock in the line under my skimmer. I tried a drain king from my pump inlet but it's too far away to get any pressure. I tried fishing it out with a coat hangar to no avail. I read a...

www.troublefreepool.com

Can you see the pebble down the pipe?

I would work at getting the pebble out. It can only create problems if you leave it in.

You are not the first to have this problem. Here are other threads...

Google search results

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[chulinet]

Thanks for the reply and related info. It seems that I need to get it out somehow.

I could not see the pebble from the skimmer.

 

[ajw22]

I could not see the pebble from the skimmer.

That makes it more difficult.

I would find a camera that plumbers use to scope out the inside of pipes and see how far down the pebble is. Then you can formulate a plan.

Let us know what you find.

 

[Newdude]

Turn the system off and hold a shop vac hose as tight as you can to the skimmer hole. You might get lucky. If the shop vac is full, dump it and go again. I'd give that 6 attempts before I did anything else

 

[SecoSteve]

How about a blower on the pump side and a shop vac on the skimmer side?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

It may be unlikely it made it that far, but check the pump basket/strainer.

 

[chulinet]

Thanks for all the replies!
It has not reached the pump basket (yet). Right now I do not have a plumbers camera or shop vac at hand. I do have a blower for blowing leaves and can borrow an air compressor from a friend, and might try it with both blower and air compressor yet am concerned about over-pressure from the air compressor.

 

[Newdude]

I do have a blower for blowing leaves

That will work to blow the water out if you have a way to isolate the suction line(s) and it's not wedged in there.

 

[Bperry]

For future reference pebble means that the rock is about the size of a pea. What you’ve got there is a full grown rock.

 

[chulinet]

That will work to blow the water out if you have a way to isolate the suction line(s) and it's not wedged in there.

Good suggestion, thanks!

 

[chulinet]

For future reference pebble means that the rock is about the size of a pea. What you’ve got there is a full grown rock.

"A pebble is a clast of rock with a particle size of 4–64 mm (0.16–2.52 in) based on the Udden-Wentworth scale of sedimentology. "

 

[Newdude]

thanks

I blew my lines out with a commercial backpack blower each year. For the skimmers it made a 15 foot geyser.

A handheld one doesn't have as much oomph but will still move the water after a few seconds with a high sustained volume of air.

Pull the pump and duct tape the blower pipe to the suction pipe. You are only looking to keep most of the air in the pipe, no need for a 'football' of tape. A couple of wraps either side of the connection will be plenty. Isolate whatever valves you need and let er rip.

 

[chulinet]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Finally I could find it and take it out. Tried blowing, sucking, using a camera from the skimmer side, feeding a thread from the pump side in the hope of tying something like a water balloon while sucking from the skimmer side, without realizing that it had been pushed by water all the way up and eventually got stuck in the last diverter valve!

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Have we settled the rock/pebble debate. Looks like a rock to me.

Good job tracking it down!