just a PS when you get it cleaned up you, you will have a nice retreat. Do not get too high or low, I almost bulldozed mine in, sure glad I did not now. Pool store told me I needed thousands in repair, I did not only a few hundred. How many skimmers and returns do you have?
Please help. Haven't opened pool in 3 1/2 years. Never had a pool! Severe help needed
- Thread starter Flimflam22
- Start date
spent all day cleaning up the surrounding area of the pool (in 90 degree heat only to be forced inside by thunderstorm), did not get a chance to measure the depth, test kit tf-100 has been ordered( with XL option). Very lost when it comes to actually turning the pump on no sure what to do besides removing plugs. There are also 2 skimmers. not sure if i answered everything.
Dude yer pump is non-existant! See where the twist plug is in the tee between the two brass valves...that is where the suction side of the pump should be. The discharge of the pump connected to the cut off pvc on the multiple valve. The hose barb fitting coming off the back was probably attached to a hose and ran away from the area for the waste/backwash. You will need to figure the volume of the pool to size the pump. Just by the looks of it it will be a 1hp.
Somebody stole your pump man! And some of those valves look like they might just break on you someday. That's beyond my expertise, but you will need a pump at least... and might consider changing out valves while plumbing is being worked on anyway!
You might check any sheds or garages... maybe previous owner stored it away for winter instead of leaving it out there?
You might check any sheds or garages... maybe previous owner stored it away for winter instead of leaving it out there?
Haha thats too funny. I think I remember them storing it away in the shed so I'll take a look tomorrow for that, hopefully i remember correctly. And yes I have been worried those valves might break off at some point.
Ok just so I have a game plan in case you guys aren't on tomorrow for whatever reason, I find the pump, attach it.. now what?
Find and insert any drain plugs in the filter and pump. Set up the valves to allow proper flow (you might get it wrong at first, but play around and you should find out the right settings). For now just get it on recirculate and make sure the pump is able to run correctly. You might dump in half a gallon of bleach just to keep algae where it is until you get the test kit and can start SLAM.
Also make sure you have stuff you'll need, like leaf rake, vacuum, and bleach. Once test kit comes the real fun begins. For tomorrow just get the equipment running.
What do you mean?
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Where would the drain plugs be placed?
I have no clue what I'm getting into once I turn that thing on. What should I be looking for?
He's talking about the bricks at the top of your pool. There's no easy fix there, and it won't be great for swimming with bricks falling in all the time!
Usually in the pump basket, so once you find that you might be good! The filter plug is usually with it, but it depends on how they closed the pool. Maybe it got left in.
I feel your pain. I was in your place a number of years ago when we bought our house. The pool store folks had me running in circles. It wasn't till the 2nd season I found this site. Pool maintenance has become much easier!
BTW, storing the plugs in the pump basket seems to be pretty universal. Our pool was closed up professionally before we bought the house and that was exactly where they were. And it's where I put them every fall. Cuz every spring I ask myself: Where the heck did I put them?
BTW, storing the plugs in the pump basket seems to be pretty universal. Our pool was closed up professionally before we bought the house and that was exactly where they were. And it's where I put them every fall. Cuz every spring I ask myself: Where the heck did I put them?
You have a little work to do but you have time, If you put 1/2 gal of bleach in be sure to brush the sides afterwards so as to mix the chlorine, you do not want it to sit on bottom in heavy concentration and ruin gunite. I personally would not add any chemicals yet just a waste of money and time IMHO. It has sat that way 3 1/2 years another week won't make a big difference. I would find the pump and install it inline. Before you install look it over real well to get familiar. The whole unit consists of a pump with a motor attached to it. the pump housing will have 1 -2 drain plugs, be sure they are in place if not find them and put them in ( may want to use a little Teflon tape so it does not leak ). Also, there should be a drain on the sand filter around the bottom so you can empty the water for the winter.
