deaneturner
New Member
Hello,
I thought I might offer some information about getting the stock skimmer for a RSM C-130 to stop over skimming for new installations. As you may know, the manual offers little information other than mentioning; the use of a restricting valve during break in, the gate height positioning for wet/dry adjustment, the statement that sump level does not affect skimmer performance, and target foam height being the top of the skimmer body neck. All of these need further explanation, plus extra steps to get the desired affect.
PREREQUISITES
1) Regardless of water quality or organics, you should be able to get the proper behavior from the skimmer i.e. not over-skimming/ overflowing.
2) During adjustment keep the parameters the same. Don't make water additions. Keep the water levels constant.
3) The skimmer gate position must be in its lowest position. Surprisingly, pushed all the way down is not what you are looking for. If you feel that panel, you will notice an oblong hole near the top lip. Position the gate so the bottom of that hole is in the lowest position, not the top lip.
4) Water level is important (regardless of what the manual says). It should not be any higher than the gate setting - for the purposes of this adjustment. If the level of the sump is as high what the gate produces and the gate is down, the foam / water level is going to be much higher than you want.
5) Watch for a kink in the venturi air line. The line is easily pressed against and kinked against the separating acrylic wall (where the media chamber is). Push the skimmer as far away from that divider, as far as the skimmer slots will allow.
THE PROBLEM
No matter what I did, adjustment valve, no adjustment valve, running on a throttled adjustment valve position - the skimmer would always overflow and fill the reservoir. With the throttled (so called break in) technique, the water level in the skimmer would always ride up slowly into the foam chamber and eventually overflow. No matter what I did, I could not get results, and I was ready to give up. Was the break in period going to go on for weeks? Did I not have enough organics to get a reasonable foam action?
SOLUTION
The solution came in the combination of skimmer power reset and full air flow (no throttle valve). By turning these two on and off, you can reset the operating level of the foam / water layer. During the problem scenario, the water was always pouring out of the top neck opening (the reservoir removed) i.e. the circular opening and o-ring. In the solution scenario: now there is a half inch or so bubble layer between water level in the skimmer an the top of the neck with full air flow (no throttle valve). Only bubbles flow out of the neck (again reservoir removed). The water level should get knocked down to that height by powering the skimmer off and introducing full air flow. Returning the reservoir should show just bubbles in the foam chamber. The foam / water level no longer rises into the foam collection tube.
THE REAL BREAK IN PERIOD and FINE ADJUSTMENT
Implementing the solution procedure above resulted in proper operation most of the day, but something would occur that would result in the reservoir being filled. Certainly adding an organic load did it, but even with no changes the foam chamber would run very wet and fill the reservoir in a number of hours.
So, the solution here is to get the foam/water level at the proper position as described above, but now with throttle value on (fully opened initially). Knocking the foam/water level down to approximately a half inch below the top of the skimmer body requires powering the skimmer off and then on, but this time have the throttle fully open to create the same result. You will notice its very difficult to generate this effect with not enough air flow.
Now for the hard part, the same level creep occurs (when the throttle is slightly closeD) here as did the problem scenario, but you will find a proper stable level this time. If the water creeps to far i.e. into the top of skimmer body, start over again by knocking down the level and adjusting the throttle again (always starting with full open). Once you get a stable level with the throttle, add the reservoir and let the bubble action in the foam action settle into the desired action. Now you should be able to adjust for a dry foam (occasional gathering and ejecting of a foam mass).
Good Luck
I thought I might offer some information about getting the stock skimmer for a RSM C-130 to stop over skimming for new installations. As you may know, the manual offers little information other than mentioning; the use of a restricting valve during break in, the gate height positioning for wet/dry adjustment, the statement that sump level does not affect skimmer performance, and target foam height being the top of the skimmer body neck. All of these need further explanation, plus extra steps to get the desired affect.
PREREQUISITES
1) Regardless of water quality or organics, you should be able to get the proper behavior from the skimmer i.e. not over-skimming/ overflowing.
2) During adjustment keep the parameters the same. Don't make water additions. Keep the water levels constant.
3) The skimmer gate position must be in its lowest position. Surprisingly, pushed all the way down is not what you are looking for. If you feel that panel, you will notice an oblong hole near the top lip. Position the gate so the bottom of that hole is in the lowest position, not the top lip.
4) Water level is important (regardless of what the manual says). It should not be any higher than the gate setting - for the purposes of this adjustment. If the level of the sump is as high what the gate produces and the gate is down, the foam / water level is going to be much higher than you want.
5) Watch for a kink in the venturi air line. The line is easily pressed against and kinked against the separating acrylic wall (where the media chamber is). Push the skimmer as far away from that divider, as far as the skimmer slots will allow.
THE PROBLEM
No matter what I did, adjustment valve, no adjustment valve, running on a throttled adjustment valve position - the skimmer would always overflow and fill the reservoir. With the throttled (so called break in) technique, the water level in the skimmer would always ride up slowly into the foam chamber and eventually overflow. No matter what I did, I could not get results, and I was ready to give up. Was the break in period going to go on for weeks? Did I not have enough organics to get a reasonable foam action?
SOLUTION
The solution came in the combination of skimmer power reset and full air flow (no throttle valve). By turning these two on and off, you can reset the operating level of the foam / water layer. During the problem scenario, the water was always pouring out of the top neck opening (the reservoir removed) i.e. the circular opening and o-ring. In the solution scenario: now there is a half inch or so bubble layer between water level in the skimmer an the top of the neck with full air flow (no throttle valve). Only bubbles flow out of the neck (again reservoir removed). The water level should get knocked down to that height by powering the skimmer off and introducing full air flow. Returning the reservoir should show just bubbles in the foam chamber. The foam / water level no longer rises into the foam collection tube.
THE REAL BREAK IN PERIOD and FINE ADJUSTMENT
Implementing the solution procedure above resulted in proper operation most of the day, but something would occur that would result in the reservoir being filled. Certainly adding an organic load did it, but even with no changes the foam chamber would run very wet and fill the reservoir in a number of hours.
So, the solution here is to get the foam/water level at the proper position as described above, but now with throttle value on (fully opened initially). Knocking the foam/water level down to approximately a half inch below the top of the skimmer body requires powering the skimmer off and then on, but this time have the throttle fully open to create the same result. You will notice its very difficult to generate this effect with not enough air flow.
Now for the hard part, the same level creep occurs (when the throttle is slightly closeD) here as did the problem scenario, but you will find a proper stable level this time. If the water creeps to far i.e. into the top of skimmer body, start over again by knocking down the level and adjusting the throttle again (always starting with full open). Once you get a stable level with the throttle, add the reservoir and let the bubble action in the foam action settle into the desired action. Now you should be able to adjust for a dry foam (occasional gathering and ejecting of a foam mass).
Good Luck