Bottom Drain not draining but line seems open.....

[PoolDummiesWV]

Hey everyone....we are new pool owners tho the pool isn't new....We ran the pool last year...including the bottom drain and had no issues....this year we are draining the pool to paint the bottom. It was fine until we got some rain and the bottom drain wont allow the water to go out....everything is open but no water flow :| Rob stuck a water hose down the bottom drain after removing the cover of course and the water flows freely out the drain hose site....How can the pool not drain but you can shoot water thru the line to the drain pipe site?

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Texas Splash]

Can you tell us a little more about your pool equipment and set-up? Please see below in my signature as an example and try to update your signature as well. Then tell us how that main drain is plumbed for draining to waste. Since that pool is so old, is it plumbed directly to your filter, or is there some other type of line where the main drain exits to? The more info we have the better. Thanks.

 

[PoolDummiesWV]

ok gosh...here is what I know....I can drain the pool from the bottom drain thru the filter on waste...i do, however, have a residential manhole if you will, that has three valves that i can use to drain either thru the returns, the skimmers, or the bottom drain.

I think i got my signature fixed...we will know as soon as i post this i guess, lol...

 

[Texas Splash]

So then I'm thinking as long as any sections valves before the pump are moved to "Main Drain", then all suction force should be applied to the drain. You might also check the poolside skimmer to ensure there isn't a deflector in the bottom (saucer-shaped item) that can be installed in some pools. In some situations, main drain and skimmer lines are joined together at the bottom of a skimmer, and that deflector allows you to control how much flow (or suction) is applied from the drain and/or skimmer. The other questionable item is that manhole area with the valves. Perhaps that's simply where all your pre-pump valves are located and it's simply a matter of finding the right setting(s)?

Curious - how much water is left in the bottom of the pool that you're trying to remove?

 

[PoolDummiesWV]

 

[PoolDummiesWV]

......manhole valves are definitely not to be open when we are running the pool....they just let all the water escape....they are t'd off the said lines prior to reaching the filter....another thing is we aren't trying to drain much water....just what we got in rain the last week or so...maybe 2 foot at the lowest point. I don't see a deflector i don't think but we are way lower than the skimmers.....all three lines are separate all the way to the pump/filter....also maybe important is that all of our equipment is located in a garage 50 feet below the level of the pool

 

[Texas Splash]

I keep going back to your very first post & comment:

How can the pool not drain but you can shoot water thru the line to the drain pipe site?

Pushing water via a garden hose typically moves easily unless there's a clog. But when that section of line relies on suction from the pump, the smallest gap, crack, or suction leak could interfere with that suction. Does the pump maintain prime (pump basket full of water) when you try to pull water from that main drain?

 

[Texas Splash]

Of course there's also another option .... if the pump for whatever reason is not able to maintain suction and pull that water as low as you need it, then you can always drop a sump pump in there to assist. Close all the valves, turn off the pool pump, and let the sump pump do the final work for you.

I think it also important to note that in your 1st post you mentioned "draining the pool to paint the bottom". Be very careful as there are some areas across the country very saturated with a higher water table. Some pools have been known to "float", or shift because they lost their stabilization from all that water weight. So you might research that as well just to be safe. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to that wonderful pool.

 

[borjis]

And if you do have a high water table, you can remove the main drain cover and there
should be a hydrostatic valve that can be opened to let any ground water in that would
other wise pop the pool out of the ground.

 

[PoolDummiesWV]

We are on top of a mountain and on a huge rock cliff. I hope and i think that we are really way above the water table...how exactly do i find out ?

- - - Updated - - -

there is a large nut at the bottom drain in the housing...is that what your referring to as the hydrostatic valve?