My pool drain is 9 feet underwater - and - I think it's clogged because the
pump runs dry every time I switch from both the spa & pool or just the spa,
to the pool only.

The drain cover has screws on top - but - it's 9 feet under (due to the
nature of the self-cleaning pool).

I long lost (20 years ago) my PADI scuba diving certification card (I
wonder if we can get a new one sent?) and I don't have tanks (although I
could buy them on Craigslist) and a regulator ...

So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service your
deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

On Aug 30, 9:24*pm, SF Man wrote:
My pool drain is 9 feet underwater - and - I think it's clogged because the
pump runs dry every time I switch from both the spa & pool or just the spa,
to the pool only.

The drain cover has screws on top - but - it's 9 feet under (due to the
nature of the self-cleaning pool).

I long lost (20 years ago) my PADI scuba diving certification card (I
wonder if we can get a new one sent?) and I don't have tanks (although I
could buy them on Craigslist) and a regulator ...

So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service your
deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

SF Man-

http://tinyurl.com/3rtnumd
or
free dive repeatedly
or
drain the pool
or
sell the place and move to the city

btw....in nearly 35 years, never experienced a block main drain in any
pools I was responsible for.
They're pretty hard to block permanently with the types of debris
typically seen in a pool.

Can you run water from the garden hose from the filter area by
plumbing the hose into the system?

cheers
Bob

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:38:01 -0700 (PDT), DD_BobK wrote:

Can you run water from the garden hose from the filter area by
plumbing the hose into the system?

This type of filter isn't designed to be backwashed (it's a cartridge
filter) but it does have a drain valve.

I will try to shove a hose into the drain valve (about 1.5 inch diameter
pipe abover the filter pump) and see if that works - but - it's a good 90
feet away from the pool main drain ... so ... I'm not sure how that would
work.

But, it's a good idea to try!

On Aug 30, 11:43*pm, SF Man wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:38:01 -0700 (PDT), DD_BobK wrote:
Can you run water from the garden hose from the filter area by
plumbing the hose into the system?

This type of filter isn't designed to be backwashed (it's a cartridge
filter) but it does have a drain valve.

I will try to shove a hose into the drain valve (about 1.5 inch diameter
pipe abover the filter pump) and see if that works - but - it's a good 90
feet away from the pool main drain ... so ... I'm not sure how that would
work.

But, it's a good idea to try!

Read carefully.......

consider a temporary (& reversible) re-plumbing effort to ALLOW you
to PRESSURIZE the pipe TO the main drain line.
I'm not suggesting shoving the hose down the pipe, let the pressurized
water do the work.
DO NOT USE COMPRESSED AIR UNLESS YOU HAVE COPPER PIPING.

Think outside the box (but not on the far side of the moon).

Start looking for a realtor.

On Aug 31, 12:24*am, SF Man wrote:
My pool drain is 9 feet underwater - and - I think it's clogged because the
pump runs dry every time I switch from both the spa & pool or just the spa,
to the pool only.

The drain cover has screws on top - but - it's 9 feet under (due to the
nature of the self-cleaning pool).

I long lost (20 years ago) my PADI scuba diving certification card (I
wonder if we can get a new one sent?) and I don't have tanks (although I
could buy them on Craigslist) and a regulator ...

So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service your
deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

Which costs less ?

Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?

- or -

Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?

D'uh...

~~ Evan

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:03:00 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:

Which costs less ?
Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?
Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?
D'uh...


Hi Evan,

Thanks for the advice. It's my fault for not mentioning that draining the
pool isn't feasible.

If you look at some of my other threads, the well only pumps about 400
gallons of water a day. The pool is 38K gallons. That would take almost 100
days to fill the pool again - and that's assuming no other water goes
anywhere but to the pool. Can't be done.

The only way to refill a drained pool out here is to truck the water in.

So, a used set of scuba tanks costs far far far less than refilling the
pool would.

It's my fault for not mentioning that draining the pool doesn't appear to
be an option (unless I can rent 38K gallon storage tanks for a few weeks).

In article ,
SF Man wrote:

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:03:00 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:

Which costs less ?
Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?
Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?
D'uh...


