Let’s start with your Main Drains, and I said Drains because if you do install them in your pool you must have two drains installed, side by side.

Normally the front port of the skimmer is plugged and the back port is plumbed to the suction side of the pump, but there are occasions where the front port is plumbed elsewhere..

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I would guess that you are taking suction from the main drain as well as from the skimmer(s). Unless the pool has a dedicated main drain line and a positive seal valve it is best to use a submersible pump. In this diagram, the main drain is tied into the front port of the skimmer. Hello, I just bought a house that has a gunite pool with a single main drain. If the pool receives a lot of leaves and other debris, more suction may be required at the skimmer than the main drain to adequately strain debris floating on the surface. Consider installing dual main drains the next time the pool is resurfaced. Every plumbing diagram I see shows the skimmer and drain both connected yet after talking to a few people and reading the posts here I just seem to be more confused as to whether the main drain needs to be in the filtering circulation. Skimmer Setups. When the main drain begins to blow strongly, the double plug is slammed-fast into the hole, which seals both drain and skimmer at the same time. Much more common (and practical) than deleting your main drain might be altering the main drain (decommissioning) so that it is still there, but is not actively connected to the pump. One goes to the pump, and the other is covered with a flap and runs down to the main drain. Main Drains and associated equipment, universal main drain covers, hydrostatic valves and removal tools. Australia wide delivery. Instead, it is an outlet, housing a pipe that runs to the pump, which sucks water through a skimmer, then through a filter, then through a heater (if you have one), and then back to the pool via multiple inlets. I know this isn't normal. Rob Hampton. You aren’t required to have any – but you can’t have just one. ... leaving only the skimmer to which your vacuum is connected completely open. I primarily use a barracuda that connects to one of two holes in the one (and only) skimmer. How to Set Valves for an In-Ground Swimming Pool Automatic Cleaner. A ‘separate main drain line’ is one that is not connected into the skimmer, which allows a certain element of safety against suction entrapment. If you have other pressure side lines, like an automatic cleaner line or a spa return line, blow each of these out separately. We have always operated the pool on full skimmer, but I always wondered how you would make use of the main drain. Updated on May 17, 2019. Main drain may be plummed to skimmer bottom. check the inside bottom of the skimmer. The skimmer has two holes. A pool’s so-called main drain is not actually a drain; that is, it is not used to drain the pool. Just because some pools can limp along and get by with the main drain deleted does not mean that deleting the main drain in your pool is a good idea. Most cleaners come with a skimmer adapter that allow adjustable flow to be able to skim as well as having the cleaner connected. The two main drains should be at least 3 ft apart from each other at the bottom center of … This eliminates the suction on the blocked drain. Details on using a Cyclone blower to blow out pool plumbing. Combination skimmer diagram showing a connected main drain. The valves would be set as skimmer open, main drain closed. Just had the pump and filter plumbed in and I have realised that the main drain has not been connected to the pump. The pool is probably 40 years old. If you have other pressure side lines, like an automatic cleaner line or a spa return line, blow each of these out separately. Is it possible my main drain is intentionally sealed? You should not have to clean the main drain unless you have a massive amount of debris. You can test my theory by slowly closing the skimmer line valve and watching the pump strainer closely to see if you are losing suction (you'll see the water level in the pump strainer start to fall).