how to drain saltwater pool without pump

[yrral_TX]

Goal:
drain half the pool, as salt is too high. (and I don't want to kill the grass in the yard)

FYI> i have landscaping rocks next to pump area/side of house... so that seems fine.

So I turned multiport to waste... nothing happened

I can drain with pump on to the top of the water intake filters, but I can't go below that, correct?
Or can I... thinking

I guess I can drain pool to half with the pump running. I dont' know.
Obviously, I dont' want to run pumps with air coming in.

PS. the pool came with the house and never needed to drain it before.

 

[PoolGate]

Do you have a main drain? Can you isolate that main drain and turn your skimmers off? If so, you should be able to use the pump to drain.

Why doesn't your MPV work to waste? How about backwash?

 

[Mdragger88]

Buy a cheap submersible pump - do not risk burning up your expensive equipment.

Draining - Further Reading

www.google.com

Post a pic of your equipment pad
Do you have a main drain?

 

[yrral_TX]

so the waste setting did work... (water did come out, but without pump running... yeah, its not going to drain [or it will take forever] )
same with rinse (maybe less water came out).

the main drain? you mean on the DE filter (the screw at the very bottom of the filter?)
will that drain the pool (enough) OR does that only drain the filter tank.

how do you know what/where the intake of water is for the pool?
Again, forever, I always just assumed it was skimmer intakes.

fyi. hottub flows into pool when the pump runs normally.

 

[yrral_TX]

uhmmm... i've been reading, etc.
1) I'm assuming the skimmers are in fact where the water intake comes in from? (obviously, it does, but there may or may not be another intake I could control or force -- I dont' know about that)
2) Its easy and quick to drain pool down to skimmer level
3) i can drain hottub with hose, very easy as well (minus putting water in not best spot)
4) HOWEVER, hot tub drained and pool down drained to skimmer level is not enough water out of pool (salt is too high, at about 5-6k)
5) ==> So, an exterior water pump is the only other way?

the above is correct, right?


PS. I just read about gunite / plaster pool...
Uhm, i'm assuming draining the pool a 3 feet and filling it backup --- 10 hours (less than 24 hours)... will not cause an issue to the pool structure itself?
- dont' drain next to pool
- evening/hours -- so sun is not baking side of pool

 

[PoolGate]

If you have a main drain it will be on the bottom of the pool at the deepest point. It will be 2 drain covers (for safety) that go into a single pipe.

 

[yrral_TX]

If you have a main drain it will be on the bottom of the pool at the deepest point. It will be 2 drain covers (for safety) that go into a single pipe.

Thanks, Yes. I see the 2 drain covers... but I'm ignorant on how to force water out using that drain?


uhm i googled:

• Put multipe port value on "waste" setting = I can do that.
  
  
• I need to plug up (close) the 2 pipe openings in both skimmers. = I can do that, assuming i can buy the plugs, cover, etc?
  
  
• Open both main drain plugs: Remove the drain covers from both main drain pipes at the bottom of the pool. = uhm, i've never done that. I swim to bottom and somehow remove the drain plugs?

once ready, turn pump on... and drop pool water level to the spot I need.

 

[PoolGate]

Honestly I would suggest you hire a pool professional to take care of your issues. Not to offend, but just based on what you are writing here.

 

[yrral_TX]

Honestly I would suggest you hire a pool professional to take care of your issues. Not to offend, but just based on what you are writing here.

not offend. I appreciate your help.

details might not be that hard, but it's hard to see details in one understandable outline.

but I understand, that is what a professional does... a pro "can see/understand the whole situation"... most of the time.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Get a submersible pump and dump it into a drain cleanout. This will keep it out of your lawn and get it gone. Then you don't have to worry about plugging anything or draining down below the skimmer because your pump will not be on.