Hurricane Prep Pool Help

[bill2]

Hello,

Apologizes if there's already a thread on this. I'm in a time crunch here in FL preparing for Matthew.

My pool is already almost full from very recent rain and the hurricane hasn't even hit yet. To drain, I have hooked a hose to a spigot that is attached before the pump basket. Is it correct that I can drain here and should keep the pump running to drain? I have at least 16 or so hours to drain some water out and will aim for just at the bottom of the border tile.

Thanks

 

[kimkats]

Here is a link to one other one:

Hurricane Matthew - Page 2

You are on the right track.........water down and stay safe above all else! Think about your area-flooding. Will the pump be safe if you get lots of rain?

Are you riding it out?

 

[Texas Splash]

Good morning Bill! As Kim noted, there are some other threads out there already with Matthew on his way, but not for your specific question. Interesting .... the spigot is "before" your pump? I have a Hayward cartridge but my spigot is at the bottom of the filter housing. It doesn't drain quickly from there, but it does drain. We don't have the luxury of a multiport valve that can drain to waste, so we have some limitations. I would think that if you opened a spigot "before" the pump, it would suck-in air and you would lose your prime. Anything before the pump is on the suction side and "pulling" as opposed to pushing-out water/air. So perhaps I'm not understanding your equipment set-up. Others may have an idea or perhaps you could show us a pic of your equipment to be sure.

 

[bill2]

I might have the description wrong on the location. It's connected to a pipe between the tall filter assembly and the square pump basket. That pump basket is still 100% full of water so I assume the prime is still good. It is VERY slow... But I am in North Florida so I will power until for likely more than 24 hours if I am lucky. I am draining into a drainage ditch / preserve area at the back of my yard. Not exactly happy about adding more water that could destabilize the trees but I assume it's better than hoping the little drainage channels in my deck will work well enough.

Pump should be safe from flooding. Not in any of the Evac zones (A through E) so not sure on evacuating at this point. Although, I think tomorrow I will turn the breaker off for the whole pool and skip a day of circulation. Especially if my screening breaks and debris ends up in the pool.

Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

Sounds like whoever installed your equipment did some good thinking to install hose bib after the pump and before the filter. That serves as a nice way to discharge water quickly. I wish I had that. Once Matthew is gone and you're back to business with the pool, I suspect your CYA and CH will be lower, so be ready for that along with normal testing. Best of luck to you Bill and hope things go as well as can be expected.

 

[bill2]

I guess I got lucky with the pool builder.

Thanks for the good wishes.

 

[bill2]

So bad news... after draining for 4-5 hours with no problems I assume I lost my prime. Air started coming out of the jets and there was air in the pump basket. I shut it off right away. The water line of the pool is still above the jets.

The only procedure I know didn't work. I did what I do when I clean the pump basket. Carefully pour water in the pump basket area and keep the air release valve open on the filter assembly until water squirts out. That did not work. It took a LONG time for the pump basket to actually fill itself and for water to squirt out the release valve. But, the jets were still bubbling and spurting.

I killed the breaker for now because it's not clear if I will even have power tomorrow when the timer kicks on.

Any ideas?

 

[kimkats]

One person that was draining her pool for a different reason found if she put the gizmo in the skimmer basket to block the air from coming in to the lines and used only the main drain she was able to keep going. I am not sure if this will work for you but wanted to share it with you until someone else comes on with a better idea.

Kim

 

[bill2]

I didn't even think of the skimmer. Thanks. I just checked. My water level is actually still above the skimmer so I don't think that is what has caused the air to get in the system. I'm actually okay with the current water level. The issue now is I can't even run my system without a LOT of air in the system.

 

[Isaac-1]

If you start it and watch the skimmer you may find that a whirlpool is forming and sucking air in due to the water being lower than normal in the skimmer

 

[bill2]

Thanks. That was it. Thanks everyone for your help. I should have learned to do that before the threat of a hurricane. It all worked out.