Newbie question: How to empty pump strainer basket without a flood

[gonefishin]

I added the shutoff below the skimmer as well. I had my pool professional installed ( ) and you would have thought this would have been something added that would be common courteous. I say that because it seems so obvious that you should have a shutoff there...but it isn't obvious until after the pool is installed and filled with water. How are new pool owners to know? if I had...I sure would have bought the shutoff valve before hand.

When I added the shutoff valve. I slowed down the water by removing the skimmer basket and placing a Tupperware container over the skimmer hole (like a cork in a bottle). This kept the water from rushing out as I added the valve.

good luck,
dan

[prh129]

My pool store said they don't provide the valves as standard equipment because people forget to turn the valves back on and can damage the pump by letting it run dry.

I did not opt to add isolation valves because I have a 4 year old that likes to do what dad does so I'm afraid he would turn the valve off someday without my knowing it (despite being told he's not supposed to touch the pool equipment).

Instead I got some rubber stoppers at the Home Depot - one to fit in the bottom of the skimmer and one to fit in the return jet eyeball. I put a screw eye in each stopper and tied a piece of polypropylene line between the two (for two reasons - one to clearly show the stoppers are in the pool and two in case the return one fell out or was dropped it won't go to the bottom of the pool.) It's cheap, easy, and I don't have to worry about valves getting turned off at the wrong time.

Peter

[ShelleyAnn]

All you need to do is get a $4 stopper at Home Depot to put in your skimmer hole...after you turn the pump off of course.

Then unscrew the little drain at the bottom of the basket housing, unscrew the lid on top, remove the basket, whalaah! If you're quick, you can use the draining pump water to rinse the pump basket of those last little specs. Inspect the housing where the basket came from for any debris that didn't get caught and reverse the process.

Shelley

[Karen_in_TN]

I usually turn my pump to closed and then take the skimmer basket out and put a lid off a tupperware bowl over the hole. When the pump basket is opened the water sucks the lid down and only a little water trickles out. After I get the lid back on, I put the skimmer basket back in and set the pump back to filter and start it up.