How to connect shop vac

[peacockpools]

Hi All,

This may seem like a silly question, but how do I connect a shop vac to the filter system to blow out lines? I have seen the service company connect them somewhere near my pump and blow all the lines that way. I can't for the life of me figure out how they did it..

It seems that they were able to connect it to the pump somehow and then use the multiport and skimmer/main drain valve to change it to the returns, main drain or skimmer. I just can't figure out how they connected the shop vac.

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Thank you

 

[JohnT]

My vac has a cone that is used when using the vac as a blower. I have a double wrap of duct tape on the cone that seals when it's inside a 1.5" pipe. I put mine in the unions on the skimmer, return and drain lines.

 

[JasonLion]

Mine didn't come with that cone, so I made one out of a vinyl placemat rolled up into a cone. The tip goes in the skimmer and the hose from the vac goes into the wide end.

 

[peacockpools]

Thank you for your responses. Do you think I could screw the hose from the shop vac into the skimmer since the skimmer is threaded?

 

[JohnT]

Thank you for your responses. Do you think I could screw the hose from the shop vac into the skimmer since the skimmer is threaded?

I'd say you could make it work, but I usually have to blow mine out from the pump end first in order to get the initial flow going.