Draining water

[Newdude]

Ok. GREAT. Pics SO say 1000 words.

I *assumed* you had a 3 way diverter but with individual valves the problem is no longer a problem. One blue circle valve goes to the main drain and the other to the skimmer(s)



The skimmer valve isn't closing fully, like a typical ball valve failure, and once the water was below the skimmer, the pump was sucking air through the skimmer leg, causing it to lose prime. Had the pipe and/or the skimmer been the issue (air leak), closing the skimmer valve would have stopped the leak. But it didn't help so that proves the leak to the valve itself. You worked around that by plugging the skimmer and the pump was able to continue draining.

Long story short, the main drain valve hopefully works fine and will airlock the drain leg of the plumbing. The disclaimer being that they are of the same age, and you're likely lucky to have gotten this far with ball valves. Put replacing them with a 3 way diverter, or individual diverters on your project list because the main drain valve is on borrowed time.

 

[PammyB]

Ok. GREAT. Pics SO say 1000 words.

I *assumed* you had a 3 way diverter but with individual valves the problem is no longer a problem. One blue circle valve goes to the main drain and the other to the skimmer(s)

View attachment 538526

The skimmer valve isn't closing fully, like a typical ball valve failure, and once the water was below the skimmer, the pump was sucking air through the skimmer leg, causing it to lose prime. Had the pipe and/or the skimmer been the issue (air leak), closing the skimmer valve would have stopped the leak. But it didn't help so that proves the leak to the valve itself. You worked around that by plugging the skimmer and the pump was able to continue draining.

Long story short, the main drain valve hopefully works fine and will airlock the drain leg of the plumbing. The disclaimer being that they are of the same age, and you're likely lucky to have gotten this far with ball valves. Put replacing them with a 3 way diverter, or individual diverters on your project list because the main drain valve is on borrowed time.

Ok - so what do I have to do to winterize main drain pipe? And sand filter?

 

[Newdude]

so what do I have to do to winterize main drain pipe?

Put the MPV in recirculate.

Blow the lines making sure to close the drain valve under pressure.

Add antifreeze to the skimmer pipe and use a bendy funnel or short piece of hose taped to a funnel to get it down the returns.

Put a gizzmo in the skimmer and plug the returns.

Drain the filter and put the MPV to winter, or leave it halfway between 2 settings if it doesn't have a winter setting.

Pull the drain plugs from the pump.

Cover the pool.

 

[PammyB]

Put the MPV in recirculate.

Blow the lines making sure to close the drain valve under pressure.

Add antifreeze to the skimmer pipe and use a bendy funnel or short piece of hose taped to a funnel to get it down the returns.

Put a gizzmo in the skimmer and plug the returns.

Drain the filter and put the MPV to winter, or leave it halfway between 2 settings if it doesn't have a winter setting.

Pull the drain plugs from the pump.

Cover the pool.

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Midwestdude]

Ok - that makes sense - well water is below returns anyhow - blown out and plugged - skimmer pipe has antifreeze in it …
Heater is drained and off
Now I’m just confused about main drain pipe and sand filter - is it possible main drain pipe is deep enough it doesn’t freeze ? I don’t think we’ve done anything to it in past year . Sand filter also not sure what to do besides turn valve to winterize ? How do you drain it?

There should be a drain plug at the bottom of your filter.

What is your process for blowing out your lines?

For our pool our return jets are pretty low near the floor. We installed a jandy valve that allows us to airlock the returns. My process is set the multi-port to circulate, drain the pump, and then put one plug back in and thread an air valve in the other and hook up to the compressor. First is the skimmer, isolating it by closing the main drain and return line and blow it out, shut the valve, then turn off the compressor. Next is the return lines by keeping the main drain and skimmer lines closed and opening the return line to blow them out. Third I do the main drain by opening that line to blow it out.

The issue you had with lowering the water sounds to me like your pumping to waste with both the skimmer line and main drain line open. That to me would explain why it worked initially but then stopped. With both lines open once the water drains low enough the skimmer starts sucking air into the system, causing the pump to work harder to drain. Plugging the hole with a ball tells me that line was open because there’s suction. Looking at your setup you have separate valves for the drain and skimmer. When draining water you want your main drain line open and the skimmer line shut with the multi-port set to waste.