ok, off to soak in acid and water again. I'm tempted to put in salt as i need to brush the pool but it's actually only 2 inches from the bottom of the tile so maybe i should just wait and try to figure out how much capacity is in the pool.
thinking of emptying pool
- Thread starter outdoorsgal
- Start date
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,850
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
there's a stone and a leaf or one deposit of CH i can't get out of salt cell so i'll see how it goes. I'll remeasure tap water and get ready to start adding chemicals. Maybe there's' more water pressure but pool's up past tiles. i'll do some reading but pour salt on ground and start sweeping? CYA in a stocking in the skimmer? I might start with just a tad for now until i get the measurements of my water capacity in pool.
- - - Updated - - -
- - - Updated - - -
tile work done yesterday after noon. It's been more than 24 hrs so good to go to fill pool! I never got to check his work well with the running around and last minute business but i'll worry about that later. he changed out about 6 cracked tiles and there was a lot of gaps from air bubble pockets or something from when the pool was originally put in. that's the last thing i needed to take care of on warranty list I think.
Phillbo
0
Don't poke the plates and don't over soak them..... When I had a cell that required the acid soak I never left it in the solution more than 10 minutes.
thx. so, what did u do if there was still calcium build-up? rinse and then re-soak?
- - - Updated - - -
I forget, does the water stop pretty much right at, under, or right above the grout line? I'll want to shut off the water and listen to see if the auto-fill is running in order to tell when it should be stopped I guess? That will take longer but if I'm trying to figure out capacity it seems like the best way? Or am I able to tell if the auto fill is running by looking inside it verses trying to listen for it? It's going up the bottom tile now!
problem with water blowing out from pump everywhere and blew into the panel. hope we didn't ruin the whole panel. i'll post in a minute
so, finally got hubbie to put in the salt cell. he turned on the filter and i heard water spraying-gushing-lots of water spraying everywhere near the pump. we ran over and it looked like it was blowing out of the panel but what it looks like we did was after backwashing and tearing down the DE filter we did not put the handle in the position so that the water would go back into the pool because we weren't going to finish the process of adding DE and all of that as we were going to empty the pool. My husand said he saw water squirting out of the top of the DE filter where u r supposed to release pressure and the whole top part of the DE cover spun at least 90 degrees. water was spraying everywhere, into the panel it looks like. I imagine the panel is on GFI but it all happened so fast and all I was thinking was how water and electric don't mix but we had to shut that panel off. We did shut it off and it was still running for a while but i guess that's cuz there was water still coming out of the blue hose that was folded away and now blowing out from everywhere it could. husband does not like DIY for things like this and this will only confirm for him how DIY isn't a good idea. 
Now I don't think it's safe to turn on the filter or it could've shorted out. How much voltage is in these panels to know how much we should worry about trying to turn it back on?
Now I don't think it's safe to turn on the filter or it could've shorted out. How much voltage is in these panels to know how much we should worry about trying to turn it back on?I hope I won't get in trouble for posting in two places but since it's dealing with electric, I am posting regarding the electric part in another post hoping someone will be up and interested enough to look at the other post that screams help not expecting anyone to be up looking at this one right now:
here's what I think now that I look at it more closely-there is the potential that a bit of water got inside the panel but wouldn't/shouldn't everything be pretty well sealed inside the panel, too so that no water should be contacting water and wouldn't the whole panel need to be GFI? I want to turn it on and see what happens but hubbie will have no part of this so if I get electrocuted don't I need someone to throw a brick at me and not stand in the water on the ground or something? I could ask my 13 yo to stand there with a brick. I doubt anything would happen and it's not like we can wait and never turn on the panel. Any thoughts? I was also thinking of taking the cover of the panel off to check. I'm thinking I might wait until morning. Lots of fun over here! thx
here's what I think now that I look at it more closely-there is the potential that a bit of water got inside the panel but wouldn't/shouldn't everything be pretty well sealed inside the panel, too so that no water should be contacting water and wouldn't the whole panel need to be GFI? I want to turn it on and see what happens but hubbie will have no part of this so if I get electrocuted don't I need someone to throw a brick at me and not stand in the water on the ground or something? I could ask my 13 yo to stand there with a brick. I doubt anything would happen and it's not like we can wait and never turn on the panel. Any thoughts? I was also thinking of taking the cover of the panel off to check. I'm thinking I might wait until morning. Lots of fun over here! thx
Well, this is the most exciting pool drain isn't it?! Now to look behind door #3. How much volume is in this pool?
pre-fill #=1658.71 cubic ft.
end #= 1678.31. other number on the water meter: I don't know if these numers are necessary: 1008, 64504-008, then prob the size of pipes: 5/8", 3/4" model 25 Absolute Digital Ecoder. Badger Meter.
