So, I know that the RV (pink) antifreeze is safe for the pool, but I seem to remember from last year that it leaves a lingering slight odor to the water and makes the water a bit foamy for while after opening. So I am trying to figure out how to remove it from the lines without it re-entering the pool during opening. Anyone figure out a good way to do this yet?
Removing antifreeze from lines
- Thread starter run53
- Start date
run53 -
Sorry I can't help, I keep mine open year round - I'm sure someone will be by to add more information.
Can you do us a favor an add your city and state to your profile as it helps us deliver better answers to questions asked.
Sorry I can't help, I keep mine open year round - I'm sure someone will be by to add more information.
Can you do us a favor an add your city and state to your profile as it helps us deliver better answers to questions asked.
I am fortunate in the sense that my pump is below my pool, makes it easier but anyone can do it.
What I do is put the shop vac on the return and suction lines at the pump and fire it up (the vac). Then I go to the skimmer and the farthest return line and crack them open slightly in order to break the hydraulic lock.
I know it does not all come out, but it gets a good portion of it out.
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What I do is put the shop vac on the return and suction lines at the pump and fire it up (the vac). Then I go to the skimmer and the farthest return line and crack them open slightly in order to break the hydraulic lock.
I know it does not all come out, but it gets a good portion of it out.
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Hmmmmm....not sure I understand. If I put the shop vac into the lines at the pump, wouldn't I just blow the anti-freeze back into the pool? I must be missing something here.
My method is to just unplug the farthest of the two returns, then before screwing the eye back on, I hold the vacuum hose in the return and run the pump for a few minutes. Put the other end of the hose where you want to dump the antifreeze. Then I repeat for our "fountain" returns which are on their own line. Last year it worked great, this year I had the three year old "helping" with the pump switch and I mixed up which valve was which so it didn't go so well. I haven't gotten any foaming, but I did notice the smell and slight pink color to the water, but it only lingers for a week or so and it takes a lot longer than that before the water gets warm enough to get in anyway. With a high air temp of 53 here today, it isn't making any progress either.
Ahhh....now I get it. We are sucking it out. For some reason I was thinking the shop vac was acting as a blower
Ahhh....now I get it. We are sucking it out. For some reason I was thinking the shop vac was acting as a blower
Yep. Just make sure you take the paper filter out of the vac and put the hose on the suction side!!
You may be able to draw a small amount open with all the lines capped, but cracking them will release the lock.
I have an auto cover so my return lines are all under water so this is the only way I know how to do it.
If I didn't mind the AF in the grass I could just open both the valves and pull the skimmer plug and return caps, gravity would do the rest, but I want to capture as much as I can.
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I just use the pump. First I hook up the pump and turn the multi port valve to waste. Then I remove the return plugs and install eye balls. Next I remove the plugs in the skimmers. Next ( prime the pump) stick garden hose in pump basket and turn on the water and fill the pump. when the pump is full of water, close lid, turn pump on, the pump will start sucking in water that fills the lines and goes directly to waste. Bam that's it, you will see the red antifreeze come out from your backwash hose first and then turn clear.
Also on the valve that controls the drain and skimmer , I put it in the middle so its sucking both from the drain and skimmers.
After its running clear out of the backwash hose, turn off the pump, turn multi port valve to filter and turn pump back on.
Also on the valve that controls the drain and skimmer , I put it in the middle so its sucking both from the drain and skimmers.
After its running clear out of the backwash hose, turn off the pump, turn multi port valve to filter and turn pump back on.
Not to hijack a post, but I saw this thread last week and I wondered about the AF as well -- last year was my first time closing and I probably added more AF than necessary. I read that the pink stuff was safe for pool water so I dismissed any concerns about mixing with the pool water when I closed last year but given how much I used (probably 6+gal) I thought maybe I should avoid letting it mix when I open.
Anyway, I just wanted to pass along that I followed the advice above when I opened this weekend and it worked like a charm. I left the returns plugged and briefly ran the pump to waste so I could purge the AF from the skimmer lines. Then I disassembled my SWG and shoved my shopvac nozzle into the open pipe and used it to suck out the AF from the return lines (doing each plug individually). I repeated the process a couple times until the shopvac bucket was no longer pink. I was surprised at how well it worked -- I don't think any AF ended up in the water.
Once again, EXCELLENT advice from TFP. Thanks!
-mike
Anyway, I just wanted to pass along that I followed the advice above when I opened this weekend and it worked like a charm. I left the returns plugged and briefly ran the pump to waste so I could purge the AF from the skimmer lines. Then I disassembled my SWG and shoved my shopvac nozzle into the open pipe and used it to suck out the AF from the return lines (doing each plug individually). I repeated the process a couple times until the shopvac bucket was no longer pink. I was surprised at how well it worked -- I don't think any AF ended up in the water.
Once again, EXCELLENT advice from TFP. Thanks!
-mike
n240sxguy
Well-known member
I think I used around 5 gallons when I closed last fall. I put water in the pump and turned it on once I had all the eyeballs installed and the plugs in the pump. Saw pink for just a second. No foam at all. I don't see where all the extra work would make sense.
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Does it hurt your pool or filter if you leave the AF when opening and just continue opening as usual? Don't remove it? = P.S. I am on my mobile and signature info won't post in message, only seems to work on desk top.
No it won't hurt anything, but it's just as easy to pump it out as leave it in. I just rather not pump it in the pool if it can be avoided.
Geez, last year I didn't even give this a second though. The pool company opened the pool and just let it all into the pool. I didn't notice anything odd about it. They used blue pool stuff vs pink. Not sure if there's a difference or not. This year I'm opening myself.
When u unplug the Jets doesn't the anti freeze go into the pool?? Can u run it on waste with the Jets blocked??
None comes up through the returns, sometimes when I remove the plugs in the skimmers a little wil mix in with the pool water. But that's nothing to worry about.
Propbndr
LifeTime Supporter
Pumping to waste only clears the suction lines. Any antifreeze you put in the return lines stays in the pipes until you either blow or vacuum it out, or pump it into the pool.