Hi Evan,

Thanks for the advice. It's my fault for not mentioning that draining the
pool isn't feasible.


Another concern with this would be type of liner. If it is vinyl and
you empty it, you run a real distinct risk of floating the liner with
all sorts of nasty side effects.

--
People thought cybersex was a safe alternative,
until patients started presenting with sexually
acquired carpal tunnel syndrome.-Howard Berkowitz

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:51:42 -0400, Kurt Ullman wrote:

In article ,
SF Man wrote:

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:03:00 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:

Which costs less ?
Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?
Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?
D'uh...


Hi Evan,

Thanks for the advice. It's my fault for not mentioning that draining the
pool isn't feasible.


Another concern with this would be type of liner. If it is vinyl and
you empty it, you run a real distinct risk of floating the liner with
all sorts of nasty side effects.

Or, even worse, a shrunken liner.

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:51:42 -0400, Kurt Ullman wrote:

Another concern with this would be type of liner. If it is vinyl and
you empty it, you run a real distinct risk of floating the liner with
all sorts of nasty side effects.

It's a gunnite in-ground built-in pool.

I don't think it has a liner, per se.

On Aug 31, 2:47*am, SF Man wrote:
So, a used set of scuba tanks costs far far far less than refilling the
pool would.

So would RENTING a set so you wouldn't have them cluttering up your
garage.

So would HIRING someone with the proper equipment to dive on the
drain.

So would HIRING a proper pool maintenance/repair firm to diagnose and
fix the problem without ever getting wet, instead of turning this
relatively simple job into the frickin' Poseidon Adventure...

Evan for President

wrote in message
...

On Aug 31, 2:47 am, SF Man wrote:
So, a used set of scuba tanks costs far far far less than refilling the
pool would.

So would RENTING a set so you wouldn't have them cluttering up your
garage.

He might need a current dive card to do that, dive shops tend to be picky to
avoid being sued.

So would HIRING a proper pool maintenance/repair firm to diagnose and
fix the problem without ever getting wet,

That would be my inclination. It's nice to save money doing it yourself,
but it's important to know when it makes more sense to call a pro.

On Aug 31, 2:47*am, SF Man wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:03:00 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:
Which costs less ?
Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?
Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?
D'uh...

Hi Evan,

Thanks for the advice. It's my fault for not mentioning that draining the
pool isn't feasible.

If you look at some of my other threads, the well only pumps about 400
gallons of water a day. The pool is 38K gallons. That would take almost 100
days to fill the pool again - and that's assuming no other water goes
anywhere but to the pool. Can't be done.

The only way to refill a drained pool out here is to truck the water in.

So, a used set of scuba tanks costs far far far less than refilling the
pool would.

It's my fault for not mentioning that draining the pool doesn't appear to
be an option (unless I can rent 38K gallon storage tanks for a few weeks)..

Dude...

You sound like a noob... You often have to purchase water to fill a
pool
at a premium rate and have it trucked in via a tanker truck...

Maybe you should try to hold your breath while you check the pool
drain...

~~ Evan

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:45:07 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:

Maybe you should try to hold your breath while you check the pool
drain...

I did that already. Many times.

I go down and can hold my breath for a couple of minutes (I have sleep
apnea so it's rather easy to hold my breath).

The problem is that it takes dozens of dives to remove the cover and
inspect things.

I was looking for a simpler way.

One poster suggested using a garden hose on the filtration pump basket
inlet (shoving water backward through the 90 feet of pipe to the other end
of the pool). That might work.

Another idea is to shove that garden-hose drain thing into the topside
debris cannister on the pool deck, just above the main drain. That may work
also to blow the clog backward (I'd likely remove the drain cover for that
to let the clog come out).

A third option is to buy or rent tanks for a few weeks and just go down,
with weights, and spend the twenty or thirty minutes down there to figure
out what is going on.

But, going down a dozen to three dozen times holding my breath seems like
the hardest thing of all ... doesn't it?

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:18:30 -0700, SF Man wrote:
The problem is that it takes dozens of dives to remove the cover and
inspect things.

I was looking for a simpler way.