That doesn't sound like an accurate meter! Thx for offering to do the math, Dirk. I wouldn't know where to start on this.
As far as how many toilet flushes and stuff, I'd guess 15, one load of dishes, slow drip watered about 70-100 sq ft garden in backyard 10 min, maybe 6-8 inches of water left in the bowl at the bottom of my pool.
Thx. 10 steps forward, a couples steps back. I can't wait to get the filter running tomorrow!
pre-fill #=1658.71 cubic ft.
end #= 1678.31. other number on the water meter: I don't know if these numers are necessary: 1008, 64504-008, then prob the size of pipes: 5/8", 3/4" model 25 Absolute Digital Ecoder. Badger Meter.
That doesn't sound like an accurate meter! Thx for offering to do the math, Dirk. I wouldn't know where to start on this.
As far as how many toilet flushes and stuff, I'd guess 15, one load of dishes, slow drip watered about 70-100 sq ft garden in backyard 10 min, maybe 6-8 inches of water left in the bowl at the bottom of my pool.
Thx. 10 steps forward, a couples steps back. I can't wait to get the filter running tomorrow!
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,850
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I hope you were kidding about messing with that electrical. Items in and around the panel and pad may or may not be GFI protected. The whole panel wouldn't be. There is very likely 240V in the panel, but even 120V while standing around in water could kill you. Don't mess with it at all tonight. If you're lucky, and it's warm tomorrow, it'll all dry out and you'll be back in business.
If it is a sub panel, and there is a main breaker for that sub panel over in your house's breaker panel, tomorrow you can turn that off while the sub dries out.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AROUND EITHER PANEL, DO NOT MESS WITH THEM.
Take pictures of both your panels and post them. I'm not a qualified electrician. If it were my house I'd know exactly what to do, but I'm not super comfortable advising another, in a forum, about how to handle high-voltage circuits, sight unseen. It's just not safe.
Did you take pictures of your meter reads? Can you post those?
Was there water in the bottom of the pool when you started the fill? Can you estimate how big around and how deep the puddle was?
If there was a puddle, it likely will offset the house usage, close enough...
If it is a sub panel, and there is a main breaker for that sub panel over in your house's breaker panel, tomorrow you can turn that off while the sub dries out.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AROUND EITHER PANEL, DO NOT MESS WITH THEM.
Take pictures of both your panels and post them. I'm not a qualified electrician. If it were my house I'd know exactly what to do, but I'm not super comfortable advising another, in a forum, about how to handle high-voltage circuits, sight unseen. It's just not safe.
Did you take pictures of your meter reads? Can you post those?
Was there water in the bottom of the pool when you started the fill? Can you estimate how big around and how deep the puddle was?
If there was a puddle, it likely will offset the house usage, close enough...
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,850
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
One more answer... Breaker panels shed water, but they are not water tight. If you shoot water at them from the right angle, water could get into them.
Dirk, nope, wasn't kidding. I was going to open the lid for the panel while standing on the wet ground. I called a friend of mine who said he'd walk me through it and I thought I'd pass for now. He also said if there is water in the panel it could arc (sp?) (catch fire) but then I could shut off the power and the fire would go out. Or we could have a fire hydrant there. Water could've gotten in, yes, especially from the small hole or 2 on the bottom where wires are coming out. My friend also said if we have rubber shoes and don't touch anything metal we'll be ok even if there's water in the panel but he has't always given advice that has turned out so I'm here double/triple checking. I'll try to post a pic or 2.
As for the water table-it may have been 10 feet? Sounds fair to say it may have made up for the water usage in the home. Sounds good. I'll try to post a pic but that's almost more frustrating than working on the pool historically. thx!
