Drain pool water without backwashing

[MarkCobra]

Hi, trying to make things easier for myself for my pool maintenance. I have a hayward slide piston valve with open and closed for backwashing (DE Filter). I used to have a hose bib for draining the pool water but deleted it when I replumbed everything last year. I never really used the bib cause I didn't want to get a hose out to drain water etc. lol. I would just backwash. I also don't like backwashing every time after we get a lot of rain...lol. I'm now thinking of adding a hayward ball valve where the bib use to be so I can then put a 1.5" reducer and pipe into my 1.5" pvc backwash line I have. My question is does this seem like a good idea or should there be a different way I should be thinking about how to achieve this? Pics of old and new plumbing attached. Thanks

Mark

 

[Texas Splash]

My question is does this seem like a good idea or should there be a different way I should be thinking about how to achieve this?

Certainly a method to pump to waste is convenient. You don't have much room there though. Have you considered just replacing that plunger valve with a multiport valve?

 

[PoolStored]

Don't risk your pool equipment. Get a sump pump without a float. Put a length of PVC on it with one of these on the end. Attach a backwash hose and sump pump water out.

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• PoolStored
• Nov 15, 2022

 

[Darin]

I would do something like you are thinking of. There is no reason to buy any more pumps when you have a perfectly good one already plumbed and it would be easy to add to.

 

[PoolStored]

I would do something like you are thinking of. There is no reason to buy any more pumps when you have a perfectly good one already plumbed and it would be easy to add to.

It is TFP's general recommendation not use your pool pump to drain. We have seen many that have walked away from a drain using their pool pump and forgot about the pump and ran the skimmers dry, damaging their pumps. A sump is a good thing to have for many reasons, one of them is the ability to drain the pool during the winter when the pool is winterized.

 

[Darin]

He is not doing a complete drain, he is getting rid of excess precipitation. Besides he can use his main drain and shut off his skimmers if he needs to go lower than the skimmers. Then watch for losing prime.
A complete drain, yes sump pump but i still use my pool pump until prime is gone, then switch to sump. This way is just too easy.

 

[Oly]

Small inexpensive electric submersible pump with a garden hose attached works for me.

 

[MarkCobra]

So I have plenty of sump pumps and the proper 1.5 pvc piping to attach it to my backwash line so that can just throw the pump on the step and drain without draining below skimmer. But I am simply looking for something turn key. I have a backwash pvc line that goes out to the woods I back to and I would simply plumb a line to that existing line which is attached to my fence. This is simply to drain excess water from rainfall.

 

[Darin]

you do have something turnkey. your installed pool pump.

 

[MarkCobra]

you do have something turnkey. your installed pool pump.

yes i know. trying to avoid backwashing to lower water level and then having to add D.E.

 

[Texas Splash]

So if you're not up to the expense of a new MPV, then you'd just have to get a little creative with your plumbing and pad configuration since all you have is that tiny little elbow area between the pump and filter. That is IF you wish to have the valve/spigot mimic a WASTE function. If you don't care about pumping directly to WASTE (before the filter), you could always install a 3-wat, ball, or spigot after the filter just to send water out to the grass. For example, I have no WASTE function, but my cart filter has a tiny garden spigot on it, so I can open that if I just want to let water out.

 

[MarkCobra]

Certainly a method to pump to waste is convenient. You don't have much room there though. Have you considered just replacing that plunger valve with a multiport valve?

I have but I think its the more expensive option.

 

[MarkCobra]

So if you're not up to the expense of a new MPV, then you'd just have to get a little creative with your plumbing and pad configuration since all you have is that tiny little elbow area between the pump and filter. That is IF you wish to have the valve/spigot mimic a WASTE function. If you don't care about pumping directly to WASTE (before the filter), you could always install a 3-wat, ball, or spigot after the filter just to send water out to the grass. For example, I have no WASTE function, but my cart filter has a tiny garden spigot on it, so I can open that if I just want to let water out.

Thats what I use to have but I got rid of it when I replumbed it last year. Question, if I put a T connector where the elbow is could I put a ball valve union on there instead of a spigot and hook up 1.5" pvc to drain excess?

 

[Texas Splash]

Thats what I use to have but I got rid of it when I replumbed it last year.

Oh yeah, the old "T" split to the side. Some people take it straight up. Either way, certainly takes less space that way. I think if you got yourself another union you could do the same thing. Sounds like a good weekend DIY project.

 

[MarkCobra]

Oh yeah, the old "T" split to the side. Some people take it straight up. Either way, certainly takes less space that way. I think if you got yourself another union you could do the same thing. Sounds like a good weekend DIY project.

could I put a 2" ball valve union on the end instead of a spigot and hook up 1.5" pvc to drain excess? I don't like dealing with hoses and the blue backwash lines.

 

[Texas Splash]

could I put a 2" ball valve union on the end instead of a spigot and hook up 1.5" pvc to drain excess?

I don't see why not. Just pull-up an orange HD bucket to sit on and get comfortable in the plumbing section while you sift through their parts. Ha. It would certainly flow out much better than a tiny spigot.

 

[MarkCobra]

I don't see why not. Just pull-up an orange HD bucket to sit on and get comfortable in the plumbing section while you sift through their parts. Ha. It would certainly flow out much better than a tiny spigot.

was thinking something like this on amazon...Hayward QTA1020CSEW 2-Inch White QTA Series True Union PVC Compact Ball Valve with EPDM O-Rings

 

[Darin]

put a "T" out the discharge of your pump, Valve on each side of the "T" The side going to nowhere install your barb for going directly to the ground. About $20 and 20 minutes. Done.

 

[MarkCobra]

Here's what I was thinking. Do I really need a valve on the other side? With the spigot there wasn't. Not sure I have the plumbing room for a valve on the filter side.

 

[Texas Splash]

Should work fine.