I'm SLAMing and desperately need guidance

[Ignoramus]

Xpand-N-Lok Rubber Bumper – Male | Pool Parts | S.R.Smith

The Xpand-N-Lok male rubber bumper is recommended for ladders and use on 1.90" OD tubing with .049" to .065" wall thickness.

www.srsmith.com

View attachment 464806

Do you mean I must replace ladder bumpers?

 

[JamesW]

Do you mean I must replace ladder bumpers?

I don't see any bumpers.

 

[Ignoramus]

Dumb question about pool chemicals.

I found old, almost decomposed bucket of pool shock, the 1 pound bag kind.

I assume that chlorine dissipated and destroyed plastic bucket and that white, hard-to-dissolve caked substance is cyanuric acid.

Is my guess accurate? Is that CYA still usable?

After some rain, my CYA dropped from 40 to 20 and I decided to be frugal.
Thanks!

 

[Ignoramus]

I don't see any bumpers.

I saw your post with link to rubber bumpers. Thence my inquiry.

Thank you!

 

[Ignoramus]

Go easy with that stuff. I couldn't get mine out the first time (how I invented the 2X4 / sledge combo) and went heavy on WD40. It bled an oily residue for years after.

Ugh, that'd be bad. Thank you for the warning!

Making lemons outta lemonade if you can't get the rails out, that means you have 6 access holes for turkey baster-ing chlorine.

Make that 7 holes - the bumpers are out, too. So we scrub insides as well as we can and then load chlorine into these rails.

And reading your post, I have realized we need to scrub skimmers, returns and lane anchors every day, too.
Good thing I got kids to help!

Thank you!

 

[JamesW]

You definitely need bumpers.

I suspect that you will also need new treads.

Once you get the ladder out, you can "spring" it some to get it to sit against the wall without a gap by bending the legs in a tiny bit, but don't overdo it.

The blue bumpers are the better bumpers over the cheap white ones.

 

[JamesW]

load chlorine into these rails.

I would not put chlorine in the rails.

That can cause rust.

 

[Newdude]

I assume that chlorine dissipated and destroyed plastic bucket and that white, hard-to-dissolve caked substance is cyanuric acid.

It could also be Calcium and of no use. Powdered shock bags are often Cal-Hypo.

Dumb question about pool chemicals.

Please ask, anytime. If you foul something up that you're unsure of, then we are helping fix multiple problems. It is better for ALL parties to only have the original problems, and maybe some laughs.

 

[Ignoramus]

I would not put chlorine in the rails.

That can cause rust.

Do you mean the rails aren't stainless steel???

You definitely need bumpers.

I suspect that you will also need new treads.

Original treads are stainless steel with plastic end caps and plastic nonslip inserts. They seem to be okay after soaking in chlorine solution and ascorbic acid bath.

Once you get the ladder out, you can "spring" it some to get it to sit against the wall without a gap by bending the legs in a tiny bit, but don't overdo it.

I have not yet managed to remove the rails. I am in repetitive process of scraping off the stuff that seems to bind rail in its socket. So far the grip is solid, though.

The blue bumpers are the better bumpers over the cheap white ones.

Gotcha! I'll compare the two. Thank you!

 

[Ignoramus]

It could also be Calcium and of no use. Powdered shock bags are often Cal-Hypo.

Ooh, I need calcium. PoolMath says I need 52 lbs of CaCl. I am planning to add it after I am done SLAMing and while i wait for FC to drop for Ascorbic Acid treatment.

Please ask, anytime. If you foul something up that you're unsure of, then we are helping fix multiple problems. It is better for ALL parties to only have the original problems, and maybe some laughs.

Yup. I already earned that badge

 

[Newdude]

Do you mean the rails aren't stainless steel???

Chlorine is very caustic and James brought up a great point. Leaving straight chlorine up in there with little circulation is only asking for trouble. So use SLAM water or do use chlorine but swish it out after a few minutes.

Ooh, I need calcium.

So, if you can guarantee it's one of the 2 things you need, then it's ok to use. I would want enough pieces of the old bags of shock left to make out what it was.

 

[JamesW]

I found old, almost decomposed bucket of pool shock, the 1 pound bag kind.

I assume that chlorine dissipated and destroyed plastic bucket and that white, hard-to-dissolve caked substance is cyanuric acid.

Be very careful with unknown chemicals as they can be very dangerous.

Whatever you do, do not mix the unknown chemical with anything else.

Do you mean the rails aren't stainless steel???

They are stainless, but even stainless can rust under the right or wrong conditions.

 

[PoolStored]

Do you mean the rails aren't stainless steel???

Rail tubes come in standard stainless and a "Marine" version. I bought the marine version and I have rusting where the bumpers go in, after one season. I think the quality has gone down on the steel they use.

So use SLAM water or do use chlorine but swish it out after a few minutes.

You don't have to put chlorine in them (while they are in the pool). If you got a flex brush into them and scrubbed around, then found a way to circulate a bit of the slam water around and into the tubes, should be good. The brush is necessary to break the biofilm If you don't break the biofilm and just put in chlorine, it won't work. Brushing is the important part.

 

[JamesW]

I have not yet managed to remove the rails.

Have you tapped down the anchor wedges?

 

[JamesW]

Is there anything inside the rails?

Maybe a product like ahhsome would work to break up any biofilms?

Maybe a product like Wet and Forget cleaner or a cheap foamy n-alkyl algaecide would work well for cleaning out the inside of the rails.

Wet and Forget​

APRIL 4, 2022
Yes- Wet & Forget is safe to use on a zinc roof and on metal railings.

We advise wearing long sleeves, eye protection, closed-toed shoes, and gloves when applying.







The chemicals in the cheap algaecide are similar to the chemical in Wet and Forget.

Don't get anything with copper and don't use in the pool.

 

[Ignoramus]

Have you tapped down the anchor wedges?

Yes. It seems the rails are bound at the perimeter..

Is there anything inside the rails?

A little came out of rails the first time we brushed them. Nothing visible comes out now.

Also, I've rigged a small solar powered pump to push water into the rail through one of side holes:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B093FLFT47

Maybe a product like ahhsome would work to break up any biofilms?

Maybe a product like Wet and Forget cleaner or a cheap foamy n-alkyl algaecide would work well for cleaning out the inside of the rails.

Got Wet n Forget.

​

The chemicals in the cheap algaecide are similar to the chemical in Wet and Forget.

Can I use Wet'n'Forget to wash pool vac parts? I took it apart and found a lot of crud. This is what was left after I tried to pressure wash the dirt out

Don't get anything with copper and don't use in the pool.

For now, nothing goes into the pool that's not CYA or liquid chlorine.

Thank you!

 

[JamesW]

Since the treads are out, you should be able to rotate the rails back and forth to break the bond.

 

[JamesW]

Can I use Wet'n'Forget to wash pool vac parts?

Seems safe enough to me.

 

[Ignoramus]

Rail tubes come in standard stainless and a "Marine" version. I bought the marine version and I have rusting where the bumpers go in, after one season. I think the quality has gone down on the steel they use.

This may be very old ladder. The pump in this system is "before 1992" model.

You don't have to put chlorine in them (while they are in the pool). If you got a flex brush into them and scrubbed around, then found a way to circulate a bit of the slam water around and into the tubes, should be good. The brush is necessary to break the biofilm If you don't break the biofilm and just put in chlorine, it won't work. Brushing is the important part.

Gotcha!
I got CPAP cleaning kit for scrubbing inside the rails. And I have rigged a little pump to get some circulation inside.

 

[Ignoramus]

Seems safe enough to me.

Full strength? For how long?

Thank you!