To Plug or Not to Plug? That is the Question...

[MikeInTN]

To those AGP owners who have ball valves on your returns - do you use winterizing plugs in the returns as well, or just shut the valve off and go with that? I installed ball valves on my returns this year, and was wondering if I needed to go ahead and plug the returns and leave the valves open, or just close the valves and hope they don't freeze up and crack. We usually don't get that much freezing weather around here, but we can have hard freezes from time to time.

Thanks in advance!
Mike

 

[MikeInTN]

Ummm...I'll gladly take advice from non-AGP owners too, if any would like to chime in.

Thanks!

 

[waste]

Mike

I would plug the return and leave the valve open (that and $1 would get you a cup of coffee, unless you went to Starbuck's - in which case you'd need $3 for the coffee :lol: )

Keep the water out of that line and leave the line open to 'breath'

 

[MikeInTN]

Hey Ted,

Yeah, I was afraid that was going to be the advice I got. Only problem I have is that I can't get the winterizing plug to seal the return good and tight, so I always have some seepage. I ended up adding the ball valve to the lower return last year so I could stop the seepage, and then would open it up if the weatherman called for freezing weather and release any trapped water. I don't know why the plug isn't sealing good anymore - it used to seal good and tight the first couple of years. I thought it might be the plug itself, so I bought new plugs this year, and it still seeps. Oh yeah, and since I packed my solar cover away this weekend, the water temp has dropped like a rock. Gonna be a wee bit cold putting that #$%$ plug in..

Anyways, thanks for the advice, amigo!

 

[waste]

Mike, what kind of plug are you using? If it's threaded, something may be wrong with the fitting or faceplate - no need to repair it now, you can wrap the threads with teflon tape to get it to fully seal (probably) or try an expandable rubber plug (#9 works best, but 8 or 10 can be made to work). Check the return faceplate for cracks at the screws.

Please let me know if any of this is applicable.

Rock on!! (or... Moderate on!! 8) )

 

[MikeInTN]

Ted,
I'm using an expandable rubber plug. I don't know exactly what size it is (no size stamped on it anywhere), but it's the same size as the old one the original pool installer put in when they closed my pool the first year, and it fits snugly into the return.

Another question - my AGP has 2 returns; I usually plug the bottom return, and then drain the pool down to just below the upper return when I winterize it. Do you foresee any problems with me plugging the bottom return now and setting my Jandy valve to send all of the return water to the upper return until I'm ready to close? I'd like to go ahead and get the plug in before the water gets so cold I use cuss words I haven't used in years when I jump in.

 

[MikeInTN]

I went ahead and bit the bullet and plugged the bottom return tonight, and diverted all of the water to the upper return. Wow! 76 degree water will take your breath away when you jump in!

 

[reindeerboy]

Try 66 degree water. That will make you shrivel up in areas you really dont want shriveled up. :lol:

I had to jump in and do that with ours when we closed er up yesterday. Whoowhee that was cold!

 

[waste]

Sorry I missed this on Wed (My computer was freezing up on me - 100% CPU usage :grrrr: - so I lost track of a few posts apparently -- I'm going out next weekend to buy and install more memory)

Glad you got it plugged! Obviously the pressure will rise on the filter running 1/2 the inlets but most AGs only have 1 return anyway.

A quick question, why get in to plug the line???

Hope all goes well with the rest of the season and the final winterizing :-D

 

[MikeInTN]

Chad - That's what I was trying to avoid by going ahead and plugging it up early. 66 degrees?? They'd be fishing my body out of the pool after the heart attack!

Ted - Ummm..don't you plug the returns from inside the pool?? Or do you do the balancing act on the top rail to reach down and plug the return? The gent we had that closed our pool the first two years did exactly that, but I weigh just a wee bit more than he does and as such, don't want to risk something breaking/bending/collapsing.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

I'm going out next weekend to buy and install more memory)

hijack...

check out http://www.newegg.com for great prices on computer stuff...

 

[waste]

don't want to risk something breaking/bending/collapsing.

I hope you're referring to the pool walls, not your own body :lol: Yeah, I do the balancing act to plug the low ones , however we work in pairs so I have someone to hold my feet and keep me from going in when I'm going 'over the top'

MQ - thank you for that! - I took a quick look and it sounds like they will be able to help me (and offer free 3 day shipping :-D ) - I still have to wait for DW to get home to order it though, she's the only one of us that knows what model computer this is