New member here-got a question. I just replaced my Cornelius 18x44 pool with an Intex Ultra Frame 16x32. I'm planning on using my existing equipment instead of what Intex supplied. I also have a main drain in the bottom and an existing thru the wall skimmer. My pump/filter is a Pentair Whisper flow with a 36sf DE filter. I've seen where the thru the wall skimmer is cut in, so I really have no problem with that. But I haven't seen where anyone have installed a main bottom drain/suction on their Intex pool. I don't really see a problem, except for the fact that I'm cutting a hole in the bottom of my pool. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Main drain and Through Wall Skimmer for Intex Ultra Frame
- Thread starter james2tg
- Start date
Main drains aren’t really necessary and cutting a hole in the bottom of an Intex liner is just another point of potential failure / leak. Most Intex owners use these as seasonal pools as well.
I did a lot of reading on main drains when I set up my Intex. Most people aren't doing main drains anymore mainly because of expensive repairs later on down the road. I can siphon most of the water out of my pool if need be, but only drain it down 1 foot for winter.
Thanks for the reply's. I already have a main drain in the ground from where my other pool was. I had a huge deck surrounding the whole thing. I'm planning on modifying my deck to accommodate this pool, and use my existing pump/filter/skimmer. Probably sell my Intex pump/filter that came with it. I never had an issue with it before, and I kinda want to reuse it in this pool. It's great for fast draining and vacuuming, and for getting small stuff off the bottom. But, if it's a bad idea, I can go another route. I've seen quite a few videos on thru the wall skimmers, but not main drains. Well, there was one, but it was on an easy set, not a PVC Vinyl pool.
Unless you have a VGB compliant drain its not a good idea from a safety standpoint. You would need to ensure that no one is ever in the pool with the pump running if you do not have a VGB compliant main drain. I looked at the video for the easy set pool main drain that guy set up. It is very dangerous and could easily entrap an adult or child.
Another reason it is a bad idea is that easy set and soft sided pools like the Intex are designed to move and flex. Eventually the natural movement and the effect of people walking on the pool floor will stretch the liner and cause it to leak at the main drain.
Another reason it is a bad idea is that easy set and soft sided pools like the Intex are designed to move and flex. Eventually the natural movement and the effect of people walking on the pool floor will stretch the liner and cause it to leak at the main drain.
Wow! I had to look that one up(VGB compliant). But yeah, mine is. Hmmm, I never thought about the bottom flexing. Now, I know the sides do. Which is why my skimmer will not be hard piped. It will to an extent, but I'll have flexible PVC tubing hooked up to my original connection point(comes out of the ground). I'll haveta give this some more thought. you would think that with almost 15,000 gallons of water in it that the bottom would not flex at all. Thanks.