Plumbing hookups…..

[OasisInVegas]

Ok while dealing with the draining & refilling I’m taking a look at everything else.

As I mentioned before, we bought the house in foreclosure with a swampy pool and all equipment stolen so not knowing pools at all, we got the Pentair VS pump & C&C 420 & installed it and then filled & enjoyed it for 12 years.

mostly good experience with a few hiccups over the years. So while I’ve been goin over washing/stain removal/cleaning issues, plus finding this forum has me questioning plumbing.

There were two lines coming out of the ground together and one line farther away. The farther one away was the return line, one was suction from skimmer. The other we didn’t know what it was. We asked around and were told we could just cap it off and not use it.

So as I look at it today with a drain king in hand, I verified main drain line to rear skimmer is unobstructed, but I’ve never seen it actually do anything…. I’ve swam to the bottom with skimmer running before but felt no suction at all but idk if that’s how it normally is? So someone doesn’t get ‘sucked” into the line somehow? But

There is one open threaded hole in the side, so I’m guessing that’s the other end of what we capped off & haven’t ever used. Is that for like a vacuum attachment pool cleaner? But I have no clue how that would be connected to the plumbing we have?

I’m seeing if that’s likely correct and if it wouldn’t be too hard to hook it up now that I know more about pools at this point.

Also what’s the purpose of the main, if it doesn’t seem to create water movement?

Enclosed pic shows the capped line and the other is going to the Pentair VS pump. There are no valves on this setup.

Thanks for all the help and knowledge you’ve all shared already.

 

[HermanTX]

So as I look at it today with a drain king in hand, I verified main drain line to rear skimmer is unobstructed, but I’ve never seen it actually do anything…. I’ve swam to the bottom with skimmer running before but felt no suction at all but idk if that’s how it normally is? So someone doesn’t get ‘sucked” into the line somehow? But

You should not feel the main drain sucking. Also do you have 2 main drain covers? That is current code to prevent entrapment.
The main drain is used for circulation of the bottom to the filter.

There is one open threaded hole in the side, so I’m guessing that’s the other end of what we capped off & haven’t ever used. Is that for like a vacuum attachment pool cleaner? But I have no clue how that would be connected to the plumbing we have?

It was most likely a vacuum line. It could be either for a suction side vacuum (it would connect to the suction side of the pump) or it could be for a pressure side cleaner (it would be connected to a booster pump (for some cleaners) and/or on the return side of the plumbing)

Post picture of the complete equipment pad, pump, suction pipes, return pipes, etc if you have additional questions

 

[OasisInVegas]

You should not feel the main drain sucking. Also do you have 2 main drain covers? That is current code to prevent entrapment.
The main drain is used for circulation of the bottom to the filter.


It was most likely a vacuum line. It could be either for a suction side vacuum (it would connect to the suction side of the pump) or it could be for a pressure side cleaner (it would be connected to a booster pump (for some cleaners) and/or on the return side of the plumbing)

Post picture of the complete equipment pad, pump, suction pipes, return pipes, etc if you have additional questions

No there’s just one main drain in the pool with one centrally located cover. The home was built on the late 70s but I have no idea when the pool was installed.

So the main drain is plumbed into the filter somehow? But it also connects to the backside of the skimmer too? What purpose does that serve?

So the pic attached shows the capped line next to the intake of the pump. Would I have to do a lot of plumbing to make use of that line? Loops valves etc etc? Or would it just be two lines coming up into a valve then split the suction to both or just turn skimmer off while running vacuum @ 100% then turn skimmer back to 100%?

 

[HermanTX]

So the main drain is plumbed into the filter somehow? But it also connects to the backside of the skimmer too? What purpose does that serve?

Depending on which skimmer you have, there is a plate at the bottom which allows adjusting suction from both skimmer and drain or just the skimmer. It also is a safety feature if your pool level would drop below the skimmer then all suction will come from main drain and save the pump. See link

Skimmers - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Jimrahbe]

O,

In the old days, most main drains were plumbed into the bottom of the skimmer...

Before we can help, we need to see what your skimmer looks like with the basket removed.. Show us a couple of pics.

When you say "I verified main drain line to rear skimmer is unobstructed".. what does that mean?? Did you put the drain king into the skimmer and see water coming out of the main drain?
I 'assume' you only have one skimmer, so I have no clue what "Rear skimmer" means.

When you look down into the skimmer, if you see two holes side by side, then the hole that is closest to the water is normally plumbed into the main drain. The hole away from the water is plumbed back to the suction input to the pump..

You may just be peeing into the wind here, as main drains are just not needed in most cases..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[OasisInVegas]

O,

In the old days, most main drains were plumbed into the bottom of the skimmer...

Before we can help, we need to see what your skimmer looks like with the basket removed.. Show us a couple of pics.

When you say "I verified main drain line to rear skimmer is unobstructed".. what does that mean?? Did you put the drain king into the skimmer and see water coming out of the main drain?
I 'assume' you only have one skimmer, so I have no clue what "Rear skimmer" means.

When you look down into the skimmer, if you see two holes side by side, then the hole that is closest to the water is normally plumbed into the main drain. The hole away from the water is plumbed back to the suction input to the pump..

