How do I drain pool?

[Lockhouse]

Hi,

Please bear with me, I'm just starting a pool refurb but my knowledge is limited. I'm trying to drain my pool. It's been drained before but it was done by "the pool guy".

I've drained the water down to the bottom of the skimmer using the pump but I'm stuck now. There's a square plug at the bottom of the pool - is this the drain plug?



If it is the drain plug, is there a tool I need to undo it? None of my sockets on extension levers fit. If it's not the drain plug, how do I get the pool drained, do I use an external pump?

Thanks for listening!

Andy

[Lockhouse]

OK, I've got the plug off and it doesn't appear to be a drain plug - it's blocked off underneath.

I managed to get the pool half empty by turning off the skimmer valve forcing everything through the sump, opening the outside waste valve and setting the pump to "Waste". However this got slower and slower until the pump was sucking air. I'm left with a half full pool which is in some ways more frustrating then not getting it to drain at all! Any idea if the sump is likely blocked or may there be another reason the pool has stopped draining halfway through?

I should add the pool is nearly 50 years old(!) and we've not had any issues with it at all in the nearly ten years we've been living here - it is just looking really tired and needs a refresh.

[Denniswiseman]

That plug maybe a hydrostatic relief valve designed to allow ground water into the pool when draining to prevent the pool lifting out if the ground water is high
Most people either pump out from the main drain or use a submersible but check your water table first

[Lockhouse]

Thanks for the reply. It's an in-ground concrete indoor pool and there's no visible main drain - only via the pump which is higher than the water level. I'm just not sure why the pump should suddenly run dry when the pool is only half empty. If I can't sort it I'll have to buy a submersible.

[Denniswiseman]

If you have no main drain then the suction is from the skimmer. If a vacuum is connected to the skimmer it will draw water further but if the skimmer plate leaks in air you will lose suction

[Lockhouse]

I've actually got a plug on the skimmer to attach a vacuum hose, so in theory that should work. Thanks very much, I'll let you know how I get on.

[Denniswiseman]

Make sure your vacuum hose is full of water, the pipe to the pump is full and the pump is primed

[Lockhouse]

Well, I tried it but no luck. For some reason there's no suction either at the vacuum point (very slight suction) or the skimmer (none). The pump appears to be working OK, there's just nothing being sucked through. Looks like I'll have to go with a submersible pump after all.

[Denniswiseman]

It would have worked if you had done it while the pool was full
Most people use a submersible any way