Pump Working Hard with Kreepy Running

[hyetech]

I just bought a new Kreepy Krauly for my 16,000 gallon IG plaster pool. I have a hayward 1HP pump and a single skimmer (Kreepy connected to the skimmer). Whenever the pump is running with the Kreepy connected, it starts to sound like it's working much harder than it should.

When I went to check the pump, I noticed that the pump basket looks like a raging river - not totally full like it is without the Kreepy. Which seems to be why it's making the louder sound - gotta work harder to keep water flowing?

The Kreepy is set up with it's regulator valve and the valve seems to be opening up when running, indicating the Kreepy is getting lots of suction and needs to bypass some to the skimmer. The Kreepy runs really fast (lots of vibration going on - seems good).

It just seems to me like the pump still isn't getting enough water to flow into it fast enough. Is that the right assessment?

Oh, and in case you are about to ask, I don't see anything in my setup that lets me pull more water from the bottom main drain in the pool (actually, that's another question I should post - how can I use that main drain?), so I can't test that method out to get more water into the pump.

Thanks and sorry for the long post!

[Sully]

Your sucking air......check the o-ring and lid on your pump. New o ring made a world of difference on my pool.

As far as the bottom drain, kreepy has a habti of hanging up on the main drain. So draw from skimmer.

[duraleigh]

Hyetech,

Sully has given you the correct problem,...you're sucking air into the system. If it turns out not to be the O-ring that is leaking, check your hose connections on the kreepy or look for a hole in the hose or look into the skimmer. Somewhere between the kreepy and your pump, there is air getting into the system.

[matt4x4]

I find removing the skimmer basket really helps against excess air getting into the system.

[hyetech]

Thanks, I'll definitely re-check the o-ring and pipes. But since everything seems to work fine when the Kreepy is not hooked up, I'm not sure that's the problem. I also checked the Kreepy hose and don't feel/see any leaks there. Any other suggestions on what to check?

I'll try taking the basket out and see what happens as well. Thanks.

[RavenNS]

You said that you have plenty of suction with it, so it sounds like you primed it correctly.
manufactor recommends doing a backwash prior to running the KK. I usually hook up the KK first & then backwash ( then rinse) then it works okay.

Yes you do leave the main drain on with KK ( acording to manual).
It will get stuck on the rim of your drain regardless of whether the drain is open or not ( unless your drain is actually flush with the pool bottom), you can buy a drain cover for pool cleaners that is supposed to assist it to get over the drain.
I find that if you assist it to get a lip up onto the drain, it has no problems getting over the open-running drain, so the main-drain suction should not be an issue

Hopefully by having the main-drain open, this will increase your flow enough to alieviate the air in the pump problem.
let us know if this doesn't work

[hyetech]

I'll try a backwash when I get home today - good idea.

As far as the main drain, I guess that's what I was getting at in my original post - I don't know HOW to get the main drain working at all. I don't have anything in the plumbing I can see that lets me switch between the skimmer and the main drain (can you tell I'm still a newbie? :)).

There does seem to be an additional "hole" or opening in the skimmer itself - I've always wondered where that led, but it looks like it's plugged up and I don't ever feel any flow/pressure there. Could that be sucking from the main drain and then piping it into the skimmer?

[RavenNS]

I also have two holes in my skimmer... not clear about why that is, but i saw a diagram of one of these & it looks like they connect to one pipe about a foot down anyway...
btw, I find that annoying because it means that a vacuum filter basket ( small basket with hole cut through to allow KK to fit through & still skim) , won't fit because the hole that you put the KK into is too close to the back wall of skimmer.

As for main drain openings... besides actually swimming to the botom of the pool & checking for suction,
go to your pump area & see if Two pipes become one as it enters the pump.
One pipe should be the skimmer pipe & the other should be the main drain.
check to see if there are some type of gate valves here... if there are two valves, are they both pointed in the same direction?

hope this helps, I'm a newbie here & that was my best guess :)

[hyetech]

Thanks (man, I love this site - always getting helpful responses - and quickly too!). No, I don't see two pipes or any valves - that's what is bothering me - why do I have a main drain that doesn't do anything :(

And I still can't seem to figure out why the pump works so much harder with the KK ... frustrating pool :)