replacement part for Hayward vari-flo valve?

[alisonquilts]

Hi Ben,

I have two quick questions that I'm having a surprising amount of trouble figuring out.

First, the fitting that comes out of my Hayward Vari-Flo valve onto which the backwash hose is gear-clamped is cracked (under the clamp, meaning either my pool guys or I tightened it too much) and therefore leaks whenever I backwash or vacuum to waste. It seems like it should be a simple fix - remove the fitting and replace - but I can't find anything in any of the Hayward literature that mentions this part, and I am reluctant to go at it with my pipe wrench until I know I can replace it, and that I am not damaging the valve somehow in removing it. Is this fitting a separate part?

Second, I broke my vacuum head this morning when the head glommed onto the bottom of the pool while I was vacuuming to waste (first vacuuming of the season) and I could not lift it. Is the suction really that much greater when vacuuming to waste than when going through the filter? Should it be?!

Thanks for setting up the subscriber forum!

Alison

[PoolDoc]

Hi Alison;

Assuming your valve is one of these 2:
http://www.hayward-pool.com/images/pools/products/medium/SP0714TVariFlo.jpg http://www.hayward-pool.com/images/pools/products/medium/SP710XALL_VariFlo.jpg
Vari-Flow # I_VBVARI on right; Vari-Flo Control Valve Assy # SP07122 on left

it's very likely whatever fitting your backwash hose is clamped onto is a threaded fitting that can be unscrewed and replaced. It may be something like this:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-u-b0FHMHuSI/U1F4dWqbf-I/AAAAAAAAG3I/ibfq9ey5V5I/s250/SPX1091Z4.gif (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004VTGNJ8/poolbooks/)
(the photo links to the Amazon page, if the Hayward SPX1091Z4 Hose Adapter Replacement fitting is what you need.)

2. Regarding your vacuum, yes, suction can be much greater with the filter on waste, particularly if you've closed the valve to the main drain. In fact, with a SuperPump (which has greater 'suction' than most pool pumps), the port on the bottom of the skimmer can literally suck the 'meat' of your hand, if you cover it, and have the main drain valve closed!

[alisonquilts]

Thanks!

And "yikes!" about the suction strength. Is killing the pump when the vacuum head gets stuck the only way to release the head? Or is there a vacuuming technique I can use (while vacuuming to waste) that prevents it from sticking in the first place; it was killing my back to move the vacuum even before it got stuck, because it was sucking so hard.

Alison

[PoolDoc]

Do you have a main drain? Can you leave the main drain valve partially open, while vacuuming?

That would probably be the safest, and best way.

[alisonquilts]

I do have a main drain, and I will try that if it becomes a problem again. I just got back from the pool store and it turns out that at least part of the sticking problem was that the brushes on my vacuum head needed to be replaced. Chalk another problem up to inattention and operator error! So that is now fixed, and if problem persists I will open main drain a bit.

Thanks again!