Using the sump system - questions

[F500]

We had over 7 inches of rain in one hour the other day and I noticed that there is some water beneath the liner of my pool. I opened the valve for the sump and managed to get some water out before I noticed the dirt from the water being recirculated into the pool.

Is this normal? Am I supposed to close other valves first?

 

[JasonLion]

If you are pumping from the sump you should put your main valve on waste first. If your valve doesn't have a waste position then you don't have much choice, it will go into the pool one way or another.

 

[F500]

Thanks Jason. No waste valve. Does this mean it is plumbed wrong?

 

[JasonLion]

Well, I might call it "less than ideal". Using the pool pump as a sump pump isn't such a great idea in the first place, but it does save quite a bit of money (otherwise you would need a second pump). Likewise, rotary valves with a waste position sometimes cost more then the alternatives, and a cartridge filter has no need of them at all, so sometimes they are skipped as well. You are still better of then if you didn't have any way to pump out the sump, but it could have been done in a better way.