- - - Updated - - -
- - - Updated - - -
Sorry pics so bad and I dried off the outside and then left the panel door open. No signs of rain. There were some drops, not dripping. Almost looks worse in the pic than it did in real life. I didn't snap a great shot of the holes on the bottom where the wires come out. It's a guess if water got in. Panel door was shut thankfully.
As for the water table-it may have been 10 feet? Sounds fair to say it may have made up for the water usage in the home. Sounds good. I'll try to post a pic but that's almost more frustrating than working on the pool historically. thx!
- - - Updated - - -
- - - Updated - - -
Sorry pics so bad and I dried off the outside and then left the panel door open. No signs of rain. There were some drops, not dripping. Almost looks worse in the pic than it did in real life. I didn't snap a great shot of the holes on the bottom where the wires come out. It's a guess if water got in. Panel door was shut thankfully.
sorry for pic messes. I'm falling asleep and have to get up early. the next reading is 1678.31 (31 is in black). thank you!
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,850
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Well, after all that! Will this make you feel better or worse?
14,662 gallons!
If you want to try and figure out how much was in the pool when you started the fill, and how much water you used in the house, then we can work on that. Since one is added and the other is subtracted, it's probably a wash.
14,662 gallons!
If you want to try and figure out how much was in the pool when you started the fill, and how much water you used in the house, then we can work on that. Since one is added and the other is subtracted, it's probably a wash.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
I'd plug in 15000 into pool math, test 30 mins after you do chem additions and slowly work your way to 14,500.
sounds like the pool company was maybe right? Like Gene said, I've been using 14,400 all this time. Makes me feel better that we did it but worse regarding my measuring skills or something. It'll be great to have a mostly fresh start (I wish I would've been able to get more out of the bottom but it's ok) and it should be easier when I'm getting #s. I would historically add what pool math told me to and still pH wouldn't be down as much as it should've. I'll be curious with lower CH how much easier it'll be.
- - - Updated - - -
thx. I'll have to look at where my numbers have been historically or what happens when i start with fresh water now. If I used to add as much acid as pool math said but my pH was still higher than I'd think I'd have more volume than 14400. However, I don't think I'm the greatest with the pH test so I'll have to consider an easier test like FC which still seemed tricky at times when SLAMing. with such a high CH maybe pH was going to be hard to get in check anyway or maybe since I didnt' get my TA down to 60 yet it was still rising too high. Then, with pH there's the offgassing I've heard one of the Rob's talk about here.
- - - Updated - - -
AZ sun is starting to beat down on my panel. I might shut off the breaker at the main panel and then open the panel to check. I'm eager to get this pool up and going.
Wow, who would’ve thunk a simple pool drain would have turned into all this?? You’re handling it a lot better then I would have, you would have seen a mushroom cloud go off over the east valley! 
We got it running and will tell u about that in a bit. Adding 4.8 lbs DE now and will get together some other number and measure tap water and post
Wow, who would’ve thunk a simple pool drain would have turned into all this?? You’re handling it a lot better then I would have, you would have seen a mushroom cloud go off over the east valley!
Rob, thank you. My husband takes care of the mushroom cloud. It hasn't been the most fun experience but what can I do? Learn from it all, I hope! Then he tried to help with the DE and now the pool is all cloudy. I told him to go to work and I'd take care of it, turned off the quick skim and opened the skimmer and added the other couple pounds of DE. We put about 4 lbs 4 oz. Now with the DE in the pool will that skew my #s?
As far as the pump I called my dad in MA and his logic made sense with saying if it didn't trip it was probably fine and we followed his directions of shutting off the sub panel breaker at the main valve (sub panel was already off since last night). Then we turned on the sub panel then the main panel and if it would've tripped we'd know we had a problem but he thought we didn't need to take off the panel since it never tripped and the amount of water inside was drips, not dripping.
That out of the way, the DE filter is dripping a bit from the top. We let out the air pressure. I'm thinking since it's still under warranty for 2 mths more we should call the PB. Anything else we should be considering regarding dripping coming from the top of the DE where the valve is? The dripping seems to be coming from under where the air release valve comes up from. It's a such a small drip I wouldn't worry about it at all if it weren't for the warranty coming to end. Maybe I can see how things settle, too. Is it common to leak for a while after getting it back and running? Is priming something I need to consider or do anything else other than letting the air out? thx! The worst parts r over.