Make yourself a dry-dock using marine ply and the biggest pump you can
find? At the very least, it'll make for a good darwin award story if it
all goes wrong :-)

cheers

Jules

replying to Evan, BR wrote:
You sound like a troll who lives in his mom's basement. Move on!

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...-f-660364-.htm

"Evan" wrote in message
...

Which costs less ?

Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?

- or -

Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?

Sometimes draining a pool can have unpleasant consequences, like the pool
rising out of the ground if there is enough ground water to make that
happen.

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:59:52 -0700, DGDevin wrote:

Sometimes draining a pool can have unpleasant consequences, like the pool
rising out of the ground if there is enough ground water to make that
happen.

We haven't had a drop of rain out here since about May ... and we won't get
another drop 'till about December ... so that's not likely (in the winter,
when it pours, then that may be a problem).

On 8/31/2011 2:19 PM, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:59:52 -0700, DGDevin wrote:

Sometimes draining a pool can have unpleasant consequences, like the pool
rising out of the ground if there is enough ground water to make that
happen.
We haven't had a drop of rain out here since about May ... and we won't get
another drop 'till about December ... so that's not likely (in the winter,
when it pours, then that may be a problem).

Have you taken the valve apart? It sounds like a leak to me. For some
reason it's losing it's prime and sucking air. I doubt it's the drain
because it should just pull from the skimmers. Try blocking the drain
and pull only from the skimmers. Sorry it this has already been
suggested. I didn't read all the responses. How old is the pump?

On 8/31/2011 2:34 PM, JimT wrote:
On 8/31/2011 2:19 PM, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:59:52 -0700, DGDevin wrote:

Sometimes draining a pool can have unpleasant consequences, like the
pool
rising out of the ground if there is enough ground water to make that
happen.
We haven't had a drop of rain out here since about May ... and we
won't get
another drop 'till about December ... so that's not likely (in the
winter,
when it pours, then that may be a problem).

Have you taken the valve apart? It sounds like a leak to me. For some
reason it's losing it's prime and sucking air. I doubt it's the drain
because it should just pull from the skimmers. Try blocking the drain
and pull only from the skimmers. Sorry it this has already been
suggested. I didn't read all the responses. How old is the pump?

Oh yeah. How old is the impeller and housing? May have cracks that are
sucking enough air to keep it from priming the pump. If your spa is much
closer than the pool it's maybe able to prime the pump but can't build
the pressure to pull from the pool.

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:34:57 -0500, JimT wrote:

Have you taken the valve apart? It sounds like a leak to me.

Hmmnmm. I'm not sure which 'valve' you're talking about.

About twenty or thirty feet from the pool is all the equipment. There are
about a dozen valves there. They are compton valves and jandy valves. Lots
of them. They control, for example, whether I suck water from or to the spa
or pool.

I doubt it's the drain
because it should just pull from the skimmers.

My pool is different. It's a self-cleaning pool. So, the skimmers are
unfiltered. The skimmers are just used to skim big stuff that can be caught
in the baskets. Nothing else. The water from the skimmers goes right back
into the pool to operating the dozen or so cleaning jets.

How old is the pump?

The pump is about 10 years old but I replaced the 2.2 horsepower motor only
a couple of months ago.

On 8/31/2011 1:59 PM, DGDevin wrote:


"Evan" wrote in message
...

Which costs less ?

Obtaining a scuba tank so you can work underwater ?

- or -

Draining the pool so you can work on it sans-scuba gear and refilling
it ?

Sometimes draining a pool can have unpleasant consequences, like the
pool rising out of the ground if there is enough ground water to make
that happen.

I've heard of that happening. I've been warned to never completely drain
my pool but with this drought I doubt that would be a problem this year.
I'm planing on draining my pool this winter to do repairs on the tiles
and plaster. It will be a first for me. In an area like FL draining your
pool could be a disaster. Central TX would probably not be a problem but
I don't know for sure. Best to ask a pro. There are a few people here
that give good advice on pools . Better than the pool store at least.

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:28:19 -0500, JimT wrote:

FL draining your
pool could be a disaster. Central TX would probably not be a problem

This is northern California. The water table is loooooow right now. The
well runs dry, for example, 48 times a day (it shuts off for a half hour,
runs for a handful of minutes, then shuts off again - all due to low water
levels. And that's about 400 feet deep).

