How does a main drain work in a pool?

Answer 1

It depends if you mean replacing just the grate or repairing the plumbing. Yes to the grate and NO to the plumbing. The grate is usually attached with 2 screws to a ring set in the plaster.

Answer 2

The valve for the main drain on older pools would be located at or on the equipment pad. You will most likely need a pool tech who knows how to plumb pool equipment to have it changed out.

On the other hand if you mean replacing a broken or loose main drain grate then you would have to take the loose or broken grate to your local pool store for an updated version replacement. They will advise from there.

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Answer 3

You can rent a sump pump and place the hose in the pool and simply turn on pump. Depending how big your pool is, it may take a while. They do have hand pumps but you'll be there awhile and you will get a good workout.

Answer 4

The main drain is positioned at the lowest point of the pool. The main drain has a perforated pipe in its base which is set in gravel in a pit at the deepest part of a pool. a pipe connects the side of the main drain to the skimmer box.

That has got to be one of the worst answers I have ever seen in this forum. Not only would there be no suction but the pool would leak like a sieve. Try taking a straw and drilling a bunch of holes in it and then try drinking through it. Main drains are connected to the pump either with a dedicated solid pipe or into the front port of a skimmer. It is controlled by a 3 port valve if dedicated or a diverter valve in the bottom of the skimmer if that type is used.

First answer, in bold type got "main drain" confused with a "sump line" as is sometimes used in areas where groundwater seeps into swimming pool hole under the liner. In such cases, a sump line is sometimes installed as described in the bold answer and connected to the pool filter pump so if water collects under liner causing liner to float away from pool bottom, sump line can be used to move water under liner to either into the pool liner, or out the waste line and away from the pool. But in such case, the sump line would never connect to skimmer and would instead connect near filter pump inlet with a dedicated valve bank to control water flow from pool or sump line since you wouldn't want to drain the pool while draining water from underneath the pool liner, and you wouldn't want pool water getting under the liner when filter system is turned off either.

Answer 5

If the main drain in your pool does not drain it is either a minor or major fix. The minor fix is to first look at where the water comes out and see if there is something stopping the water from coming out. IF not you will need to rent a pump and drain the water......After that you would need to remove the grate in side the pool and reach inside to see if there is an obstruction. If none is seen then I would use a toliet plunger (yes a toliet plunger and try to move the obstruction). If this doesn't work than you will need to rent a Plumbing snake and run a cable down the drain. These are all cheap and easy to do.

If that doesn't work, then you have a major fixl --- buy the pump and use this to drain the pool when you need to. $300 pump makes better sense than hiring a plumber / pool repair person.