You may just be peeing into the wind here, as main drains are just not needed in most cases..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Sorry, When I say rear skimmer I meant rear skimmer drain (the hole closest to the pool in the skimmer) front hole goes to suction side of pump
Yes I did the drain king in that hole and water came out of floor main drain

 

[Jimrahbe]

O,

Since your main drain is plumbed into the bottom of the skimmer, it will never work without a Floating Diverter valve..

That said, I have never had any luck getting one to work on two rent house pools that I used to have..

Those two pools ran for well over 12 years without an operating main drain...

Add a diverter if you want, but it really won't make any difference in how well your pool works or looks..



The above pic is just to show you want the floating diverter looks like.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[OasisInVegas]

O,

Since your main drain is plumbed into the bottom of the skimmer, it will never work without a Floating Diverter valve..

That said, I have never had any luck getting one to work on two rent house pools that I used to have..

Those two pools ran for well over 12 years without an operating main drain...

Add a diverter if you want, but it really won't make any difference in how well your pool works or looks..

View attachment 636955

The above pic is just to show you want the floating diverter looks like.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Yes I remember seeing that piece when we first got it. I didn’t know what it was for or where it went. Idk where it is now lol

Pool has run fine for past 13 years without it. So

How about the other line that we capped off that I assume a suction side vacuum line. I posted a pic. It would be nice to not have to take out the skimmer basket to run the vacuum.

Would it be much to hook that up easily?

 

[Jimrahbe]

O,

If the other line was for a vacuum, there would be an opening in the pool with a little spring-loaded cap on it.. Do you see that?? If not, it could have been plastered over..

If so, too late now..

Depending on where your equipment pad is from the pool, you could just make a vac line.. See the pic below..



Years ago, before I figured out that a robot worked better for me, I added the above valve line.. You just plug the vac hose into the black rubber fitting and then turn the Jandy valve to adjust the amount of vacuum you want..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[OasisInVegas]

O,

If the other line was for a vacuum, there would be an opening in the pool with a little spring-loaded cap on it.. Do you see that?? If not, it could have been plastered over..

If so, too late now..

Depending on where your equipment pad is from the pool, you could just make a vac line.. See the pic below..

View attachment 637017

Years ago, before I figured out that a robot worked better for me, I added the above valve line.. You just plug the vac hose into the black rubber fitting and then turn the Jandy valve to adjust the amount of vacuum you want..

Thanks,

Jim R.

The capped pipe connects, I believe ( I didn’t cut the cap off, but when I used the drain king, you could feel the line fill with water and then the water pressure had it shooting the drain king back out of the hole, and then water came rushing back out, to this threaded opening on the pool wall.

I assume the spring loaded cap attaches to that?

With that vac line being so close to the pump suction pipe, I’m guessing I’d need to put some kind of loop or something to get a valve on it. Or dig it out & extend/shorten the pipe in order to give it space somehow…..

 

[Jimrahbe]

O,

To be clear...

The little spring-loaded cap is really more of a spring-loaded door that is installed in the side wall of pool. To use a suction side cleaner, you open the little door and insert the vacuum hose.

The pipe at the equipment pad, would normally have a valve that connects it to the pump's input pipes.

Most pools have three or more lines coming into the pump... Skimmer(s) Main Drain, and Vacuum line. Valves would allow you to select which input is connected to the pump.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[OasisInVegas]

O,

To be clear...

The little spring-loaded cap is really more of a spring-loaded door that is installed in the side wall of pool. To use a suction side cleaner, you open the little door and insert the vacuum hose.

The pipe at the equipment pad, would normally have a valve that connects it to the pump's input pipes.

Most pools have three or more lines coming into the pump... Skimmer(s) Main Drain, and Vacuum line. Valves would allow you to select which input is connected to the pump.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Right. My main drain is connected to the back side of the skimmer so there are just two suction lines coming up as shown in the picture.

As far as the spring loaded door, I don’t have one but it looks like it’s a threaded “door” that would screw into the threaded side wall of my pool.

When we bought the house all equipment was stolen so idk if there were valves or what was installed previously as I only saw the cut pipes a few inches above the ground. The two suction lines, and the main return line.

I was kinda of asking how I would go about hooking up a valve to my setup to be able to use and attach a vacuum door. More so how I could attach a valve to the two suction lines coming up out of the ground currently, or if I would need to replumb them Entirely in order to incorporate a valve that would function for me.

 

[Jimrahbe]

O,

If you have an unknown 'hole' in the sidewall of your pool, that does not have water flowing out, when the pump is running, then most likely it is for a vacuum line.

If you currently only have one pipe going into your pump, then most likely the capped off line is a vacuum line.

The only way to tell, would be to cut off the cap and force water down the line, and see of it comes out the unknown hole in the pool.

To make this work, you will need a Jandy valve as an input to the pump, this valve will have your skimmer and your new vacuum line as inputs and the output would go to your pump. This valve would allow you to select skimmer or select vacuum or adjust anything in between.

If you look at my pic in post #9, it will give you an idea of how this would work..

Thanks,

Jim R.