I agree you need to address the loose brick issue 1st, but while doing that, might as well keep learning other things getting the pump in place and seeing what you have. How handy are you at mixing up mortar? Also when trying to figure out how much this will cost, the internet usually saves me half as opposed to local pool stores but you have to shop it to be sure. Google the the filter model to get a schematic of how your filter works. They are fairly easy to maintain or even rebuild yourself. Your multi valve (black valve sticking out the side of your filter) may need a new spider gasket, I think it is a $10 part (mine is integrated into the top half of valve which makes it a $50 part, but not too bad since with proper use it should last several seasons)
We need some of the experts to give some advice on here like Divin Dave, Texas Splash. The reason I mention names sometimes they have a setting that alert them when their name comes up.
I agree you need to address the loose brick issue 1st, but while doing that, might as well keep learning other things getting the pump in place and seeing what you have. How handy are you at mixing up mortar? Also when trying to figure out how much this will cost, the internet usually saves me half as opposed to local pool stores but you have to shop it to be sure. Google the the filter model to get a schematic of how your filter works. They are fairly easy to maintain or even rebuild yourself. Your multi valve (black valve sticking out the side of your filter) may need a new spider gasket, I think it is a $10 part (mine is integrated into the top half of valve which makes it a $50 part, but not too bad since with proper use it should last several seasons)
We need some of the experts to give some advice on here like Divin Dave, Texas Splash. The reason I mention names sometimes they have a setting that alert them when their name comes up.
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well i found the old pump from the titanic. looks like its rusted to holy he ll. I still hooked up it but not sure if it needs to be replaced completely. Pool Amateur I literally hooked it up took pictures then read your post but i could always disconnect it. I also added a picture of some extra pieces that were involved. Not sure what any of them go to. Also as far as removing the lid of the filter is there anything special to use or just anything to twist it open? Also pretty sure that pressure gauge in the picture is totally shot. I don't think doing the mortar should be too much of a problem hopefully its just a few spots and not much larger problem then meets the eye
If you can fix the bricks the toughest part of your problem is there. Do not throw things away till we trouble shoot then make an informative plan. I would not open the filter till I knew what is inside by googling it and looking for flow diagram so you can understand then there are probably directions online how to rebuild if needed or can try it the way it is and deal with problems as we see. I think there is a screened platform inside the sand sits on top the water filters through the sand and out. Mine has laterals which take pool water to bottom of sand then water filters through sand and out the top. The big round gasket with the spokes is a spider gasket. It goes in your Variflow valve. If you get the model # off the vari- flow and google replace spider gasket on Vari flow model xxxx you may get a youtube video on how to do it. The little plastic cup is a sight glass for you vari-flow valve so you can tell when your backwash is finished because it will turn from dirty water to clean. The pressure gauge goes into valve to you know what is happening (I just paid $7 at pool store because I wanted it fast). Your pump is very similar to mine, it looks similar too, waiting for it to die and trying to figure out which pump I will replace it with, pretty sure it won't be a single speed pump which mine is and believe yours is. It has been running 2 years and no problems so far this year when I first started up a leak at the motor pump interface but it has stopped so I am not changing gasket and if I do will probably rebuild pump. (new impellers, gaskets). Before I would turn things on I really try to understand the flow but yous seems pretty straight forward. I would take a hose and run water into it to see where it goes so you know for sure.
PS if you start it up the pump basket has to be filled with water and I would fill the feed line from the skimmers. all your valves are closed and you do not want to run the pump without water or you will be rebuilding that pump.
Also can you go to your Skimmers and take out basket and take a picture looking down into skimmer. If you have 2 skimmers and a bottom drain that would be 3 valves. I only see 2, so your bottom drain may be incorporated in 1 of your skimmers. As you can see I am a proponent of look before you leap. Wish I did that when I started I did not spend big money but definitely would have saved more than half. Divin Dave has a great slogan in his signature "Experience- it's what's learned just after you needed it most Love it!!!!
I am currently out and can't put the pictures up but there are containers in each of the skimmer not sure if they are screwed in or not but not able to just pull out. What type of bleach should be used? Is any store brand fine or needs a certain % of something specific?
Just get plain bleach, non-scented NON of the splashless stuff. Once you settle in you can do a cost comparison. For instance in my neck of the woods it is cheaper to buy the 12.5% from the pool store than the 8.25% from the grocery. Don't bother spending money on anything else other than bleach until you get some test results.
The containers are probably those "gizmos" I tried to describe earlier. They help protect the skimmers from ice damage.