Second hole at bottom of skimmer

[GDN]

I've been wondering about something for a year, but never called the PB back to get clarification. So here is the info - which will lead back to the title of the thread about the second hole at the bottom of the skimmer. The pool was built last summer with completion at the end of July 2015. The builder sold us on one of the things they did was to install two separate suction lines for the main returns. It's listed on the contract. This would help prevent any problems down the road should one become clogged - I don't remember the whole story now, it sounded good at the time and I'm no pool expert. I have hundreds of pictures during the build (I may go back and put a build thread together) with the exception of the main plumbing lines around the pool. I was out of town the day they did the plumbing and it was all covered back up by the time I got back home.

Move along a few weeks, pool is done, start up day comes and PB start up guy comes out. One of the first thing he does is take a plug out of the bottom of each skimmer - one was already open and connected to plumbing - the other - after the took the plug out - just has dirt under it. I have pictures confirming there is no plumbing connected to the second hole and you can feel - it is dirt - open to the ground under it at the bottom of the skimmer. Is this normal? If I'd truly had 2 separate suction lines plumbed should one of them have been connected to the second outlet on the skimmer or would the dual line only be for the main drains?

The pic of the skimmer - the hole on the right you can see debris and the hole on the left is plumbed - I know it is dirty right now anyway.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[pooldv]

The hole farther from the pool always goes to the equipment pad. The hole nearer the pool can either be plugged, plumbed to the bottom drain or plumbed to an equalizer like every to an opening in the pool wall below the skimmer inlet. Any of those is "normal". Your pool is normal #1. The plug that was removed was from the hole going to the pump. It is also normal for that to be plugged during construction.

 

[GDN]

Let me make sure I understand and then make sure I was clear, because I'm not normal number 1, I'm not plugged. I didn't take it out for the pic, PB took it out a year ago. The picture looking down in the skimmer is current. I've got some water drained from the pool to lower my CYA, I'm in the process of refilling. The hole furthest from the pool is plumbed and going to pump, the second hole has the plug removed, open to the dirt - no plumbing.

I may have also gotten this in the wrong forum.

 

[pooldv]

The hole closer to the pool is plugged from underneath. If there were no plug there your pool would empty itself down to the skimmer in an hour or two. The dirt is debris still there from construction. Stick a stick or screwdriver down there and it will only go in a few inches and stop.

 

[gwegan]

I'm going to agree with Dave. If the hole was open your pool would be draining because the pool water level is way above this hole. So unless your pool is leaking down to the skimmer entrance every time the pump is off that hole is not open to the ground.

The two drains in the bottom of the pool are essentially required by Federal Law, the Virginia Graeme Baker Act (15 USC section 8001 et seq) They connect together and come out of the pool as one pipe. They prevent entrapment.

 

[Jimrahbe]

GDN,

If the hole closest to the pool does not have plumbing connected, it has to be plugged. As is, I would think your pool should be leaking water like crazy.

You say it has been this way for a year???

Jim R.

 

[GDN]

Thanks for the information - and confirmed - has to be a bottom plug - screwdriver will go in about 5 inches on each of the non plugged holes about 5 inches and stops, just as you note, so there has to be a plug on the bottom. I have to agree, was surprised water wasn't draining out of the pool, and it is not. Back to what stumps me then, if it wasn't meant to be plumbed then why take the top plug out of it? I realize there is one in the bottom now, but would just make more sense to me the one in top would be there - I wouldn't have questioned.

On the drains - confirmed - both of those are plumbed to a T so they equalize pressure and then return to the pump. The real thing then is I don't think I have two return lines to the pump as they described would be installed.

 

[gwegan]

Just so our terminology is consistent - a "return" line "returns" water from the pump and filter (the equipment pad) to the pool. A suction line pulls water from the pool.

Without pictures of your pool and pad I can't be sure but I do think you have two suction lines, one from the main drain and one from the skimmer.

 

[daddymack]

Mine is plumbed to an equalizer... works just the same..