drain clogged with broken plaster

[darrenfauth]

Our re-plastering of our pool that was still sporting its original 1970's plaster is complete. I'm on day 3 of re-plaster start-up. We've known the drain has been clogged with plaster the four years we have owned the house and pool. The contractor replaced the old drain cover and I looked at the piping underneath. It was clear of any old plaster debris.

I've been running my filter off of the skimmer the whole time. Now, I'd like to get the drain into the equation for filtration and especially now to help me remove the new plaster dust settling to the bottom of the pool.

I've got a 3-way Jandy. When I turn it to solely draw from the drain I get a second of reduced water flow then next to nothing and the pump is starved for water.

I have a water bladder I've used to unclog leaves from the skimmer line.

Can I use the same thing to unclog the drain without taking the drain cover off the bottom of the pool? Seems like a simple and stupid question. Right now the pool is 'off limits' for swimming due to start up and even though we are in Texas that sucker is still cold! It'd be a cold adventure to swim down there now and remove the cover. I really don't want to jack anything up since we spent so much money getting the pool nice.

The contractor should be at my house tomorrow to collect final payment...he could probably advise me...but since it is the weekend I'd like to mess with it today.

 

[JasonLion]

Running water through the drain line backwards with a garden hose is worth a try. Set the valve to main drain only and put the garden hose in the pump inlet pipe inside the pump strainer basket with something like you water bladder to seal it in and see if you can clear the debris out that way. When it works it tends to push a bunch of debris back into the pool, which you may need to vacuum up.

 

[woodyp]

You got a few days of 90's ahead before it drops back down to mid 80's...........just in time for Mem Day (sigh).

 

[darrenfauth]

@JasonLion thanks! Messed with it for a couple hours but no luck. I did swim down and take off the drain cover and ended up using the water bladder from both sides with minimal results. I got a few old plaster pieces out but nothing major and still no significant flow. I do feel the colder water from the hose coming out the drain...likewise from the drain pipe where it plumbs in to the Jandy valve.

I'll keep trying.

@woodyp Ha...turns out the water wasn't too bad after all! Cold on entry then tolerable. This hot, muggy weather we are having heated it up...I wish it would get back in the 80's like we had a few weeks ago.

I lived in Tyler for a year about a decade ago and LOVED it out there in East Texas. Enjoy!

 

[JohnT]

If you are adventurous, you could try to cobble up a pipe to direct the flow of your pump into the drain. The higher flow might do what the low flow hose can't do.