So, I don't think 'that' is my problem!

On 8/31/2011 2:30 PM, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:28:19 -0500, JimT wrote:

FL draining your
pool could be a disaster. Central TX would probably not be a problem
This is northern California. The water table is loooooow right now. The
well runs dry, for example, 48 times a day (it shuts off for a half hour,
runs for a handful of minutes, then shuts off again - all due to low water
levels. And that's about 400 feet deep).

So, I don't think 'that' is my problem!

Sorry to hear that. We're having a water crisis here in TX. My
father-in-law's well runs dry too.

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:24:50 -0700, SF Man
wrote Re How to remove pool drain cover 9 feet under water to check
for a clogged pipe?:

So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service your
deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

Try something like this with a different hose
http://www.lowes.com/pd_103500-43657-FP209599DI_4294795218_4294937087_?productId=120553 5&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Air%2 BCompressors_4294795218_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_produ ct_price|0&facetInfo=

--
Work is the curse of the drinking class.

Caesar Romano wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:24:50 -0700, SF Man
wrote Re How to remove pool drain cover 9 feet under water to check
for a clogged pipe?:

So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service
your deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

Try something like this with a different hose
http://www.lowes.com/pd_103500-43657-FP209599DI_4294795218_4294937087_?productId=120553 5&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Air%2 BCompressors_4294795218_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_produ ct_price|0&facetInfo=

Use a diaphragm compressor connected to the hose to the second stage of a single
hose diving regulator. Diaphragm compressor to avoid inhaling oil fumes. I got a
couple free regulators from a diving shop back in the 60's to do this. They had
bad 1st stages, so they gave them to me, with my promise that I didn't know
where I got them. With 45' of hose on them, my friend and I could stay
underwater a long time.

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:14:11 -0500, Caesar Romano wrote:

Try something like this with a different hose
http://www.lowes.com/?productId=1205..._product_price
I already have a compressor so there is plenty of hose.

Are you suggesting sending compressed air through the drain?

I could (with scuba) get down there and stay there.

What pressure do you use and what fittings to get into a 18-inch wide drain
opening from under water?

SF Man wrote:
My pool drain is 9 feet underwater - and - I think it's clogged
because the pump runs dry every time I switch from both the spa &
pool or just the spa, to the pool only.

The drain cover has screws on top - but - it's 9 feet under (due to
the nature of the self-cleaning pool).

I long lost (20 years ago) my PADI scuba diving certification card (I
wonder if we can get a new one sent?) and I don't have tanks
(although I could buy them on Craigslist) and a regulator ...

So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service
your deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

Take a largish bucket and cut a window in it. Bolt (and seal) a flexible
plexiglass pane to the window. Install an air nozzle to the top. Add
sufficient weights and connect your new diving bell to an air compressor.

When I was a lad, we did this to scrub the pool's wall at the Boy's Club.
There was no shortage of volunteers to take a turn with a stiff brush, very
few of which drowned.

SF Man wrote:

My pool drain is 9 feet underwater - and - I think it's clogged because the
pump runs dry every time I switch from both the spa & pool or just the spa,
to the pool only.

The drain cover has screws on top - but - it's 9 feet under (due to the
nature of the self-cleaning pool).

I long lost (20 years ago) my PADI scuba diving certification card (I
wonder if we can get a new one sent?)

Yes.

and I don't have tanks (although I
could buy them on Craigslist) and a regulator ...

Just rent gear from a dive shop after you get your replacement c card.


So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service your
deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

Drain the pool, or get your SCUBA gear on.

On Aug 31, 7:23*am, "Pete C." wrote:
SF Man wrote:

My pool drain is 9 feet underwater - and - I think it's clogged because the
pump runs dry every time I switch from both the spa & pool or just the spa,
to the pool only.

The drain cover has screws on top - but - it's 9 feet under (due to the
nature of the self-cleaning pool).

I long lost (20 years ago) my PADI scuba diving certification card (I
wonder if we can get a new one sent?)

Yes.

and I don't have tanks (although I
could buy them on Craigslist) and a regulator ...

Just rent gear from a dive shop after you get your replacement c card.



