Main Drain?

[TLConnolly]

I know this is a dumb question considering we've had our pool for 5 years now. I read people posting about shutting off their main drain or adjusting the flow between the main drains and the skimmer. We have two pipes coming into our pump but we have 1 skimmer and 2 main drains. Here's my questions. (1) When someone says they are turning their main drain off, I assume they mean they are closing the valve? (2) Is it safe to assume that the two main drains probably connect under ground and then feed into the pump through one pipe while the other pipe is connected to the skimmer?

 

[ImpalaSS]

I know this is a dumb question considering we've had our pool for 5 years now. I read people posting about shutting off their main drain or adjusting the flow between the main drains and the skimmer. We have two pipes coming into our pump but we have 1 skimmer and 2 main drains. Here's my questions. (1) When someone says they are turning their main drain off, I assume they mean they are closing the valve? (2) Is it safe to assume that the two main drains probably connect under ground and then feed into the pump through one pipe while the other pipe is connected to the skimmer?

1. Yes.
2. Yes, the are connected.

Most on this site say that you don't really need a main drain. Skimming is more important.

 

[Jimrahbe]

TL,

If your skimmers are working well with the main drain open, then you can just leave it as it is.

But, if you'd like your skimmers to work better, try closing, or almost closing, the valve to your main drain.

Close off your main drain for a month and see what happens. If you don't' like it, just turn it back on.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[TLConnolly]

Jim,
Haven't turned anything off yet but I sent my husband to the bottom of the pool to see if he could feel any suction into the main drains. He didn't feel anything. Is it usually very subtle? I'm just wondering if mine even work.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Split drains are designed as an anti-entrapment feature. With suction split, it's impossible for one drain to create enough suction to be a safety hazard.

Suction will be nearly unnoticeable. You could try food dye or brush some small debris toward the drains to see them work.

 

[Jimrahbe]

TL,

You can't tell by "feel" if a main drain is working or not.

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

If you have any kind of pool cleaner, it will work as a "moving" main drain. Whether suction, pressure, or robotic, they all do the most important part of a main drain, increase mixing in the lower areas of a pool. There has been a movement in the pool industry for the last 10-12 years to get the requirement of installing main drains in residential pools removed. Not likely that will ever happen on commercial pools.