Quote Originally Posted by Sweet View Post
I noticed that the drains weren't sucking up the grit (dust storm we had Saturday), so I cycled the valve for the drain to the off position. Great groans from the pump and the filter basket suddenly was half air. Pressure on the cart filter dropped 10 psi. I put it back to the skimmers.
If the pump lost flow when you turned the drain off, it is an indication that your skimmer can't supply enough water. It may be a fact of your plumbing, an indication of low water level in the pool, or a sign of blockage in the skimmer line.


If you meant to say it lost flow when you turned the drain on, it may just be air in the line. The water in the drain line will drop to the level of the pool surfuce if the valve is cycled with the pump off or any air can get in at all, and the pump will struggle for a short while until the line fills with water.