Emptying the pool question

[NYdude]

I need to empty an inground, gunite pool and for one reason or another I can't use the drain. Whats the best way to utilize the pump as a means to empty the pool. Can I just attach the vacuum host and drop it in the water?

Danial

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum.

If you only have one skimmer, I think that would work 'til you got to the return level.

If you have two skimmers, you'll suck air as soon as the water levels goes below the skimmer.

Same thing as you get down to the returns......you'll suck air.

 

[NYdude]

Welcome to the forum.

If you only have one skimmer, I think that would work 'til you got to the return level.

If you have two skimmers, you'll suck air as soon as the water levels goes below the skimmer.

Same thing as you get down to the returns......you'll suck air.

You miss the point that the filter system is not hooked up. I want to use the pump to empty the pool directly. If you drain it via the drain with the system connected I assume that you "suck air" when its empty as well.

Lets assume I have no drain system. Whats the best way to empty a pool?

 

[Casey]

How bout a sump pump?

 

[NYdude]

How bout a sump pump?

A cheap sump pump would take a week and likely break before it finished. A good one would cost more than hiring someone to do it for me.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Casey didn't say "cheap".

One option would be two rent two submersibles, not necessarily cheap ones, and while it may take some time they wouldn't necessarily break. But yes, it may be cheaper to pay someone to do it for you. Not alot of options, and you can't use the equipment, right?

Can I ask why you want to drain the entire pool?

BTW, welcome to the forum.

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, you can use a vacuum hose, but you need to do a couple of things to get it to work. First, there can't be any other skimmers or drains open. If you have additional skimmers or drains they need to be turned off or blocked. Second, you need to keep some water in the skimmer, so if there is an air leak it draws in water not air. I use a small cover pump to pump water into the skimmer the entire time. Third, you have to do the entire process in one go. If the pump is turned off or loses prime you won't be able to start it up again.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Oh I see, he wants to use the pump not the filter. Got it.

 

[NYdude]

Yes, you can use a vacuum hose, but you need to do a couple of things to get it to work. First, there can't be any other skimmers or drains open. If you have additional skimmers or drains they need to be turned off or blocked. Second, you need to keep some water in the skimmer, so if there is an air leak it draws in water not air. I use a small cover pump to pump water into the skimmer the entire time. Third, you have to do the entire process in one go. If the pump is turned off or loses prime you won't be able to start it up again.

I

The system is not hooped up. I want to use the superpump to DIRECTLY pump water out of the pool. No skimmers. No filter.

Can I hook a hose to the suction end of the pump and a host to the output and pump the water out that way? its a lot more powerful than a sump pump, and I don't have to buy anything.

 

[dmanb2b]

you can try it...hopefully someone will soon reply that has done it...my guess would be that the pool pump is meant to work in a pressurized pump/filter environment, and while some pumps may be self-priming, and in theory we do this everytime we backwash...I don't know if I'd want to chance letting my pump "prime" for 4+hours (or whatever your turnover rate is).

Thinking as I'm writing this...you may be able to hook-up you vacum hose to your pump inlet, then plumb in some pvc to you pump outlet and then attach a return eyeball to the end of the PVC...although this would add pressure to the water being pumped out...you should still be able to empty the pool in the same amount of time as your turn over rate.

If it was me...and needed to get the water out fast...I would run to my local tool rental shop and rent a gas powered pump...(like the ones the firemen use to pump water out of ponds) along with some hose like the ones used in firefighting or pool water delivery trucks.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Welcome to TFP.

 

[Casey]

dman~

That's how I drained my above ground pool a couple springs ago to make way for the new one. My brother is a volunteer and I provided the gas. We got that 24' done in a half hour!

 

[Durk]

I have done this more than once, including using my 3/4 hp Hayward SuperPump to pull five feet of water out of a friend's basement after a hurricane. You have to come up with the fittings to connect a vac hose to the pump and priming is very difficult unless you get a one way valve for the pickup end of the hose. (They sell them with the sump pumps in the hardware stores.). Then you need to weight down the end of the hose--I used some duct tape and a dead laptop battery.

Use a hose to fill the system with water (in the exhaust line works fine if you can hold the end above the pump & pool). Then turn on the power and make sure you keep an eye on it. If all is real tight it will pump until hose is sucking air. If all is not air-tight on the suction side, you may lose prime before that. It is best if you can watch the end of the exhaust line. As long as you are pumping water, nothing bad is happening to your pump. Total time to empty will be a good bit less than turnover time, due to reduced head without filter and most of plumbing.

To do my friend, I converted my SuperPump to 110 and put a heavy appliance cord on it. We got power from the neighbors' laundry room. Finished up with my pool cover pump to get the last inches out. [Renting a gas pump was simply not an option after that hurricane; that's why I learned to do this.]