Main drain... Do I really want one with my new Inyo liner installation?

We are in the process of having a new liner installed in our 18' X 36' inground pool. The current one has lasted thru 16 summers. The installer is an "old school" guy who started building pools in the '60s. I trust that he knows what he's doing. He is proposing the installation of a main drain. I've never had one, and always thought they were more of a possible leak liability than an asset. He says a main drain will make it easier to keep the pool clean just by brushing gook toward the drain. I usually vacuum it about twice a week. He is suggesting a liner from Inyo Pool Supply http://www.inyopools.com/liners_inground.aspx Has anyone here used them with success? We'll probably order it on Monday.

MG,

The trend in residential pools is probably away from using main drains.

I chose not to have one but my pool is only 6' deep. I see more advantage with a drain in a deeper pool.

I agree with you that the installation of one is a potential source of problems. That said, If I had a pool with one already in it, I would certainly keep it. They have some advantages.

There doesn't seem to be any clear advantage from one vinyl manufacturer to another.

Is he saying you need 2? That's the newest safety technique so someone can't be held down by suction--the other acts as a vacuum break.

Is your deep end deep? Then you might need it, but not if the pool is shallow. They also can interfere with robotic auto cleaners.

The main drain helps circulate water faster which means you get more even temperatures in the pool quicker when you turn the pump on. If you have a text book perfect design you can probably do without it, but in the real world things are never text book perfect and you will have a better pool with one.

The pool is eight feet at its deepest.

If you have been happy with your pool for 16+ years, I would be quite reluctant to change it. "if it ain't broke.........."

My IG is 8' deep or so, without MD, and dirt settles there anyhow so I just vacuum it up. Personally I wouldn't have a main drain. There have been threads about many problems with them not only from the leak issues but the buried piping. It's also a more complicated process to winterize if that's an issue.
Just my quarters worth.
Al

Interesting article on pool main drains.

www.fluent.com/news/pr/pr130.htm

We have a 40,000 IG with a 10.5' deep end, great circulation, no hot or cold spots, easy to keep clean -- with no main drain. I would never think of adding one beneath a 16-year-old pool, especially one that doesn't have any problems. Why would anyone mess with the ground underneath a pool if they didn't have to? Seems like asking for serious trouble. Jo

I agree with Jo above. Why mess underground. If you want I imagine you could add a suction port at the edge of the pool just above the waterline and make a removeble drain that you can leave in when the pool isn't being used and take it out when people are in. Chunk of pool hose and a drain fabricated from PVC pipe with holes drilled that is weighted to lay on the bottom. Made something similar as a suction thing when I fill from my stream. I'll take a pic later and update this post. PVC Lives !!
Al
Guess you could also just leave the vacuum brush in the deep end and do the same thing but still on a dedicated line. Here's the pic of the suction thing. The thing isn't even glued together.

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