So, I wonder, sans scuba equipment, how do you guy normally service your
deep drains to see what's clogging them up?

Drain the pool, or get your SCUBA gear on.

I would think you can get a few screws out with repeated dives to the
bottom.

Clogged main drains are not that uncommon. Sometimes it's a collapsed
pipe though. Then you live without.

But most pool circulation systems also use skimmers for return water.
Do you not have skimmers?

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:53:27 -0700 (PDT), jamesgangnc wrote:

I would think you can get a few screws out with repeated dives to the
bottom.

I agree. But ... it's tedious and, since I don't know what I'm looking for
per se, it's time consuming. I would rather just stay on the bottom for a
while (plus, it would be fun to get back into scuba gear since I haven't
dived in over 30 years after being an advanced PADI open water diver as a
college student).


Clogged main drains are not that uncommon. Sometimes it's a collapsed
pipe though. Then you live without.

I hope not. The pool had an inch thick of mud in it when I bought the house
(forclosure) so it easily 'could' be clogged.

But most pool circulation systems also use skimmers for return water.
Do you not have skimmers?

It's a looooong story. The short story is my skimmers don't work the way
most people's skimmers do.
1. I have a filtration system that has a single 18" suction port at the
deepest end of the pool (8 or 9 feet) (plus a safety port on the side
wall). That filtration system has nothing to do with the skimmers.

2. Then, there is a built-in vacuum-less cleaning system, which takes water
from the two skimmers and simply squirts it back into the pool, unfiltered
(other than baskets at the skimmers and pump) in order to push debris to
the deep end of the pool (which has a cliff-like dropoff in order to trap
the debris on the bottom of the pool).

So, the skimmers have nothing to do with the filtering, unfortunately.

On 8/31/2011 11:44 AM, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:53:27 -0700 (PDT), jamesgangnc wrote:

I would think you can get a few screws out with repeated dives to the
bottom.

I agree. But ... it's tedious and, since I don't know what I'm looking for
per se, it's time consuming. I would rather just stay on the bottom for a
while (plus, it would be fun to get back into scuba gear since I haven't
dived in over 30 years after being an advanced PADI open water diver as a
college student).


Clogged main drains are not that uncommon. Sometimes it's a collapsed
pipe though. Then you live without.

I hope not. The pool had an inch thick of mud in it when I bought the house
(forclosure) so it easily 'could' be clogged.

If the mud flowed down into the pipe and clogged it it all depends how
far down the pipe the mud goes as to whether or not you can dislodge
enough of it to get the water flowing. Draining the pool then using a
hose to break through the mud blockage might be your only hope, even if
it takes 100 days to refill the pool.

SMS wrote:

On 8/31/2011 11:44 AM, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:53:27 -0700 (PDT), jamesgangnc wrote:

I would think you can get a few screws out with repeated dives to the
bottom.

I agree. But ... it's tedious and, since I don't know what I'm looking for
per se, it's time consuming. I would rather just stay on the bottom for a
while (plus, it would be fun to get back into scuba gear since I haven't
dived in over 30 years after being an advanced PADI open water diver as a
college student).


Clogged main drains are not that uncommon. Sometimes it's a collapsed
pipe though. Then you live without.

I hope not. The pool had an inch thick of mud in it when I bought the house
(forclosure) so it easily 'could' be clogged.

If the mud flowed down into the pipe and clogged it it all depends how
far down the pipe the mud goes as to whether or not you can dislodge
enough of it to get the water flowing. Draining the pool then using a
hose to break through the mud blockage might be your only hope, even if
it takes 100 days to refill the pool.

Assuming the pool pipes are something like 2", bringing down a garden
hose with one of the basic jet nozzles on the end should allow you to
flush the mud out of the pipe as you push the hose further into the
drain. You will of course have zero visibility in short order, so first
hook a small guide rope from a drain screw up to the pool exit to make
exit and re-entry easier.

On Aug 31, 2:44*pm, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:53:27 -0700 (PDT), jamesgangnc wrote:
I would think you can get a few screws out with repeated dives to the
bottom.

