Drain line issues!! HELP

[swreeder]

Hi All,

Recently started to drain the pool for a soon to happen vinyl liner replacement. The pool draining was going fine.

I got about 3/4 or more of the water out and had been draining through the bottom drain and out the backwash of the filter.

Two days ago, the pump lost prime. Reprimed, restarted and no go.

I have shot water down from the pump side and see it push air out of the floor drain. Ran a snake up from the bottom as far as I could and seems to be open.

Filled line with water from pump side and started. Pump is working as it sucks all the water out of the basket and pipe, but then goes dry. After it is dry, there is a ton of sucktion trying to remove basket cover.


What should I do??? Do I have a clogged or broken waist line? How do I tell / fix???


Scott

[CanuckPool]

I don't know if it has anything to do with it,but if you are draining that much water, shouldn't your filter be set at waste as opposed to backwash?

[JohnT]

Once the water gets so low the pump will have a harder time lifting it. The difference in height between the water level and the inlet of the pump is the key, and pool pumps aren't really designed to do a lot of lifting of water. Probably no plumbing problems.

[CanuckPool]

I guess its time to buy a submersible pump.

[swreeder]

Filter has two settings, operate and backwash (Waist).

My theory was that the pump would not be able to lift the water and it appears that is what happened. It stopped pumping when the water level got about 4' below ground level.

Finished pumping with a small submersible, now just waiting to have the liner replaced.

[CanuckPool]

oh, ok, I guess some filters have a seperate "waste" option that bypasses the filter all togther. Seperate from a "backwash" option.