A&A leafVac - leaf and debris collector broken

[krishmk]

Woke up this morning to find the pool pump running dry. Found out that the pipe where the leaf basket is hosed in, has connectors that broke off and lid flew off. Sunny Arizona must have done its number in 20 years.

Now I need to find out if I can replace this, and where I can find it.

I measured and is 22 inches in diameter, and a one hole connector that is 9inches.

Wondering if I find this connector and replace myself or if I need to find a plumber on Monday, 2 days without the pool running, but is under 60 deg, so should be fine.

Any ideas?

 

[ajw22]

I don't see a connector in your pic. Post some wider pics of your equipment pad and show us what you are working with.

Looks to me like you need to replace that contraption or eliminate it.

 

[krishmk]

I don't see a connector in your pic. Post some wider pics of your equipment pad and show us what you are working with.

Looks to me like you need to replace that contraption or eliminate it.

Sorry for my poor description... its not the connector, just a pipe with several tabs and with opening on one end to connect to Jandy valve. The tabs broke off and the lid flew a few feet sometime this morning.

Unfortunately, all the pool stores around me are closed due to holiday and will have to find a plumber who knows where to get this pipe/connector.

 

[krishmk]

Here is a wider pic of the whole pool pipe fittings.
Lid cap is on the top, and the pipe/connector is joined to the inground pipe at the rectangle marking.
Then there is one hold that goes to the Jandy valve, which is the outlet pipe from the pool. This Jandy valve controls the vacuum suction.
That the only hole I see on this joint/coupling/pipe.

 

[ajw22]

You still have not shown me everything to see what you have.

It looks like you can turn the Jandy valve in front of the canister 90 degrees counter clockwise to shut off the feed to the device. I can't see in your pic if that turns off other stuff.

 

[krishmk]

Apologies for not showing everything, here are some pictures.
The jandy valve is only to control the flow to vacuum.. it will not bypass the water to the leaf basket contraption (last two pics).

In the second pic, the water comes into the blue leaf baskt when the pump is turned on, from the jandy value.

ETA: Pump priming is done thru this pipe and the lid cant hold as its broken and the pool is not a closed loop now.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

That appears to be an early version of the A&A leaf vac cannister.

LeafVac Debris Containment – Pentair-A&A Manufacturing

aamfg.com

Quik LeafVac Debris Canister Complete #522538

Quik LeafVac Debris Canister Complete #522538. Now owned by Pentair

www.infloorpoolparts.com

Looks like you will need to replace the entire leaf vac with a new one. The water sucks through this, out the bottom of the cannister, and into the inlet of your pump.

--Jeff

 

[Charlie Bezzina]

Looks like there is a lot of brittle plastic in those photos.
Your comment that the lid was thrown a few feet is interesting. Is that leaf canister on the pressure side or vacuum side of the pump?

 

[krishmk]

Looks like there is a lot of brittle plastic in those photos.
Your comment that the lid was thrown a few feet is interesting. Is that leaf canister on the pressure side or vacuum side of the pump?

Its on the pressure of the pump..

 

[krishmk]

That appears to be an early version of the A&A leaf vac cannister.

LeafVac Debris Containment – Pentair-A&A Manufacturing

aamfg.com

Quik LeafVac Debris Canister Complete #522538

Quik LeafVac Debris Canister Complete #522538. Now owned by Pentair

www.infloorpoolparts.com

Looks like you will need to replace the entire leaf vac with a new one. The water sucks through this, out the bottom of the cannister, and into the inlet of your pump.

--Jeff

Seems like AA manufacturing for sure, as that is what is used in the entire pool by Shashta pools back in 2000's. I have broken popups that I replaced.

I will have to call a plumber and hopefully can get this replaced or with another similar contraption.

 

[ajw22]

Its on the pressure of the pump..

It sure looks like it is on the suction side of the pump.

Pump suction pipe goes into the ground and connects to the bottom of the canister?

 

[krishmk]

It sure looks like it is on the suction side of the pump.

Pump suction pipe goes into the ground and connects to the bottom of the canister?