I agree. But ... it's tedious and, since I don't know what I'm looking for
per se, it's time consuming. I would rather just stay on the bottom for a
while (plus, it would be fun to get back into scuba gear since I haven't
dived in over 30 years after being an advanced PADI open water diver as a
college student).

Clogged main drains are not that uncommon. *Sometimes it's a collapsed
pipe though. *Then you live without.

I hope not. The pool had an inch thick of mud in it when I bought the house
(forclosure) so it easily 'could' be clogged.

But most pool circulation systems also use skimmers for return water.
Do you not have skimmers?

It's a looooong story. The short story is my skimmers don't work the way
most people's skimmers do.
1. I have a filtration system that has a single 18" suction port at the
deepest end of the pool (8 or 9 feet) (plus a safety port on the side
wall). That filtration system has nothing to do with the skimmers.

Are you saying that safety port is connected to the suction
line along with the bottom drain? That would be the way
I would think it should be because you don't want a single
suction point to prevent someone from getting sucked
onto the single suction point and drowning.

So, if that's the case, why would the pump run dry
because of the bottom drain being clogged? It
would have to be a clog affecting both the bottom
drain AND the side suction point, no?

As for proceeding, it sounds a lot easier to me to
do a test with water flowing from the pool pad via a garden
hose attachement or similar than it is to dive for
the bottom drain. You could also use compressed
air as long as you make sure you keep the pressure
low, eg 15psi or so.









2. Then, there is a built-in vacuum-less cleaning system, which takes water
from the two skimmers and simply squirts it back into the pool, unfiltered
(other than baskets at the skimmers and pump) in order to push debris to
the deep end of the pool (which has a cliff-like dropoff in order to trap
the debris on the bottom of the pool).

So, the skimmers have nothing to do with the filtering, unfortunately.

On Sep 2, 1:57*am, "
wrote:
On Aug 31, 2:44*pm, SF Man wrote:





On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:53:27 -0700 (PDT), jamesgangnc wrote:
I would think you can get a few screws out with repeated dives to the
bottom.

I agree. But ... it's tedious and, since I don't know what I'm looking for
per se, it's time consuming. I would rather just stay on the bottom for a
while (plus, it would be fun to get back into scuba gear since I haven't
dived in over 30 years after being an advanced PADI open water diver as a
college student).

Clogged main drains are not that uncommon. *Sometimes it's a collapsed
pipe though. *Then you live without.

I hope not. The pool had an inch thick of mud in it when I bought the house
(forclosure) so it easily 'could' be clogged.

But most pool circulation systems also use skimmers for return water.
Do you not have skimmers?

It's a looooong story. The short story is my skimmers don't work the way
most people's skimmers do.
1. I have a filtration system that has a single 18" suction port at the
deepest end of the pool (8 or 9 feet) (plus a safety port on the side
wall). That filtration system has nothing to do with the skimmers.

Are you saying that safety port is connected to the suction
line along with the bottom drain? * That would be the way
I would think it should be because you don't want a single
suction point to prevent someone from getting sucked
onto the single suction point and drowning.

So, if that's the case, why would the pump run dry
because of the bottom drain being clogged? *It
would have to be a clog affecting both the bottom
drain AND the side suction point, no?

As for proceeding, it sounds a lot easier to me to
do a test with water flowing from the pool pad via a garden
hose attachement or similar than it is to dive for
the bottom drain. * You could also use compressed
air as long as you make sure you keep the pressure
low, eg 15psi or so.





2. Then, there is a built-in vacuum-less cleaning system, which takes water
from the two skimmers and simply squirts it back into the pool, unfiltered
(other than baskets at the skimmers and pump) in order to push debris to
the deep end of the pool (which has a cliff-like dropoff in order to trap
the debris on the bottom of the pool).

So, the skimmers have nothing to do with the filtering, unfortunately.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

he could get a plumber to run a camera down the line to see exactly
whats wrong. depending on what the line is made of it might be
possible to snake it.

some problems can be endlessely discussed where it takes less time to
just go exploring......

On Thu, 1 Sep 2011 22:57:10 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Are you saying that safety port is connected to the suction
line along with the bottom drain?

I think that's the way it's built.

So, if that's the case, why would the pump run dry
because of the bottom drain being clogged? It
would have to be a clog affecting both the bottom
drain AND the side suction point, no?

