can I remove filter basket during vacuum to waste?

I have an inground pool with an enormous amount of debris this year. When I vacuum to waste, the filter basket gets filled up in about 2 minutes and doesn't allow water to flow through. If I understand vacuum to waste, it is bypassing the filter?

I wonder if its ok to remove the filter basket? Or is there a risk that I clog the underground pipes?

You will not want to do that. That is the PUMP basket and it's primary purpose is to protect the pump from damaging objects entering the impeller.

Yup.. don't do that unless you want a new pump!

If things are that bad, you should probably use a leave rake instead of a vacuume.

Robert

thanks for the quick answer!

I tried that a couple of weeks ago...took about 10 seconds to gunk everything up. I had to take my pump apart and clean all the crap out of the impeller to get any water flow through the pump. I do NOT recommend it! ;)

Better idea: They make a vacuum cover for your skimmer that covers the whole basket in the skimmer, rather than pull out the basket and put the hose in the hole. That way, the skimmer basket catches all that junk, not the pump basket.

Here's one reference to them--the Hayward brand
http://www.poolsupplies.com/Product_...mers_Wall.html

They are called "Skim-Vac Attachments"

The Skim-vac attachments seem less expensive, but if for some reason they wouldn't work, maybe something like this:

http://www.bestbuypoolsupply.com/lar...-canister.html

or this:

http://www.bestbuypoolsupply.com/hay...-canister.html