Weird problem. I clean my filter and skimmer basket, replace everything, and all is normal. A thin layer of water is flowing robustly into the skimmer. Pump is working normally.
Next day I go out, and the skimmer float is above the surface of the water. Pump is still working normally.
What happened?
How much water is flowing out of the pump you ask? I would say 70% of normal. Above 50%. For example if the pump lost prime, flow would slow to a trickle. It's a lot more than that.
Is the skimmer so clogged that it loses water flow. No. Some of the bottom of the skimmer basket is still white--I can see it looking down from the top. It has been 5x more clogged than that and still worked. It's been 10x worse and then has caused the skimmer flow over the top to stop.
Is the filter so clogged that the flow is reduced? When I open it up and rinse the filter, it's dirty, but again it's been 5x as dirty in the past and still the skimmer is working so I don't think so.
The relief valves at the bottom of the skimmer body--which are just sheets of rubber that lie over holes in the floor of the skimmter body--appear to be permanently opened about 2 mm when I examine the skimmer when it's out of the pool. Is so much water flowing through those relief valves that there's not enough flow over the top? Could be. There are 4 pairs of 2 holes. I taped 1 pair closed, and another pair partially closed last night. Same problem.
Maybe so much air is trapped under the rim of the skimmer float that it floats out of the water. Maybe?
Any ideas? I searched the internet and here and it does not appear to be a common problem.
I will be trying to investigate and gather info.
EDIT: tonight wile the skimmer and pump were running I pulled out the skimmer float and basket and put my hand over the drain at the bottom of the skimmer body and it was weak. Also the outflow of the pump was maybe 20-30%. Lower than before (or I was kidding myself before). Also today was our pine pollen bloom so there's yellow pollen over everything and certainly much in the pool. The filter, however, was not clogged with it. Not as much as past years. Maybe the filter capacity is lowered by invisible ie microscopic material. I put in a new filter cartridge just in case.
Next day I go out, and the skimmer float is above the surface of the water. Pump is still working normally.
What happened?
How much water is flowing out of the pump you ask? I would say 70% of normal. Above 50%. For example if the pump lost prime, flow would slow to a trickle. It's a lot more than that.
Is the skimmer so clogged that it loses water flow. No. Some of the bottom of the skimmer basket is still white--I can see it looking down from the top. It has been 5x more clogged than that and still worked. It's been 10x worse and then has caused the skimmer flow over the top to stop.
Is the filter so clogged that the flow is reduced? When I open it up and rinse the filter, it's dirty, but again it's been 5x as dirty in the past and still the skimmer is working so I don't think so.
The relief valves at the bottom of the skimmer body--which are just sheets of rubber that lie over holes in the floor of the skimmter body--appear to be permanently opened about 2 mm when I examine the skimmer when it's out of the pool. Is so much water flowing through those relief valves that there's not enough flow over the top? Could be. There are 4 pairs of 2 holes. I taped 1 pair closed, and another pair partially closed last night. Same problem.
Maybe so much air is trapped under the rim of the skimmer float that it floats out of the water. Maybe?
Any ideas? I searched the internet and here and it does not appear to be a common problem.
I will be trying to investigate and gather info.
EDIT: tonight wile the skimmer and pump were running I pulled out the skimmer float and basket and put my hand over the drain at the bottom of the skimmer body and it was weak. Also the outflow of the pump was maybe 20-30%. Lower than before (or I was kidding myself before). Also today was our pine pollen bloom so there's yellow pollen over everything and certainly much in the pool. The filter, however, was not clogged with it. Not as much as past years. Maybe the filter capacity is lowered by invisible ie microscopic material. I put in a new filter cartridge just in case.
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