Draining a plaster pool-Question

[palmspriings]

Hello
I need to drain half of my pool, but would like to do it over the course of 2 days. Can I safely drain (1/2 way) a plaster pool and leave it unfilled from aprox 2pm until 8am the next morning? The temps are hovering around 100, so it is the 2pm-8pm hours I am worried about.

Thanks for the help?

 

[BoDarville]

The biggest risk is cracks developing in the dry plaster when it is subjected to direct sunlight at those temperatures. I had to do an initial 50-60 % drain when I first purchased the house several years ago and it was in August. I timed the draining to begin around 3:00 PM so that the plaster wouldn't be exposed to the direct sun for very long and began refilling once I had drained to my target level. The refill process took all night and into the next morning, but the plaster exposure to the sun was minimized. Had no problems.

Is there some reason why you need to spread this out over 2 days as opposed to refilling right away and minimize the amount of time the plaster is exposed to the air?

Other suggestions:

• 1. Is there any way you can cover that part of the plaster that is in the sun?
  2. You could periodically mist the plaster with a garden hose so it stays somewhat moist. You might have to do that at least until the sun went down even if you were to begin refilling as soon as you have drained 1/2 the water
  3. Use multiple hoses to refill which would hasten the refill time.
  4. See if you have a dedicated fill line. My refill would have gone much faster had I discovered that I had one of these before the refill process (I was a pool newbie at the time).

 

[palmspriings]

Thanks Bo
I work odd hours and won't be here to refill immediately.
What do you mean by a dedicated fill line? I have an automatic fill, but I don't think this is what you mean?

 

[BoDarville]

The dedicated fill line on my pool shows up as a PVC pipe (about 3/4 to 1" diameter) cut flush with the tile on one end of the pool. I wondered what this pipe was for when I first moved into this house, being a pool newbie at the time. Had a plumber come out to replace a spigot and he pointed out the in-ground valve for this fill line. Mystery solved. Supplies much more water volume than a garden hose and fills the pool up much quicker.