Hmmm... that's a good point (which I had not thought of).

All I 'actually' know is that when I turn the compool electrical valve from
Spa or from Spa/Pool to just Pool, the pump loses its water in the pump
basket. It's sucking more air than water.

I 'thought' that meant the drain is clogged (especially since the two
squirters opposite it are not working).

But, maybe that just means there is a leak in the line?

Yikes. How would one find an air leak in when it's all buried underground
(mostly)?

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 06:23:23 -0500, Pete C. wrote:
Drain the pool, or get your SCUBA gear on.

Draining will take 100 days to fill from the hose (and that's w/o any water
used in the house otherwise) so it's not an option.

Just rent gear from a dive shop after you get your replacement c card.

That is a great idea. I called the local dive shop who said if I show them
ID, they will look up my PADI status online ... and I don't even 'need' the
card!

On Aug 31, 2:40*pm, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 06:23:23 -0500, Pete C. wrote:
Drain the pool, or get your SCUBA gear on.

Draining will take 100 days to fill from the hose (and that's w/o any water
used in the house otherwise) so it's not an option.

Just rent gear from a dive shop after you get your replacement c card.

That is a great idea. I called the local dive shop who said if I show them
ID, they will look up my PADI status online ... and I don't even 'need' the
card!

Wow...

Clearly you don't know enough about pools or water to really be
maintaining
one on your own without proper supervision...

Hire a company to take care of it for you...

If the drain line in the bottom of the pool has become compromised and
you really really need for it to be fixed because of some sort of
psychological
defect being in play here, then the pool will have to be drained for
that to
happen... They aren't going to tunnel in from a shaft dug next to the
pool
to do repairs...

You are thinking on consumer grade time tables... A gasoline operated
pump would have that 38,000 gallon pool empty in a little more than an
hour or two...

With a 50,000 gallon tanker truck full of water, the pool will be
filled as
fast as the pump in the tank truck can pump the water out of the hose,
not 100 days...

~~ Evan

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:52:49 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:
Clearly you don't know enough about pools or water to really be
maintaining one on your own without proper supervision...

Hi Evan,

I'm sorry again for not being clear. I never said I knew anything about
pools. I never owned a pool before. In fact, I never even wanted a pool. I
simply bought a house at forclosure that had a pool filled with mud (and
fish).

For about $400, a team cleaned it out and left. Then I filled it and now
the drain isn't working right.

Of course I can hire someone to fix it but I don't have a job and the money
is tight (big mortgage and huuuuuge taxes). The house was practically free
but the maintenance is what is difficult.

So, the only way I can keep the house is to do all my own maintenance (I've
already learned how to do roofing tiles, how to cut down large oak trees,
how to clean the three heater blowers, how to plug the solar heater, etc.).

I thought that's what this newsgroup is all about.

Sorry for misleading you. I repeat, I don't know anything about pools. But,
I can learn just as I learned how to fix my car which has never been to a
mechanic and which is now 15 years old.

It just takes time (which is the one thing I have plenty of).

Thanks for understanding and helping out.

On 8/31/2011 2:24 PM, SF Man wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:52:49 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:
Clearly you don't know enough about pools or water to really be
maintaining one on your own without proper supervision...
Hi Evan,

I'm sorry again for not being clear. I never said I knew anything about
pools. I never owned a pool before. In fact, I never even wanted a pool. I
simply bought a house at forclosure that had a pool filled with mud (and
fish).


heh That would have been helpful info in the OP. Yeah you might have a
clogged drain. :-)

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:52:49 -0700 (PDT), Evan wrote:
You are thinking on consumer grade time tables... A gasoline operated
pump would have that 38,000 gallon pool empty in a little more than an
hour or two...

Wow. Twenty thousand gallons an hour! 300 gallons a minute. 5 gallons a
second. That's fast!

With a 50,000 gallon tanker truck full of water, the pool will be
filled

If I have to, I will drain the pool. But, I was hoping to try to figure out
what the problem is BEFORE draining it.

In fact, if it's drained, then I can't even run the pump anymore. So, how
does one TEST a pool drain which is now empty?