Newbie: Elevated Spa Closing Help

[df.pa.2112]

Hello,

First time poster here so I apologize if this isn’t a reasonable way to start.

In the spring of the year we purchased a home with an IG plaster pool and elevated spill over spa. This is my first pool so to say I was a newbie in all of this was an understatement. After numerous let downs and what felt like extortions from the local pool companies I eventually decided to do all of the upkeep and work myself. This forum has been an invaluable resource to giving me peace of mind with the balancing and overall upkeep. By the end of summer things were very working very well and quite predicable.

I had hoped to get a company to assist me with closing but as they have all summer the effort has only resulted in more letdowns. While the overall condition of the pool was fairly good the upkeep and maintenance of the cover, pumps, electrics and plumbing maintenance and upkeep left me with a lot to do this first year. I think I have at least sorted out most of what needs to be done in the future and have repaired the cover and repaired the plumping/pumps enough to safely close for the year (although I am way behind where I wanted to be.)

I have a plan for closing and have gotten all of the plugs, cyclone (purchased and on the way), gizmo and can get the antifreeze I may need. Shooting for midweek this week for the big day. While I still have a lot of uncertainties but I think I have a procedure that will get me safely closed.

The question I have is in regards to the elevated spa. It is a spillover and has 6 or so jets, air blower and two drains. The returns/jets are run off of the main pump (at this time) with spa flow controlled by a jandy diverter valve on the main return. I think there is a second pump that I think served the jets that appears to be plumbed separately (but that pump was broken/seized and I haven’t been able to troubleshoot that as of yet so not really sure what it does)

For closing I have a few questions on the spa, with it being so shallow should I drain it entirely? I assume I should just blow out and antifreeze to the jets and then plug them. If I leave water in the spa below the jets should I airlock the drains or perhaps just reach in and plug them? I am outside Philly for reference..

I have a few pics but nothing that shows the inside of the spa at the moment that I can post if need be. Here is a picture showing the spa from the other side of the pool, the fence to the right is where the pumps/equipment are located.



BTW, Thanks in advance and many many thanks to all of those who post and help. This forum is the ONLY way I was able to make it through this first year and not go absolutely insane in the process.

 

[Catanzaro]

Your spillover spa should have a suction side (deep on the bottom), probably 2 drains along with returns. The suction side will need to be cleared and you should have a separate valve to "air lock" them, and the returns are plugged with winter plugs. Pretty simple.

Please upload pictures of the equipment pad so we know what type of system you have. Thanks!

 

[df.pa.2112]

Hello,

Thanks for the input, for the spa should I worry about water building up in the spa over the winter? The mesh cover does go over the spa and I wasn't planning to have a second water level pump in there.

Here are a couple of pictures of the pad from when I opened the pool. It is a seemingly overly tangled mess and I plan to simplify it in the spring. I have a pentair variable speed pump to replace the main pump and will move the main pump over to the accessory system when I rearrange and re-organize this. The heater for the spa was removed at some point possibly years ago, I think it was plumbed in by the blower. I hope to install another of those as well.

 

[df.pa.2112]

Another view from the entry showing the return diverter

 

[Catanzaro]

Work from the pump basket. The 1.5" hose is flexible enough to get into the suction and return side. Close the valves after clearing the drains for the spa and the main drain ("Air lock"), and then when all done with the suction side, place a black winter plug as a back up. Below you will find my thread that goes into much detail. All pools are the same. You have a suction side and return side. Clear the lines, winterize, you are all done. On the return side, air will take care of the heater, salt cell, chlorinator, and anything in its path, etc.

Concept of closing an IG Swimming Pool

The concept of closing an in ground swimming pool

 

[df.pa.2112]

Thanks again for the input. My plan was to start from the basket and then plug. I wasn't sure if the brass check valve (I think that is what is in line after the skimmer and main drain) was going to interfere with doing the main drain and skimmer from the basket. If it does, I might have to open it up and work from there.

 

[Catanzaro]

There should be no interference. Air will travel to the pat of least resistance on both the suction and return side. As you keep plugging each section off, air can only travel to the next.

 

[df.pa.2112]

Got through most of closing today! Many challenges but overall I made it through all of the major steps.

A couple of questions that came up are:

Is it better to use rubber stoppers or threaded pvc caps in threaded fittings such as the spa jets and the bottom of the skimmer? The outlet of my skimmer is too close to the edge and set too deep for the gizmo to thread in. I have both caps and stoppers to use in the spa jets?

In the spa jets can the hex fitting/jet inside the nozzle be removed? I wasn't able to get anything to attach to the fitting to run some antifreeze back into them after they were blown out.

Note: the cyclone was awesome. It made things a ton better than the shop vac and was really convenient to switch and move around. I just used my vacuum hose and rubber flex adapters to attach them the the lines I was working on, very hands free.

thanks for all of the help thus far!

 

[Catanzaro]

Is it better to use rubber stoppers or threaded pvc caps in threaded fittings such as the spa jets and the bottom of the skimmer?

Depending on the type of jets you have, it would be best to use black plugs. I have only seen spill over spas with waterway jets and they require # 4 plugs or #4 extended plugs as they are deep. The extended version works best. Are there thread in the returns of the spa and/or what kind of design is it?

The outlet of my skimmer is too close to the edge and set too deep for the gizmo to thread in. I have both caps and stoppers to use in the spa jets?

Are you 100% certain that a Gizzmo that is 3" in length will not fit, that means you have to have about 2" from center to edge. If so, then in the skimmer I would use a threaded cap with Teflon tape.

In the spa jets can the hex fitting/jet inside the nozzle be removed? I wasn't able to get anything to attach to the fitting to run some antifreeze back into them after they were blown out.

Antifreeze is always added from the pluming near the equipment pad, not from the end of the run. You should not need antifreeze if your lines were cleared out properly. We have cold weather, but not like other parts of the country.

Note: the cyclone was awesome. It made things a ton better than the shop vac and was really convenient to switch and move around. I just used my vacuum hose and rubber flex adapters to attach them the the lines I was working on, very hands free.

It is really a wonderful tool to have. I used the foam inserts and towels to keep it from shifting in a large black bin/yellow top. Keep it dry and clean as well as this should last 20+ years if only using it annually. Reminds me of my Sears large air compressor (almost 18 years and still going strong).