Having trouble blowing out lines

[Catanzaro]

Are you trying to clear one line at a time? Also, what is your compressor set to? Have you tried to burp the return lines to build pressure?

What I would recommend is to drain below the returns and clear the lines. In addition, the skimmer lines should be cleared at a the same time a wet vac is being used. I just do not have enough information or know your plumbing/equipment pad to determine where you are loosing air.

Close all the return lines and then open one up at a time as air is removing water, then close for a few second sand open up again. With water below the returns, you will not run into any problems.

 

[CSteen]

I tried one side at a time, plugging the opposite line inside the pump basket. I had my compressor set to around 30psi.

The water level was below the returns when I covered the pool, but since it has rained a bit since then the level is now half covering the returns. I guess I need to get my pump going again to lower the water level. I have a vague memory from last winter of running my pump dry for a half a minute to get the majority of the remaining water out of the system. Is that standard procedure?

Once I get my water level down I'll try that burping procedure.

Thanks for all of your assistance and patience with me.

 

[Catanzaro]

Please keep us posted! I tried an empty spillover spa with a very small shop vac with great success. Try lowering to 20 PSI first. What type of compressor do you have? What inch plumbing also are you working with (assuming 1.5")? Thanks!

 

[CSteen]

I believe it is 1.5 in pipe. I bought a Central Pneumatic compressor with an 8 gallon tank from Harbor Freight specifically to do this because I couldn't get my shop vac to do the trick. I'm wondering if I left too much water in the lines before trying to blow them out.

 

[Catanzaro]

Let the compressor keep running even without pressure and allow the water to trickle out.

 

[CSteen]

I'm struggling in the twelfth hour to get this done, and I'm having trouble finding the free time to do it. The current cold wave we're experiencing has got me worried about my pipes. I keep checking under my pool cover(mesh) to see if anything looks frozen, and so far everything seems liquid. I also checked the skimmer and there doesn't appear to be any ice there either. I did notice ice in the the bubble on my backwash line, but that seems to be the only place so far. I believe the rest of the stuff on my equipment pad is pretty dry. We're looking at maybe three more days of highs in the mid 30s and lows in the mid teens. How concerned should I be?

 

[Catanzaro]

How concerned should I be?

Hard to tell as SC short term weather may be different. You may want to invest in a professional pool blower for next year (The Cyclone) considering your are having so many issues. It does take a few days of real cold weather before pipes start freezing, but again no one can guarantee or predict any cycle. Thanks!

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Are the lines iced? Try shop vac blow again with the filter removed or hire a firm to purge the piping.

 

[CSteen]

Are the lines iced? Try shop vac blow again with the filter removed or hire a firm to purge the piping.

No ice aside from what I could see in the backwash pipe. Filter is empty and set on recirculation. Can't afford to have a firm come out. If my pipes break I guess I'll just have a lot more free time next summer. And a liner I'm still paying off

Pretty sure I can do this if I can just get some time to.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

I meant filter removed from the shop vac for more gusto.

 

[CSteen]

I meant filter removed from the shop vac for more gusto.

Ah, gotcha. Thanks PoolguyinCT.

 

[CSteen]

In an update to this ongoing saga I'm finally draining water so that I can attempt blowing out the lines again. I'm currently pumping to waste and noticed water leaking out of the valve on my vacuum line. I don't use the vac line since there is an underground pipe leak. Apparently ice has broken the side off of the valve. I assume I'm going to need to cap this off in some way before I can try to blow things out. I have no experience with plumbing, but if someone can guide me I can probably make the fix without hiring someone. Could someone advise on next steps?

Valve on the left has duct tape over as a reminder not to use vac line.

The ball covers MOST of the hole when the side is falling off. Oi.

 

[mknauss]

Is that line completely unused? If so a quick fix is to cut the valve out and glue end caps on the the lines. Be sure to clean up the PVC and use primer and glue.

 

[Greener_Developments]

Blow all your lines out from the Pump, suggested. Take skimmer basket out of skimmer and disconnect line from pump where it comes in from skimmer, or leave connected and plow out from inside pump after removing pump basket. Blow out this line and you will see what looks like a volcano of water erupting out of skimmer. Keep shop vac engaged until just mist is coming out of skimmer. Shut off vac and plug this line at skimmer with screw in bottle or #12 plug. If you have 2 skimmers or two skimmer suction holes in same skimmer, yes, you will need to plug one first, and blow out individually. Returns; Similarly, disconnect return lines from filter and blow these out, or if it is a cartridge filter you can blow them out from within the filter without disconnecting anything. Keep shop vac engaged as you blow out the returns and plug each return one at a time. For the last return you will need to shut off blower first. Hope this make sense. I winterize pools in Canada and all work is done from the filter and pump and then plugged at pool end. In this way it will only be a matter of switching valve settings to direct which line gets blown out next. Skimmer is it's own line usually, but there can sometimes be a valve for suction (if you have that) which you can also blow out and just wait for bubbles and then close it. Returns, Spajets, Waterfall, Deckjets and Heater coils can all be blown out from filter by just changing valve settings. If you have no access to inside filter (sand filter for example), it still works the same but you need to disconnect the return lines from filter and blow out from there. If you try to blow out everything from the skimmer you probably have a valve setting somewhere or the filter itself is preventing a through passage to your returns, plus everything would need to be primed first and just your return valves open for this to work, i think. Hope helps.