closing questions

[jrguzmanr]

I am closing my pool for the first time and am encountering two issues:

1) I can't remove the rails or the ladder, what can I do? Is there some sort of trick?

2) the jets by the stairs seem to have a leak, since when I blow them out and plug them, air keeps coming out the sides of the jets, what can I do? should I pour a lot of anti-freeze? I guess my second question would be, what's a lot to pour?

UPDATE: Ii read to pour some water on the rails and ladder and they have removed.

 

[waste]

Glad you figured out that water can be a REAL help with stuck rails

Are the step jets different from the regular returns? I suspect they may well be and need a different type of cap - any chance of a pic or 2 of them?

The more info you can give us, the better our advice will be

 

[jrguzmanr]

ok, here is a pic of the return. Again, I want to say that this is the return by the steps. thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

The eyeball inside the return is leaking. One thing you can try is to lube the eyeball with silicon pool lube and rotate it around and see if that seals it.

 

[waste]

OK, it's what I figured :angel: ( )

You've got a #6 plug in the venturi inlet, this won't seal the entire return.

What you want to do is unscrew the directional and throw in a #11 plug. There should be 4 prongs (NSEW) to get a grip on to unscrew it (or 2 dimples that will gladly accept a small finish nail).

BE CAREFUL! when trying to get them out- the prongs are lightweight and will snap on you! I usually just use needle nosed pliers to torque them out, but sometimes the prongs snap off

It's not hard to rig up something which will apply even pressure to all of them, remember that they are at 90"s - IF I remember correctly, 1.5" pvc pipe will fit nicely, just notch it at 90* and you shouldn't have any trouble removing them.

DO be careful to remove and save the *neoprene* o - rings There's one inside the return, also check the orientation of them so you can reinstall them properly next spring

 

[jrguzmanr]

WOW that water is cold (I'm in NJ)...but thanks! You got it! I removed the returns but I didn't see the O-rings that you are referring to and I forgot to take note how the returns were angled. so now I have two questions:

Where do the o-rings go? and since I didn't take note how the returns were angled, how much of a problem are they going to be to install next spring?

thanks again!

 

[waste]

Always nice to help a Garden Stater (I was raised in Tenafly *please note that I did not say "grew up" * :lol: )

The o rings embed into the back of the fitting, they are almost invisible but can be pried loose with a fingernail. If you didn't remove them, they should still be there and I wouldn't worry too much about them It was their orientation that I was concerned with, one side is flat and the other is slightly concave to accept the round back of the jets you removed.

Have yourself a good winter!