Main Drain NOT Centered!

[Otis B.]

[/URL][/IMG]Hi All,

Pool guys came this week and started the plumbing. I came home from work and noticed that the main drain is about a foot away from the old drain, which was located in the deepest part of the pool. PB on the phone tried to dance around it and get me to accept it. Judging by the pictures what are your opinions? Am I wrong to insist that they dig it up and move it over a foot?

Also...PB told me that all the plumbing from the pool to the equipment was being replaced with 2" PVC but the sub doing the plumbing had only 1.5" on his truck. They are coming back tomorrow with the 2". Would 2" be overkill on a 17,000 gallon pool? Or would 1.5" have been good enough? (PB is installing a new 450' Hayward cartridge filter with a Hayward Maxflo VS 1.5 HP.)

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[mikemass]

That wouldn't bother me and I am pretty nuts about things. You are noticing it more now because the small puddle is showing you where the true center is. Once the finish is on the pool and it is filled, I doubt it will catch your eye. Is this a rebuild? What do you mean by "where the old drain was"?

If they are offering to switch to 2", run with it. Not overkill IMHO.

 

[Otis B.]

Rebuild, Mikemass.

I do finish work for a living (flooring installer), so I'm also pretty nuts when it comes to these things.

 

[JVTrain]

I would prefer to have it centered myself... MUST HAVE SYMMETRY!

2" isn't overkill in any pool. Less head loss in your plumbing with larger diameter makes for more efficient flow and pump utilization.

 

[mikemass]

Rebuild,

K. The reason I asked was that on a rebuild I doubt it would make any sense to dig up all old lines buried under the concrete. So they may have moved new drain over a bit as to not have to work around old lines, elbows, pvc etc, from the old drain.

 

[downtfish]

Even after it was filled, it would bother me just knowing it isn't centered. Even if I was the only one who noticed.

 

[kimkats]

Take a read of this:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/portals/1/Documents/Pubs/333-119.pdf

I don't think yours is to code. I THINK there should be TWO of them or one long one to help prevent entrapment from suction.

Check into this THEN work on the centering of the one IF that is allowed.

Kim:cat:

 

[JVTrain]

Great point, kimkats. I believe with any new or remodeled pools, you must have a pair of linked main drains. Plus, it's a good idea.

 

[mikemass]

I don't think I have seen ANY pool built w/in the last 10 ish years in my area that doesn't have a "Split" main Drain.

 

[diverminh]

When I had my pool built, I insisted on 2.5" or 3" plumbing from the pool to the equipment pad because they are far apart. If he promised you 2", you should insist on 2" drain not 1.5. 2" drain has about a 43% more capacity than a 1.5" drain.

As other have mentioned, the main drain should be dual drain and symmetrical. It would drive me nuts. I don't care if the "old" drain was in the way. They are paid a lot of money to do it correctly.

 

[bmoreswim]

Yes, clearly not code-compliant. Since it has to be changed anyway, I'l get a rectangular one instead of the round ones. They look better and don't have the lip that the round ones all have. That means you can scoot debris into it easier vs it just catching on the lip.

Bonus - I just found the best main drain out there (IMO). It is rectangular as mentioned above, but it also allows you to have a pebble/plaster finish on the main cover to make it very unobtrusive. They also have options for vinyl liners as well.

http://www.poolfittings.com/channel-pebble-top/

Same concept as the Pour-a-lid skimmer covers which we have.

 

[kimkats]

I LOVE those ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ OH SO PRETTY! Of course there is no price but........

That is the shape I was looking for but could not find a link to any so gave up.....

Kim:cat:

 

[bmoreswim]

Yeah, probably not cheap, but I'm pretty open-minded regarding pricing on things that have a big visual impact (or are high quality). I'd go 2 or 3 Franklin's for something that nice looking regardless of what it really should cost being plastic. They had to design it well which has a cost. And its made in the USA!

 

[IrwinK]

I had to use 4 drains because of the separate feature pump. They were to be in a row evenly spaced apart but as usual with much of the PB's work did not come out as planned. Made him fix it and reluctantly he did.

Re: the pebble/plaster finish on main drain covers mentioned:
My PB promised and put in writing to do this and I thought I would be getting those special covers.
Now it seems all he meant to do was have the plasterers put the pebble/plaster in the center of the ordinary drain covers as I saw on another pool he built.
Covers are sitting there waiting for the plasterer and the plaster will block the holes in the center. They aren't even the large drain covers I see available.
I have 2.5" and 3" plumbing going to these drains with small covers and the centers will be blocked.
Hope I don't have problems with this.
Anyone have their drain covers finished with plaster/pebble?

 

[Marlahoutex]

Bmore, I love those drains! What a great idea! Now why didn't you tell me about this for my pool???

 

[bmoreswim]

Bmore, I love those drains! What a great idea! Now why didn't you tell me about this for my pool???

You and me both!

 

[Otis B.]

2 of the workers are here now with the 2" PVC. Boss is supposed to show up soon to discuss main drain issue...

Next question - Should the 2" PVC for the returns come thru the wall or be reduced to 1.5" to create pressure? Or will the eyeballs that get attached create pressure?

 

[allinspector]

Let the eyeballs create the pressure (you can swap them out to different sizes later)

Always go with the biggest pipe