And here we have it... You are talking apples and I am talking oranges...

Basically you are in a warmer climate, I am in a much colder one. I am looking to warm a pool from 45 to 90+ degrees in the shortest time possible. I don't have time to allow solar to do the work. I am using a 250k BTU heater and paying for natural gas. I am needing the pool heated the quickest, without exception.

You are heating a pool via solar, probably with the pump on low, but even on high, no big difference. Solar will not generate the heat a 250k BTU heater will unless you have a huge solar unit and/or it is already pretty warm out were you are at. I have neither convenience. I am in a worst case scenario.

Like I stated, I know main drains work much better. I have ran the tests last year. There is a huge difference in general with the pool running with and without the main drains, in all scenarios. I outlined everything above. These are all real-world observations in my setup. Like I said it is amazing you guys will all argue it when I have posted exactly what I have experienced.

I am also above ground, you are in ground. Outside air temp affects my pool not only on the surface, but on the sides as well when the temps get below 60 degrees, even worse below 50 degrees.

Again, the arguements here are based on a "study" that is obviously a campaign to get rid of main drains because someone got hurt and the people performing the study have are on a crusade. I could care less how much debris they pull in. I care about all the advantages I have seen personally.

It is amazing how polarizing a single topic like this is. And again, usually the ones advocating not having one, actually have one. How ironic. It is also amazing how far you guys go to try to "prove a point" when you ignore anything else anyone has to say. This isn't like arguing about water flow in piping (which is 100% purely engineering on all facets), there are tons of factors that get involved that are specific to any given installation. I already said many times I understand why the "pros" don't want to deal with them. If it is that, then just say it is that and move on. The rest is so unbelievably ignorant it is hard not to tell you guys you are all being stupid, since you are. I already have the main drains in. They are not going anywhere. Take into account EVERYTHING I have stated and it is quite obvious I am beyond happy I went this way. Just come right out and tell everyone that you are advocating they DO NOT go with one because it is YOUR OPINION. And, please, be adult enough to explain why that opinion exists, regardless if it is a matter of, "I think they are a hazard" (the fear factor), or, "I don't see how they can help" (the ignorance factor), or, "in MY case they don't do anything for ME" (the apples and oranges factor), or at the least, "I don't ever want to deal with the massive PITA a main drain problem is because I maintain others pools" (the pool professional factor)...

But again, it is more a matter of everyone trying to convince everyone their opinion is better, since it is just a matter of fact that when you are pulling water from the lowest, coolest location that is the furthest point away from a given return that is located nearer the surface and aimed to the side, that you are maximizing circulation. To argue that is just showing how ignorant you are being.