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AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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Posted by ripleys_mum (My Page) on Sat, Jan 30, 10 at 20:25
| Our pool has water, but there are a few loose ends that the PB needs to address. Amongst other uncompleted items is the auto drain. We contracted for autofill and autodrain optios. The PB tells us "oops, our bad; we forgot to hook up the auto drain and to do so would require draining the pool, tearing out the deck and some of the gunite. The saga of the auto fill is, well, too long to write, but in theory is operational. The pool build has taken a long time and I have, at this point, serious buyers remorse. Hence, my question, is the PB telling us the truth? How do I find the answer to this question. Many thanks in advance for any advice or help from the forum members. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| It is unfortunate but true. To install an overflow after the fact would require alot of rework of the decking as well as the coping. What type of filtration do you have? The least your builder should do at this point is to have some form of multiport valve installed to allow you to drain if nessesary. These normally come with a DE or Sand filter. Now if the auto fill is installed, plumbed into a water supply and there is an equalizer line installed between the pool and the auto fill then this should work. Hope this helps, David |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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ripleys mum,
The auto-fill either works or it doesn't. The overflow drain is not a necessity, but it is convenient. Some auto-fills have an overflow connection in them.
If your concern is rain overfilling the pool, this is remedied easily by adding a hose bib to the equipment between the pump and filter. Then you can hook up the garden hose and open the faucet and turn on the pump until the pool drains down. Most likely deck would have to be removed to add an overflow line. Good luck. |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| ripley, Do you have any pictures taken of the area during construction and after gunite? Your auto fill probably has an overflow connection that was either capped off at the base of the unit or stubbed out to a point outside of the gunite. Since you specified for an overflow, it's probably stubbed out beyond the gunite and the drain guy forgot to hook it up. Is there a drain nearby? At the least, he'd probably have to remove some of the decking to get to the stub out and tie it into a nearby drain. I can't see why he'd have to drain the pool unless he didn't install the unit to begin with. |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| What kind of Auto Fill was used? A picture would help. Scott |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| Not trying to redirect the thread, but I need to buy an autofill for my build. All of my stuff is Pentair so far, so I was going to default to that. Is the Pentair with the fluidmaster valve OK? Looks like 80 bucks or so. John |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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Thanks so much for the replies. We have a cartridge filter and there is a faucet from which we can drain water in the event of a deluge, the auto drain was more of a day to day "keep the water level."
I've posted some pictures, let me know if anyone wants any other views. There are a ton of pictures since the pool was built while my husband was out of town, sigh :( . The irrigation company left a "stub" when they rerouted the sprinklers and it was my understanding that this was where the auto drain would empty excess water. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Pool Pics
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| How much and what type of decking? Scott |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| Well we still have a pool that is not ready for city inspection. First dig was Sep 30. Sigh. Poolguynj - deck is limestone, about 300 sq ft. You also commented that "it's fine" based on the pics. Does that mean there is plumbing that would accommodate an autodrain based on what you see? The limestone deck is set in a sand base and would be a hassle, but not devastating to remove. Also, we would not drain the pool with this feature; just allow the gully washers that arrive periodically in Austin to keep the pool from overflowing into the yard. I know we will love the pool when it's 100+ but right now not too much love when I look in the backyard. |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| r_mum, the "Fine" was directed to nypool" asking about an autofill for his pool. I should have been a little more specific when I asked about the deck. I meant how wide. Is it possible to tunnel under the deck? Then you might be able to drain into a sump. Then tie a corrugated pipe out to a field, like a septic tank does to a leach field in the yard. Scott |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| Hey Scott, It's about 15' to the yard from the autofill. It is my recollection that the pb was going to tie the autodrain into the main sprinkler line; does that sound right? I'm not sure I trust the pb to do something like you described. After the city inspection perhaps we will hire a "pool" expert to come inspect and help us with the items that I am sure will not be addressed by our pb. I'd do it now, but it seems pointless. |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| Drain and fill line ports are separate. Autofill to the sprinkler system as a source is something I can see but there are special valves to prevent back flow required in case the float valve fails. The drain is just a port that is an inch or two higher than the correct water level. That needs to be connected to a piece of pipe that is pitched down slightly to the sump. 15 feet is too far to tunnel. The drain port in the autfill tank must be plugged or water will get behind the pool wall, creating potential washouts and loss of support for the pool wall and surrounding area. A way to manually lower the pool will need to be used. That is the faucet at your cartridge filter. It works but is slow and doesn't give you the option to vacuum to waste. A 3way Jandy valve over the pump's discharge can direct water to the filter or the other port. Attaching a pipe and barbed fitting to that port allows you to connect a backwash hose, giving you a fast way to lower the pool and the vacuum to waste option you would use to get rid of an algae bloom. You don't want dead algae vacuumed into the cartridges. Its a PITA to clean them after. Scott |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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Hi Scott, Thanks for all the good information. We lowered the pool water once after a heavy rain using the faucet at the filter; it took a long time for about an 1 1/2" of water (the street is up a hill). Technically we can't discharge to the street or down the hill (golf course tee box), but neighbors all discharge to the steet. :D
From the pictures can you tell if there is a drain port in the autofill tank? Surely the pb pugged it?
I apologize for my ignorance, but I don't understand anything in the last paragraph after "A 3way Jandy...." I'm going to forward the post to my husband.
Again many thanks for your advice along the way. Too bad you aren't in Texas! |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| If you have sand set patio pavers as your patio decking these repairs are easy to handle. quote" It is my recollection that the pb was going to tie the autodrain into the main sprinkler line; does that sound right? "quote Absolutely not, only the autofill can tie to this line because it has backflow prevention. Trust me, these are very easy repairs I could perform with one laborer before lunch bringing nothing more than a gutter grate, grout, flathead and Phillips screwdriver, shovel, 4 1/2" grinder, hacksaw, and a can of pvc pipe glue and a little bit of pipe.
My suggestion, have the builder dispatch his plumber over there to do the work he probably already got paid to do the first time he was there plumbing the pool. See ya,
Kelly |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| "From the pictures can you tell if there is a drain port in the autofill tank? Surely the pb pugged it?" I can't tell if the stub out in the picture is the fill line or the drain line, but there should be 2 lines. If you open the cover of the auto-fill, next to the fill valve should be a 1" overflow pipe. You can find out if it's plugged by pouring water in it. |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| We turned on our sprinklers today (the autofill is tied into the main sprinkler line) and had a "gusher." Thank goodness we were home to turn off the sprinklers! The sprinkler company came out and found the plumbing seen in the original link. (I added pictures to Shutterfly). It appears that electrical conduit was used to connect the plumbing. Is this a common practice? I've googled the subject, but none of the responses seem appropriate to swimming pool plumbing. I'm getting really depressed about all this. Since the city had to inspect the pool plumbing that is behind the gunite and under the deck, theoretically, should the other plumbing be OK? Many thanks for all the advice from everyone. |
RE: AutoFill & AutoDrain Question
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| The use of electrical conduit for a water flow application under pressure is not appropriate. If the plumbing under the deck was inspected and isn't correct, then the city inspector has a problem. Scott |
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