I am doing a replaster and the guy made me sign something saying it was my choice to stick with my current 1 main drain scenario currently in place. Pool is 30 years old. Then a pool maintenance guy who is going to show me the ropes and do the opening of the pool said that it could be dangerous to not have the 2 drains for safety. Apparently when there are two drains and someone is sucked down there, does something release if it senses blockage? With 1 drain I am a afraid we could have a safety issue. Is there anything I can do short of putting in another drain that would make the situation safer? Isn;t there a way to program the pump to sense a blockage like that? Thanks!
1 Drain not 2...What to do to be safe.
- Thread starter mrswhitsie
- Start date
A couple things you can do. For sure get a complient, anti-entrapment safety cover. Two other things you colud also do. You can get a new pump with a vacuum release built in. The other thing you can do is to get a vacuum release add-on that you attach to an exisitng pump. But, it's pricey at $600. It's a really simple device that probably cost all of 50 bucks to manufacture, but ofr some reason they want to gouge the consumer. 
The federal law originally signed 2007 only covered comercial pool and spas. Some states and local authorities have adopted the federal regualtion as well. New pools are built with 2 main drains or 2 side wall suctions with safety covers to be complient. Some jurisdiction require older residential pools to become complient if work is being done that requires inspection. You plaster job probably doesnt require an inspection, but my guess is the contractor is just doing a CYA (not stabilizer!) in case something ever happened so you couldnt come back on him.
My pool only has one side wall suction; I did put a complient drain cover on it but didnt do anything with the pump.
The federal law originally signed 2007 only covered comercial pool and spas. Some states and local authorities have adopted the federal regualtion as well. New pools are built with 2 main drains or 2 side wall suctions with safety covers to be complient. Some jurisdiction require older residential pools to become complient if work is being done that requires inspection. You plaster job probably doesnt require an inspection, but my guess is the contractor is just doing a CYA (not stabilizer!) in case something ever happened so you couldnt come back on him.
My pool only has one side wall suction; I did put a complient drain cover on it but didnt do anything with the pump.
You'll be fine with just the new cover, which in most places they are required to change out when work like this is done.
Possibly so that they can cover the costs of testing, certifications, and something to offset the impending legal battles when someone does something stupid.
So yeah, a plastic cover may be cheap to press out, but a plastic cover which has been tested to adhere to or exceed regulation restrictions and safety requirements to be sold as "an approved device" and can be assumed to be reliable as a life-safety item will cost a little more.
Just sayin'. Doesn't make it anymore palatable.
It's not a cover. Those are around 25 bucks. This is actually a little device that screws into one of the pump drains. It has a gauge and a little diaphram in it that lets the suction go when it senses a vacuum obstruction. I really would be upset if a plastic drain cover was 600 bucks!!
Yeah... I probably shoulda said "plastic part", huh? Way better than the 19 Million dollar toilet that NASA bought...
http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/the ... y_nasa.php
http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/the ... y_nasa.php
thanks everyone. We went with the drain cover for now. when it comes time to put in a new pump, we'll get a pump with the features talked about here.