Modified Cover for Hayward Super Pump for Closing Swimming Pool

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Gotter Done! I now have a blowout cover. I used a 2-1/2 inch hole saw to make the hole. In retrospect, 2-3/8 would have been a better fit. The plastic is 3/16 inches thick and you're probably going to experience binding unless you use an impact driver. The cut is not pristine, so I had to smooth out the edges with a dremel. I used a Hayward SPX1091Z4 hose adapter instead of the SP-1023 you used. That's the 2nd one from the right in my previous post. Hooked everything up and did a test run on my main drain line. Worked like a charm!

https://imgur.com/a/Iio0X

 
I suppose Chemnut's solution is a little more versatile...especially if you're one to help other people out with their closings. I prefer your solution because it's so simple and convenient. Make one connection to the pump and blow out EVERYTHING from there just by working the valves.
 
Not sure if it could be simpler then removing suction side connection and connecting your cyclone to that? Buy the same union that's on your pump and you now have both connectors to blow out suction lines and blow out return lines. The beauty of screwing it on leaves you able to go see when everything's clear of water.
 
The video shows a Cyclone & Modified Cover.

A Pool Owners Guide to Closing - YouTube

Again, same concept. I am assuming that if they went into a lot of detail, people can just watch the video until comfortable. I am not in agreement with the burping process of return lines, especially if you are using the Cyclone. The Cyclone will remove every inch of the water in the return lines, especially if you lower the water below the returns. The burping process is great if your blower does not have the volume needed, and this can be done several times until you are comfortable.

Nice video, but they needed to explain a little more about the Cyclone (why they use this blower instead of a compressor or shop vac), and why they created the modified cover. The threaded plugs also leak, even with Teflon tape. I had ordered them and the manufacturer told me that they are designed for AGP. Best to use black expandable rubber plugs. I do use the threaded if a return needs to be closed off during the swimming season for some reason (usually to increase pressure for aeration with waterfall adapter).

All you really need is the modified cover, hose, and Cyclone. Everything else is done at the shut off valves. No disconnecting of any other parts. My heater has no drain plug and I do not even remove the threaded plugs in the pump basket. Only items removed are the sight glass, pressure gauge, drain plug on filter, and then winterize the filter (between two positions).

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Not sure if it could be simpler then removing suction side connection and connecting your cyclone to that? Buy the same union that's on your pump and you now have both connectors to blow out suction lines and blow out return lines. The beauty of screwing it on leaves you able to go see when everything's clear of water
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Often times, there is not enough slack to hook up a hose this way. But some have flexible piping and this will work.
 
Chemnut said:
You might want to check your pump. No blower will remove all the water. There still will be some left in it. Remove those plugs and watch some trickle out.
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The little amount of water left in the bottom (maybe 1") is dried with microfiber towels. By the time I come back, the basket is completely dried out. Then cover back on. I do not remove fittings as they could strip over time and could be a problem, but again up to the pool owner to decide what they are comfortable with. Also, I use rubber plugs on the suction and return side in the basket to prevent any water from coming back (just in case) from pool.
 

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Watch those rubber plugs, they can come out. Threaded closing plugs with several wraps of teflon tape will never move. Fittings with threads and o rings are meant to be removed no?
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Yep. The rubber plugs come out. I opened several years ago only to see one of the return plugs lying on the pool floor under the return. It seems that the ice yanks these things out. That's when I went to threaded plugs for the returns.
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The whole idea about closing a swimming pool is to clear the lines properly. The threaded plugs may not pop out, but the black plugs popped out because of ice expansion as pool lines were not cleared. I learned my techniques from people in the industry. In the 25 years + of closing pools in NJ with black plugs, not once have they ever popped out. I tried the other plugs, but they leaked.

IMO, clearly, the risk is not worth it to leave water behind in piping and take the chance of having a repair done that will cost thousands of dollars, if not destroy your pool. Whatever method a person is comfortable with is what they should go with, but the water needs to be cleared out properly. NJ does not have severe deep freezes, but as you travel north, the difference is substantial. Even in North Jersey near PA, and NY, the weather is sometimes completely different. The black plugs are designed for in ground swimming pools. I am guessing there is no right way or wrong way of doing this.

And for black plugs to pop out from ice expansion clearly indicates that the pipes were full of water and something happened. Winterizing a pool is about getting rid of the water in the plumbing.
 
Just got a Cyclone myself (version/model 2 as I recall). My plumbing is all 2” but I have unions on all my connections to my valves so I should be able to make a 1.5” to 2” adapter with a union half on the end. Just need to go hit the store and see what kind of 2” to 1” reducers I can find.

Has anyone else come up with other 2” adapter methods?

Cheers
Tim
 
Thorvald said:
Just got a Cyclone myself (version/model 2 as I recall). My plumbing is all 2” but I have unions on all my connections to my valves so I should be able to make a 1.5” to 2” adapter with a union half on the end. Just need to go hit the store and see what kind of 2” to 1” reducers I can find. Has anyone else come up with other 2” adapter methods? Cheers Tim
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Try placing the hose in the 2" plumbing at the unions. You may get enough volume out of the Cyclone to do what you want?
 
Catanzaro

I think this site likes to follow manufacturers manuals, all Pump manuals say to remove drain plugs for winter. They rarely strip if you pay attention and if they do, $2 replaces them. It's not the water in the basket that is icing concern, it's the water trapped inside the wet side housing. That water will freeze and expand to crack it.
 
Chemnut said:
Catanzaro

I think this site likes to follow manufacturers manuals, all Pump manuals say to remove drain plugs for winter. They rarely strip if you pay attention and if they do, $2 replaces them. It's not the water in the basket that is icing concern, it's the water trapped inside the wet side housing. That water will freeze and expand to crack it.
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I have no standing water in my pump basket. Every few weeks, I check the basket to see if any water has shown up from anywhere. If not, I leave alone. What wet housing are your referring to? The pump motor? I checked the plumbing where the SWG goes (dummy pipe now) and the only trace is dried up salt from the pool and nothing else.

Everything is plugged up. Unless the MD Pentair valve fails, I doubt water will siphon back into the pump basket.
 
PoolguyinCT said:
Black plugs are actually " popped out" when grabbed by freeze / thaw of pool water inside pool... always put wingnuts in "6/12 o'clock" position to avoid lateral pressure on the wing nut..
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Good to know. My water level is at the bottom of skimmer. Never drain below the returns and the tarp fills up with water pretty quickly before a harsh cold winter. I have only seen about 1" surface frozen water on the cover and in the skimmer basket. Near the walls, the water does not freeze. Must be some sort of insulation of pool walls, soil, etc. Does not freeze to end, but leaves some sort of gap. Does this apply to water levels near the skimmer, as I would think not.
 
Hexabc:

Nice work. I took the easy way out and had someone do this for me. Let's keep the thread goings as this was started in July of 2015. Hopefully other members can post some pictures on either a modified cover or even what adapters they have created to clear lines in the pool. Glad you were able to upload these as this is linked to the "concept of closing an in ground swimming pool".

The concept of closing an in ground swimming pool
 

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