Maybe the simplest question ever...

[Cowbell]

I am a pool newbie - we have a 18K gallon pool with one skimmer and a drain in the deep end.

I've been struggling with the 6 year old SWG, but that's another post. I have two pipes coming out of the ground, combining into one and then into the pump. One of these pumps has a valve on it. Can someone tell me if my assumptions are correct:

The pipe on the left is the skimmer. The right is the drain in the deep end. In this configuration, both should be open, and this is how the valve should be, almost always:

http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w368/MoreCowbell77/open.jpg

In this configuration, skimmer is open and main drain is off. This is only ever used when vacuuming the pool:

http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w368/MoreCowbell77/close.jpg

I ask because I'm not seeing any dirt get sucked into the main drain in either configuration - but it may just be my imagination. Is there any way to definitively know whether my main drain is working or clogged? It's obvious the skimmer is working as I can see water getting sucked down the skimmer hole readily.

Thanks for any help!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!

Likely you assumptions are all correct.Floor drains are designed to not really show strong suction and without the ability to close off the skimmer pipe and force suction to the floor, hard to say if you are getting much flow from the floor.

 

[Cowbell]

Thanks for the quick reply. Looking at the skimmer hole, after removing the skimmer basket, there seems to be a small swivel type cap - can I slide that over the skimmer while the valve is in the 'open' position (btw, I do have the open/close correct, right?) and then the floor drain should have 100% of the suction going through it? Would this be dangerous in any way to the equipment? I would obviously not let anyone in the pool during this type of test.

 

[jblizzle]

You are correct with the valve. You are also right that the flap should close the skimmer and force suction from the other pipe. Try it for a minute and if you still have flow returning to the pool, then the drain must be working.