Correct... see the pics and arrows I laid out on the pic 1.

Now I as I read, I realize that this is an extra contraction to catch the leaves.

Wondering if I can eliminate the whole process of extra leafvac, and connect directly to the pump (pic 2).

the pump is a leaf basket which, never gets any thing due to the first leafvac and is also not easy to open. Last time I replaced the gasket, I shut it tight.

This is a 1 HP pump, older one if that matters.

Any ideas?

 

[Charlie Bezzina]

If that is truly connected on the pressure side, that leaf canister will only catch things that make it past both the skimmer basket and the pump basket... Not worth the trouble... A 50 cent hair net on your skimmer basket is better if you ask me.

Edit. Ok, vacuum side. Makes more sense now.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

No reason you cannot abandon it and plumb directly to the pump. I would imagine in Southern Arizona you have very little leaves to deal with.

Mine catches a ton of leaves being in NE Oklahoma. I wouldn't give mine up for anything. I'd even install one without an IFCS, if I were going to have a main drain.

--Jeff

 

[krishmk]

If that is truly connected on the pressure side, that leaf canister will only catch things that make it past both the skimmer basket and the pump basket... Not worth the trouble... A 50 cent hair net on your skimmer basket is better if you ask me.

Edit. Ok, vacuum side. Makes more sense now.

I dug up around the pipe and it make more sense how the leafvac is connected to the pump.

I think I am going to remove this contraption, connect directly from pump to the Jandy valve and get is over with.

i will have put back the leaf canister I stopped using, then the skimmer basket in the pool and the leaf catcher in the pump. Hopefully the redundancy will catch the leaves and wont burn the pump.

Again, I am grateful for your help on a holiday. I couldnt get hold of any plumber or pool repair tech due to holiday.

 

[ajw22]

My preference would be to connect the pump directly to the Jandy valve and do away with the leaf trap.

If you do that you should not do a 90 degree right into the pump. Have a run of straight pipe before the first 90.

For most installations Pentair recommends installing a valve on both the pump suction and return lines so that the pump can be isolated during routine maintenance. However, it is recommended that a valve, elbow or tee installed in the suction line should be no closer to the front of the pump than five (5) times the suction line pipe diameter.
Example:
A 2 inch pipe requires a 10 inch (254 mm) straight run in front of the suction inlet of the pump). This will help the pump prime faster and last longer.
Note: DO NOT install 90° elbows directly into the pump inlet or outlet.

 

[krishmk]

My preference would be to connect the pump directly to the Jandy valve and do away with the leaf trap.

If you do that you should not do a 90 degree right into the pump. Have a run of straight pipe before the first 90.

For most installations Pentair recommends installing a valve on both the pump suction and return lines so that the pump can be isolated during routine maintenance. However, it is recommended that a valve, elbow or tee installed in the suction line should be no closer to the front of the pump than five (5) times the suction line pipe diameter.
Example:
A 2 inch pipe requires a 10 inch (254 mm) straight run in front of the suction inlet of the pump). This will help the pump prime faster and last longer.
Note: DO NOT install 90° elbows directly into the pump inlet or outlet.

Jandy valve and the pump are not in straight line, so I have to run an elbow on both sides to avoid 90° on the pump inlet side. They are at least 10+ inches apart on the straight line.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

90 directly out of the valve so that you have the maximum amount of straight pipe leading into the pump.

--Jeff

 

[krishmk]

90 directly out of the valve so that you have the maximum amount of straight pipe leading into the pump.

--Jeff

thats an idea I didnt think off.

Will run a straight pipe from pump, then a 2 joins with 90° to get to Jandy... or something similar with an angle elbow... at least I wont have a 90° right at the suction side of the pump.

 

[mknauss]

It might be wise to get a member familiar with the A&A in floor cleaning system to see if the leaf trap is necessary. I suspect it is to collect leaves that are blown to the main drain by the in floor system. And that the main drain covers have slots in them that leaves can make it through. I also suspect this pool is old enough that the main drains are NOT VGBA standard.

@proavia -- can you review?