Identify purpose of these pool components

Jump to latest Follow Reply
spaHabit

spaHabit

Member
Mar 25, 2025
18
San Diego
Pool Size
14000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
We recently bought a house that has a pool and I'm trying to figure out components.
Does anybody know what these are and what they do?

1st is hose bib above pump. With the hose removed & the pump running when I fully open this nothing comes out ... even though water spa waterfall is spilling water (so the 2 inch line must be full of water and under pressure)!
IMG_5230.JPG
2nd
A black port in the pool. I appears to be spring loaded but I can't make it open or move in any direction at all. It does not screw in or out either.
IMG_5174.JPGIMG_5171.JPG

3rd is a device below the skimmer basket. It appears to have an o-ring seal interior, It also has a close tab on the bottom - photo 2. When is the close tab on the bottom used vs. just removing the whole thing? BTW, why are there two holes in the skimmer? When I run the skimmer pump it draws only from the bottom hole. Again, why would one close one vs the other hole here?
IMG_5163.JPGIMG_5164.JPGIMG_5165.JPG
 
Just bought a home with a pool and trying to figure out suction lines of our pool plumbing (1st photo below is side view of middle pump input lines - second photo is of entire system).
As you can see, there are three suction inputs. The middle one is from the skimmer as is been in use daily.

To determine the others I make sure the pump is primed and normally running (confirmed by water being sent over the spa spillway - output is being sent to spa - see second photo). Then, while pump is running (so as not to lose prime) and water is flowing over the spa spillway from skimmer input, I rotate the valves as follows (probabally not ideal to u:
  • First test is to flip switch to rotate the left Jandy actuator 180 deg (blocking two right inputs)... sure enough I confirm suction from skimmer stops... but then the flow to the spillway stops... suggesting no flow from left input? After 30 seconds of that I return the valve to the original position.
  • Second test is to manually rotate the right Jandy valve 180 deg to block skimmer port (confirm left Jandy actuator positioned to block left suction line) ... again no suction from skimmer... and again flow to the spillway stops... no flow from right input? After 30 seconds of that I return the valve to the original position.

Any thoughts on what these two outer lines are from? They don't appear to be able to get any water.

IMG_5228.jpg1744835623293.png
 
Hey SH and Welcome !!!


spaHabit said:
1st is hose bib above pump. With the hose removed & the pump running when I fully open this nothing comes out
Click to expand...
Its seized like it happens to any faucet eventually. Where does the hose go ? If you replace the spigot you can use that to drain, albeit slowly.
spaHabit said:
A black port in the pool. I appears to be spring loaded
Click to expand...
Its a suction or pressure line for a pool cleaner. If pressing the button doesn't work to open it, I'm out of ideas. Lol.
spaHabit said:
3rd is a device below the skimmer basket. It appears to have an o-ring seal interior, It also has a close tab on the bottom - photo 2
Click to expand...
This is a float valve designed for pools with their main drain line coming to the skimmer and using the 2nd hole. Your 2nd hole is plugged so it's likely only being used to prop up the skimmer basket.
spaHabit said:
Again, why would one close one vs the other hole here?
Click to expand...
The flap attached to the skimmer itself is if you have multiple skimmers and want to close all but one to manually vacuum. It can also usually be done with valves at the equipment pad, but it's easier while you're out already at the pool to flip the flap thingies.
 
This may be related to my other thread:
identify-purpose-of-these-pool-components

This leads me to think the right two might be skimmer & vacuum? If the vacuum port is sealed that would explain why there is no flow in my second test. However I note the prior owners have a Maytronics Quantum cleaner which doesn't seem to need any connection to a port in the pool.

Would appreciate any insight.
 
Thank you James.
I don't have anything on the side of a pool that looks like an equalizer so I ran a quick test to figure it out.
1st photo below shows that I have two drains in the deep end. I put a water hose in the top port (nearest the pool) and injected dye (2nd photo). surprise... that port is plumed to both drains in the deep end. I would of thought one or the other?

So item 3 is resolved: one port to pump & the other to the main drains. Interestingly, I did have a problem of the pool level getting too low causing the pump to stop pumping... according to the skimmer pdf you kindly linked this should not have happened; according to the pdf the float valve should have caused the suction to come from the main drain for a low pool level. However looking closely there doesn't appear to be any o-ring in the skimmer. Would that have caused the pump issue with low pool level?

Any suggestion on how to size a proper gasket (I don't see a skimmer model number anywhere)?

This perhaps related to
help-determine-purpose-of-extra-suction-lines

I was thinking one of those three lines would be the main drain but this test suggests perhaps not.

IMG_5226.jpgIMG_5234.JPG
 
ND, the hose is just a short open line (apparently to reroute water and prevent spraying the owner), I opened the faucet with the hose off and still nothing. So perhaps it is indeed seized. Where does the hose go ? I'd sure love to replace the spigot but is looks to be glued in place. I don't see any threads and I'm afraid of applying too much force.

Why do you say "2nd hole is plugged"? Perhaps the photo is fuzzy, both those ports are open.

Regarding the tab inside the skimmer: I only have one skimmer but my understanding now is that I can rotate it to seal off the main drains and force all water to come though the skimmer... I wonder what happens if I put the tab to seal the hole to the pump? I'm guessing that is a big no no.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
See below ... no real model number I can see though is does mention Pentair Pool Prod and address
I'm now noting the float valve diameter is small than the bottom of the skimmer (last photo)
... perhaps is is a incorrect replacement? Numbers on float valve: 8650-39

IMG_5242.JPGIMG_5243.JPG

1744853374977.png 1744853442355.png1744853421766.png1744853394851.png



IMG_5245.JPGIMG_5246.JPG
 
spaHabit said:
However I note the prior owners have a Maytronics Quantum cleaner which doesn't seem to need any connection to a port in the pool.
Click to expand...
The pool is older than the cleaner, and/or it was plumbed for future use.
spaHabit said:
Why do you say "2nd hole is plugged"? Perhaps the photo is fuzzy, both those ports are open.
Click to expand...
On my couch in the dark, it looks like an open hole with a slight reflection of the sky. At work in full sun today it looked plugged. Lol. My bad.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply