Main Drains Don't Seem to do Anything

[ArtP]

So my remodel was completed 3 weeks ago, and we've been enjoying our newly finished pool. However, I noticed almost right away that there was no noticeable suction at the main drains. I thought, well, maybe I just can't feel anything with the new anti-entrapment covers on them. I tried putting small light objects near the drains with the pump running as well, and they didn't get sucked in. So I was pretty sure they weren't doing anything.

During the remodel, I had an old "booster" pump for my side suction cleaner pulled out, since as far as I knew, it didn't work. I never noticed any suction at the side port for it. The pool builder told the plumber to just plumb that pipe into the main filter pump's plumbing. Now, with the filter pump running, there's an enormous amount of suction at that side port. It seemed unsafe to me, so I bought a cover for it with a lid I can open when I put the suction cleaner in. However, after putting that in, my skimmer seems to be pulling harder. Today I decided to test it out, and fully turned the intake valve on the filter pump, closing off the skimmer and pulling only from the main drains. I get absolutely no suction that way, and there's no water coming from the returns. If I open the skimmer intake valve even a bit, I get plenty of suction. So, my main drains are doing nothing. Could they be clogged? Could the plumber have messed up something so they're not even plumbed in anymore? How do I test this, or should I just call the pool builder and ask them to figure it out?

On the same subject, I have two drain-looking things (that were there before and also had the covers replaced) located in the wall about a foot beneath my skimmer. One of the guys from the pool company told me they were probably returns, but with the pump running, I've never been able to feel any water going in or coming out of them. Any ideas what those could be for?

I have read that pools can operate just fine without main drains, but after paying so much money for this remodel I would really like to have things functioning as intended.

 

[ajw22]

Could they be clogged? Could the plumber have messed up something so they're not even plumbed in anymore? How do I test this, or should I just call the pool builder and ask them to figure it out?

Call the builder and let him figure it out.

We can all guess with you. But giving you a list of 20 possibilities is not helpful.

On the same subject, I have two drain-looking things (that were there before and also had the covers replaced) located in the wall about a foot beneath my skimmer. One of the guys from the pool company told me they were probably returns, but with the pump running, I've never been able to feel any water going in or coming out of them. Any ideas what those could be for?

Do you have any water features?

Drains on a sidewall are usually a suction intake for a water feature pump.

Now, with the filter pump running, there's an enormous amount of suction at that side port. It seemed unsafe to me, so I bought a cover for it with a lid I can open when I put the suction cleaner in. However, after putting that in, my skimmer seems to be pulling harder.

The cleaner side suction port must have a cover on it to prevent an entrapment hazard. It should never be open when a hose is not plugged into it.

 

[ArtP]

Call the builder and let him figure it out.

I'll give him a call tomorrow and see what he thinks. They'll be out soon to install my SWG within the next week or two anyway.

Do you have any water features?

Drains on a sidewall are usually a suction intake for a water feature pump.

That's probably what it is - I do have a waterfall. I haven't checked that area for suction while that pump is running. On a related note, the waterfall pump also has two return pipes with a valve, and I have no idea where one of them goes. The other one adjusts the amount coming out of the waterfall, but I only have the one water feature.

The cleaner side suction port must have a cover on it to prevent an entrapment hazard. It should never be open when a hose is not plugged into it.

Yeah, the amount of suction really surprised me when I stuck my fingers in there while it was open - I went out and got a cover for it right away and don't intend to take it back out or have it open, except when my suction cleaner is attached.

Thanks for your input on this!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Art,

It is almost impossible to tell if a main drain is working by 'looking' for visual evidence of suction.

The way to tell if the main drain is working is to simply fully open the main drain valve, and then fully close the skimmer valve. If the pump does not quickly run out of water, then the main drain is connected and working just fine. This of course assumes that your main drain is plumbed back to your equipment pad.

Show us a few pics of your equipment pad.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ArtP]

Jim, yesterday I did fully close the skimmer valve, so it should have been pulling from the main drain only. I stuck my hand in front of the closest return and there was no water whatsoever coming out. If I turned up the RPMs, the pump started running out of water pretty quickly. I guess my concern is partly that something wasn't plumbed correctly when they changed the plumbing, but that's impossible to tell without digging up their work.