to turn pump on or ......???

[Pennypat]

You know what they say about the weather in Georgia. If you don't like it, stick around and it will change.

Our temps have been in the 50's and 60's (highs) and 40's and 50's (lows) until this past Friday when it was predicted that we would get a light dusting of snow which turned out to be 14 inches and we lost power for 3 days. On Saturday, the lows were in the 20's.

We turned out pool breaker off so that the pump wouldn't come on with everything frozen. Let me start with "I have no idea what I'm doing." This is my second winter with a pool. So, things have begun to thaw out. Most of the snow is gone and the temps have been in the 40's and 50's. The high today is predicted to be 57 degrees.

So, what do I do now? Is it safe to turn the pool pump back on? We actually had a plan to have the pool wired into the breaker box and bought a generator for such a time as this. However, the wiring into the breaker box is still on the "to do" list.

Again, what to do now????

 

[borjis]

What I would do, is keep the breaker off and open the pump
lid and take the basket out, then feel back for the motor impeller
and see if it turns, if it does, then put it all back together
and turn it on. Any Ice in there would keep it from moving.

If you had sustained temps near 20 degrees for 3 days
there is a slight possibility of pump freeze damage and
a much higher possibility of heater freeze damage if
you have heater. If you run the pump and nothing
leaks then you got lucky.

I busted my heat exchanger last year by not draining
the heater and pump when we had a few days of 20 degree
weather last year. Heat exchanger replacement is about
a thousand bucks.

The best thing to do if you keep your pool open during winter
is to drain the pump and heater by late november to avoid
any potential damage to your equipment over the winter months.
(Dec-Feb)

 

[Pennypat]

We have a freeze setting that turns on the pump when the temp gets below around 37 degrees. That's why we don't drain it. But, the problem was that the power was off. The temp stayed around 32 to 40's except the one night, it got down to about 26 degrees. There is still a little snow that hasn't melted, even though the temp has been in the 50's. I think because there was so much of it. But, we also have a polaris that runs too, is there a way to check that?

 

[Pennypat]

So, it looks like we made it through the storm with pool pump and polaris still working! Thank you Lord. And, thank you guys for your information.

 

[PoolGate]

So, it looks like we made it through the storm with pool pump and polaris still working! Thank you Lord. And, thank you guys for your information.

Sweet! It must be a little tricky in those climates where you are "usually" ok not winterizing but it "might" get cold. Fortunately for me, there is no question that I will winterize (drain) my equipment.

 

[borjis]

It is tricky and I'm in that climate model.

Any climate that may or may not have a freeze/snow event, I say at least drain the equipment from DEC-FEB.

We usually get light snow and an occasional freeze. but every 2 years or so we get a snow dump and
below freezing for a week. It happened last year and busted my heater (a very old one on it's last days thank goodness).

Out of caution I drain equipment and place a rock filled 1/2 gallon milk jug in the skimmer from DEC-FEB every year now.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Skippy and I just run the pump continously overnight on nights that are expected to freeze. Skippy also tends to tent over the equipment pad with a tarp and hang an auto light under the tarp which warms the air just enough to keep things a few degrees warmer.

Maddie (also in Georgia)