Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

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corsara
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Joined: Tue 04 May, 2010 10:42
My Pool: 36 x 18, vinyl liner
Location: Ontario, Canada

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby corsara » Tue 04 May, 2010 10:57

Hi everybody,

I am a proud owner of a new to me house with a pool. The pool is old though---built about 35 years ago. It is an 18 x 36' pool with vinyl lining.. I will be opening the pool for the first time (we moved in during the winter), and I have a couple of newbie questions:

1) After I remove the cover and fill the pool to the top, would it be OK to leave it like that for 2 days before treating the water with the chemicals? Would that destroy the water even more? The reason for asking this is because a guy who knows these things will help me with the chemicals and train me, but I have time to deal with the cover about 2 days before that.

2) Looks like the skimmer and main drain of the pool have no valve, and run together into one pipe (going to the pump). Is that possible, or it could be hidden somewhere? The pump is disconnected now (for the winter), so I wonder---if there is no valve to stop the drain, then how come the water is not coming out from the pipe? Am I missing something?

Thank you in advance for the answer to my questions. I am looking forward to more participation in this forum in the time to come as I pick up the skills :)


MirandaJ1223
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My Pool: 35000 gallon irregular shaped inground gunite diving pool/spa combination, 52 sf anthony DE filter with seperation tank, Anthony brass pump, single skimmer, Electric spa heater
Location: Arlington, TX

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby MirandaJ1223 » Tue 04 May, 2010 13:43

My pool is like yours in that the drain and skimmer both run together into the same pipe. The way I understand it, as long as the backwash valve is closed, the system is closed. Open the backwash valve and all water will be pumped out.
corsara
Pool Enthusiast
Pool Enthusiast
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue 04 May, 2010 10:42
My Pool: 36 x 18, vinyl liner
Location: Ontario, Canada

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby corsara » Tue 04 May, 2010 13:56

MirandaJ1223 wrote:My pool is like yours in that the drain and skimmer both run together into the same pipe. The way I understand it, as long as the backwash valve is closed, the system is closed. Open the backwash valve and all water will be pumped out.


Thanks. But right now, the pump is not connected, so the pipe coming from the pool (the drain + skimmer) has nothing that is connected to it. Therefore, the valve on the filter plays no role at all... I am confused..
MirandaJ1223
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu 22 Apr, 2010 13:44
My Pool: 35000 gallon irregular shaped inground gunite diving pool/spa combination, 52 sf anthony DE filter with seperation tank, Anthony brass pump, single skimmer, Electric spa heater
Location: Arlington, TX

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby MirandaJ1223 » Tue 04 May, 2010 14:39

In northern climates I believe you need to plug the inlets at the skimmer and drain when you close your pools to prevent the pipes from freezing and breaking. Do you have plugs your returns and the skimmer?

Look up closing a pool for the winter and you will see that it is mentioned to plug them.
corsara
Pool Enthusiast
Pool Enthusiast
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue 04 May, 2010 10:42
My Pool: 36 x 18, vinyl liner
Location: Ontario, Canada

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby corsara » Tue 04 May, 2010 15:04

MirandaJ1223 wrote:In northern climates I believe you need to plug the inlets at the skimmer and drain when you close your pools to prevent the pipes from freezing and breaking. Do you have plugs your returns and the skimmer?

Look up closing a pool for the winter and you will see that it is mentioned to plug them.


Yes, I know for a fact that there are plugs in the inlets and the skimmer. Not in the main drain though! :crazy:
Xclusive
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Location: Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester County, NY

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby Xclusive » Tue 04 May, 2010 15:13

corsara wrote:
MirandaJ1223 wrote:In northern climates I believe you need to plug the inlets at the skimmer and drain when you close your pools to prevent the pipes from freezing and breaking. Do you have plugs your returns and the skimmer?

Look up closing a pool for the winter and you will see that it is mentioned to plug them.


Yes, I know for a fact that there are plugs in the inlets and the skimmer. Not in the main drain though! :crazy:


If your main is tied to the skimmer, and the skimmer is plugged, in essence those lines are plugged
corsara
Pool Enthusiast
Pool Enthusiast
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue 04 May, 2010 10:42
My Pool: 36 x 18, vinyl liner
Location: Ontario, Canada

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby corsara » Tue 04 May, 2010 15:18

Xclusive wrote:
corsara wrote:
MirandaJ1223 wrote:In northern climates I believe you need to plug the inlets at the skimmer and drain when you close your pools to prevent the pipes from freezing and breaking. Do you have plugs your returns and the skimmer?

Look up closing a pool for the winter and you will see that it is mentioned to plug them.


Yes, I know for a fact that there are plugs in the inlets and the skimmer. Not in the main drain though! :crazy:


If your main is tied to the skimmer, and the skimmer is plugged, in essence those lines are plugged


Hmm, I think that explains it. Also, the pipe (combined skimmer and main drain) is somewhat higher in elevation... thanks! Some clarity in my brain at last :)
Xclusive
Swimming Pool Wizard
Swimming Pool Wizard
Posts: 74
Joined: Wed 14 Apr, 2010 09:17
Location: Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester County, NY

Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby Xclusive » Tue 04 May, 2010 15:56

Yes I was going to ask that next. If your equipment was at a higher level than your pool :D
floridapooltech
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Help, new pool owner, no drain valves?!

Postby floridapooltech » Thu 29 Jul, 2010 09:10

you should have some sort of skimmer plate that will have a hole in the middle where you can turn the cover to either cover the main drain hole to suck from skimmer/vac, or open it then plug the hole at the top of the plate to suck from main?

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