Well, it's pool opening weekend in NE Ohio. We have a 24ft above ground.

This spring we had a drain line(french drain) put in our backyard because the yard was always low and became a big pond every time it rained (or we backwashed). We had an additional sewer opening put right next to the pool.

We did really good getting the cover off, and the pool water was clear. It had the usual junk on the bottom, leaves and other stuff.


We filled the pool so we could vacuum to waste and we were doing good until we drained so much water it got below the skimmer. So we refilled and came back the next day.

The first day, we cut a short section of the waste hose, stuck in the new drain in the ground and the drain worked great, just like it was supposed to.

When we tried it the next day, the pump would not kick in when on waste. It would try to run, but the sound was different and we could tell it was not moving water. It eventually blew the fuse.

I took the filter valve apart (Hayward 711 13), pulled the gasket and went to the pool store. The pool guy noticed my handle was on backwards and said it wouldn't work right. I explained the previous owner had re-assembled it that way and it worked just fine. He said my gasket was fine but I should super glue it in place, and if I need to replace it scrape it out. ( I also notice lots of people buying lots of chemicals, but I held my tongue)

Anyway, I put the valve back together(no superglue) and still could not backwash or vacuum to waste. But I discovered that if the short waste hose came out of the new underground drain line, it worked, flapping around and spraying water everywhere. I concluded that it must have folded over and could not fold while in the underground drain.

So, I decided to build a solid drain pipe out of 1 1/2 inch PVC. 3 hours and some choice words later, I had a nice solid drain line. It came out of the filter about 3 inches, right angle down about 24 inches, right angle across about 31 inches, right angle down into the underground drain about 3 inches, then right angle inside the drain about 12 inches.

But when I tried it, I got the same result, the pump would not move the water and if I left it on, it blew the fuse. It works fine when on filter, but not on backwash or waste.

I figured I had too many sharp right angles, so I started cutting my beautiful creation apart. No matter what, the pump would not work on waste or backwash. So I took everything off and put the original fitting back on with the flexible drain hose out to the middle of my yard and it still would not work. The pump is trying, but won't kick in.

I took the valve apart once again, and I can't see anything wrong. The hayward valve is pretty simple. I can't figure out how it works ok for filter but not for waste or backwash.

I have a pea green pool that I can only filter. The only thing I can think of is buy a new filter. (this one is probably 15 years old). The motor/pump is probably 5 years old, but we had the motor repaired the 2nd or 3rd year.

Help!

---Dale