How Do I Drain This Pool?

[Nick79]

I've found a bunch of videos/tutorials on how to drain a pool. It seems that they all involve hooking up a hose to a waste line specifically plumbed into the system for the purpose of draining the pool. I do seem to have a waste line in my system to hook a hose up to. My in-ground pool is nearly to the top and I can't figure out how to drain it.

I've attached(hopefully correctly) a picture of the barely labeled pump/pipe farm. The pump on the left of the photo is a 2 HP that I think is for the spa drain and skimmers. The pump on the right is a 1.5 HP that I think is for the main drain and also runs the waterfall.

So the question is, can anyone figure out how one might drain the pool based on this picture?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

The best way to drain a pool is with a sump pump that you can buy at Home Depot or rent one from them which is much larger.

I do not see a hose bib in your picture to be able to use the pool pump.

Why do you want to drain your pool? I believe the Woodlands is pretty wet, right? You must be VERY careful not to float your pool by removing the water from it completely. Shallow water tables (nearby streams, ponds, etc) are a concern.

Take care.

Sorry - just saw you need to drain a small amount. You should be able to use your multi valve to pump to waste.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Nick,

Welcome to TFP... a great place to find the answers to all your pool draining questions...

Your pool builder did you no favors when he did not install a hose bib so that you could drain your pool, when needed.

A sump pump, as Mary (or Marty, he keeps changing so I never know.. ) suggested, is the quickest method, but if you want, you can just use a piece of garden hose and siphon the pool just like you did with your neighbor's gas tank back in High School...

Put the hose in the pool and run the end of the hose down hill a little... Suck water from the pool and it will just keep flowing... And pool water tastes much better than gas..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

A sump pump, as Mary suggested, is the quickest method, but if you want, you can just use a piece of garden hose and siphon the pool just like you did with your neighbor's gas tank back in High School...

Put the hose in the pool and run the end of the hose down hill a little... Suck water from the pool and it will just keep flowing... And pool water tastes much better than gas..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

You know they make a hand pump you can use to get the flow started so you don’t have to put your mouth on a piece of nasty garden hose, right??

And when did Mar(T)y have his gender reassignment surgery ?? I would have sent a card and some flowers....

 

[Jimrahbe]

You know they make a hand pump you can use to get the flow started so you don’t have to put your mouth on a piece of nasty garden hose, right??

And when did Mar(T)y have his gender reassignment surgery ?? I would have sent a card and some flowers....

Matt,

The taste of the hose was never the problem, it was the first swig of gas that always did me in...

Sorry Marty... I know it was supposed to be a secret, but it just slipped out...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mknauss]

:gone:

 

[Nick79]

Thanks for the replies. My luck held last night and the rain stopped with about 1/2" to spare before the pool spilled over. There is a passive overflow drain, but it's most likely a bit clogged. That's another project for the list. It was definitely overwhelmed by yesterday's rain. I woke up this morning and the pool level had gone down about 1-1.5 inches. This morning, for $7 at the pool store and $3 at the hardware store, I've converted my pressure side pool cleaner port into a waste drain. (picture attached) I've got a garden hose in the sewer clean-out pumping about 3.5 GPM out of the pool. The clean-out is nearly level with the pool deck, so I wasn't optimistic that I could easily get a siphon going.

I've left the narrow nozzle at the end uncovered as I was concerned about putting too much back pressure on the system. What are your thoughts about this setup?

 

[mknauss]

Should work fine for what you need to do.

Take care.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Nick,

I don't have a pressure side cleaner, but I assume the PVC piece on the left is the connector from your cleaner and that you added the adapter for the hose...

That is a great idea.. and with no taste of gas...

What normally goes in the hole where the adapter is now??

Thanks,

Jim R.