skimmer basket

[matt4x4]

Not an issue - because you're only dropping your water about 1 foot, it won't shrink etc, so all that needs to be done is to cut a hole the size of the skimmer knockout and a smaller hole the size of the return knockout, both will have gaskets on them to seal them, the liner does not need to move, twist, pull etc, so it won't get harmed in any way.

[hrsdennis]

Here’s the way I install a skimmer and return. You will need a 2 ½” hole saw for the return. Check your return as 2” is a possibility. You will also need a ¼” drill bit, a sharp razor knife and a pair of tin snips.

You should start by draining the water down to about 6” below where the bottom of the skimmer will be. Remove three top rails, rods coping ect. Next lay a damp towel on the liner and against the wall where you will be working. You do not want any hot metal shavings to burn the liner and you want an easy way of getting all of it out of the pool when you are done.

The return hole is easy. Mark the spot and use the hole saw. A hammer on one side and a block wood on the other is a good way to flatten any rough edges or burs. Hold the wood against the wall and hit it from the other side with the hammer. Flattens it all out nicely.

Here is a neat way of cutting a skimmer hole. Hold the face plate on the outside of the pool in the location you want the skimmer to mount. With a pencil, mark the top right and left holes. Remove face plate and drill these two holes with a ¼” drill bit. Find a couple of bolts and nuts about that size and bolt the face plate to the outside of the pool. Now drill the bottom right and left holes. Use two more bolts in these holes. Now you can go around the rest of the holes and drill through the wall.

Now take a razor knife and score the wall all along the inside of the face plate. Do this several times so the score is deep. Now use that hole saw and drill a hole in the middle of the face plate. Now remove the face plate. Now use your tin snips and cut from that center hole to each corner. That would make four cuts. Each of these four pieces will now snap off with just a little back and forth motion. Just don’t cut yourself.

Now you clean the opening, the liner and the inside wall. It should all be smooth with no debris. Put the liner back in place with coping and rods but wait on the rails until after the skimmer is installed.

PS Like Matt says, the liner will be fine. You can go from full to 1' and back again a million times. Just no lower and refill ASAP.

[cinbia12]

Well the pool guy came out to look at it today. This is starting to work out really well. Next door neighbor had a skimmer he bought at a yard sale, the pool guy had a return in his truck so that was installed today (amazing how much more movement there is in the water) We went and got the plate thing and shorter hoses. He'll be back sometime tomorrow for that. Thinks our filter is too small, so guess has an extra DE filter from a yard sale (actually he has 2 in his shed) so if that can be attached to our pump and is big enough he will be getting a gift certificate to a local restaurant. and the skimmer might be installed for trade with a snow blower. LOL Thanks for all your input and I'll let you know how all goes.

[matt4x4]

Wow! Pool bartering - I like it!!!!
Sounds like you got it all covered!

[cinbia12]

Let you know later how all goes. One more question though- he seems to think we have metal in the pool, but when we had the water tested Sunday, metals read 0 for iron and copper. Should we throw metal free in just for fun? I just don't want to end up with more of a mess than the green we have now.
Thanks

[matt4x4]

If your tests came back 0, I would doubt that you have any metal, tests don't screw up that bad, if in doubt take another sample in. I wouldn't just throw chemicals into the pool for fun.

[cinbia12]

Well got the skimmer in, in the pouring rain no less. New (to us) filter is set to go. Just need to raise the water level and will be good to go. Rain we had tonight should really help. Is a too large filter going to be a problem" It is a Hayward E60. Hopefully nothing leaks. If it does they will come back.

[cinbia12]

Well all has gone well so far. Neighbor's first filter wasn't working right, but he had another one same model. Everything seems to be working great. Hubby went in to stir stuff up. and backwashed the filter. Don't believe the amount of junk that came out of there. He'll do it again tomorrow morning and seeing the green is much lighter, maybe we'll be swimming sometime tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks guys.