1st time closing myself - want to make sure I did it correctly!

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viscid

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Jul 25, 2012
26
St Charles, IL
I just closed my pool for the first time and would like to make sure I did it correctly. I’ve read the forum posts regarding blowing out the lines but as you’re aware, every pool is different!

After making sure the pool was clean and ph and chlorine were at the correct levels, I drained the pool below the skimmer and returns. Then I hooked up the Cyclone blower to the skimmer return port. I blew the 5 returns I have and closed the return valve. I’m thinking now the air can only go out the floor drain so with the return valve in the middle position (normally pulling from the skimmer and the floor drains) I kept the blower going.

After the floor drains were bubbling for a few minutes, I turned the valve to the skimmer position, ultimately closing the floor drain. At this point there was no where for the air to go so I turned the return valve to the fully closed position - I believe locking the drains and skimmer completely.

My question is: was that the correct procedure? I’m a little nervous as I know frozen pipes would cost thousands to repair. Closing a pool doesn’t seem like rocket science and with all the info in this forum, I figured I’d try it to start saving $400 a year. After the cyclone purchase, I’m still ahead. Just want to make sure I did everything correctly.

Thanks in advance for any replies!
 
Viscid:

I believe you have done this correctly, but can you take a picture of the plumbing and upload as your pool is closed. Air traveled from the skimmer towards the pump and through the filter to the returns. I am assuming you then closed the returns as you stated either by a valve or by the MPV forcing air to travel towards the main drain.

Hard to tell because I would have to see the plumbing of your main drain and skimmer, which is your suction area. Please upload and we can go from there. Want to make sure that your shut off valve is at the main drain. Can you also explain which side is main drain and which is skimmer. Also, how many skimmers do you have? Thanks!
 
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Here are a few pics, the left valve controls the returns to the pool (left pipe controls a cuddle cove and having it to the right controls the other 3 returns). The right valve is the suction side. The left pipe is the skimmer and having the shut off at 3 o’clock (looking down at the shut off) would only pull water from the floor drains.

With the returns emptied and the valve closed, the right, suction side was in the middle position at 12 o’clock, so the floor drains are open as well as the skimmer. I’m blowing air through the one skimmer I have, so with the returns closed, the air can only go out the floor drains, according to my thinking. After a few minutes of the floor drains bubbling, I turned the valve to 9 o’clock and then fully closed to 6. At the 9 o’clock position, my hose would just pop off the skimmer because there was no where for it to go. I think everything is now air-locked. I hope this helps explain what I did a little better!
 
Please go through this one more time. The left side is the skimmer (correct?) The right side is the main drain (correct?) Right now, the shut off valve is closed towards the pump and not the skimmer or the main drain (correct?) Thanks!

- - - Updated - - -

When you turned on the Cyclone, started from the skimmer, air travelled to suction side of the pump (Main drain turned to the 3 o’clock position which is off), then to the filter, and through the heater, and back to the return lines. Then you turned the valve to the 12 o’clock position so air can only travel to the main drain, (main drain bubbled for a while), and you turned the valve back from the 12 o’clock position to the 3 o’clock position creating an air lock.

Is the above correct?

It appears you released the "air lock". Please see below.

Looking straight down at the picture, the 12 o’clock position is going towards the Hayward Super Pump. Want to make sure you are no viewing this from the pump side, but yard side.

- - - Updated - - -

After a few minutes of the floor drains bubbling, I turned the valve to 9 o’clock and then fully closed to 6. At the 9 o’clock position, my hose would just pop off the skimmer because there was no where for it to go. I think everything is now air-locked. I hope this helps explain what I did a little better!
Click to expand...

After the floor drains were bubbling, you would have to turn the shut off valve to the 3 o'clock position so no air can travel towards the drain. This is how you create an "air lock". Unless, I am missing something here. If you turned the valve to the 9 o'clock position, you would create backpressure at the skimmer as you just stated and the hose would just pop off. If you place at the 12 o'clock position, both the skimmer and main drain are still open. Once you remove the Cyclone, air will travel back, hence not creating the air lock.
 
Catanzaro, your labeling is correct. When the valve was at the 3pm position, no air would flow to the main drain because that is the suction from the main drain so I thought the water would come in to the pipe because that is how it normally brings water to the pump. With the blower on, and the valve at the 12 o'clock position (this is where, in normal summer operation, both the skimmer and floor drain are open), I turned the valve to the 9pm position and then to the 6 pm position which has the skimmer and the main drain closed. I usually have to do everything twice so I bet I did it wrong...

Clarifications: The 12 o'clock position is going towards the pump. During the summer, at 12 o'clock, both skimmer and drain are open, 3pm only drain is open, 9pm, only skimmer is open, 6pm, both are closed.
 
As the diagram is now, what exactly is closed? It appears that the valve is pointing towards the 12 o'clock position and both the main drain and skimmer are open? Is that true? If not, I am definitely missing something here.

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If the valve shutoff is at the 12 o'clock position, then no flow would be apparent. Unless the shut off arm is positioned incorrectly. This could happen as I had this at my friends home (open was closed and vice versa) on a lot of valves. If so, I am taking your word.

How you know if you have done this correctly is that as the blower is moving water towards the main drain and you see the bubbling effect, once you close the valve, the bubbling effect stops as air can not enter the main drain any more and you will hear back pressure.

- - - Updated - - -

Clarifications: The 12 o'clock position is going towards the pump. During the summer, at 12 o'clock, both skimmer and drain are open, 3pm only drain is open, 9pm, only skimmer is open, 6pm, both are closed.
Click to expand...

Now, I know why this was not making sense. Under normal operation, the valve at the 6 o'clock position, means the 3 o'clock position is closed. I can take pictures of my set up, but I believe you know your plumbing better than I do.
 
I’m sorry for the confusion I caused you. Right now, as pictured, I’m calling the valves in the 6 o’clock closed position, with the handle pointing to 6 o'clock. I think you are calling that 12 o'clock as the arrow is pointing to 12 (which is totally understandable!!!). When the handle is pointed to the pump, the valves are open. In the picture they are closed.

I feel I’ve made this post utterly confusing now. My apologies.
 
viscid said:
I’m sorry for the confusion I caused you. Right now, as pictured, I’m calling the valves in the 6 o’clock closed position, with the handle pointing to 6 o'clock. I think you are calling that 12 o'clock as the arrow is pointing to 12 (which is totally understandable!!!). When the handle is pointed to the pump, the valves are open. In the picture they are closed. I feel I’ve made this post utterly confusing now. My apologies.
Click to expand...

When the handle is pointed to the pump, in the closed position, which valves are open? Are you stating right now in the picture that the skimmer and main drain are both open and the plumbing to the pump is completely closed?
 

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Right now in the picture everything is closed as I thought I did it correctly. The handle is my little hand if I were to emulate a clock. Disregard the arrows completely. When everything is open in the summer, the handle is pointed to the pump and both the drain and the skimmer would be open. The green pipe to the left of the heater is actually grey and that is the gas line going to the heater.
 
viscid said:
Right now in the picture everything is closed as I thought I did it correctly. The handle is my little hand if I were to emulate a clock. Disregard the arrows completely. When everything is open in the summer, the handle is pointed to the pump and both the drain and the skimmer would be open.
Click to expand...

In order to lock air in the main drain, the handle (long piece) needs to be at the 9 o'clock position, so the 3 o'clock position is locked, which is your main drain. Right now, you have it closed and if the pump as on, you would have no suction as water can not enter the housing at it is closed. You only need to lock air in the main drain, because the skimmer and return jets have Gizzmo's and black plugs for the winter. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
Catanzaro, it seems as though I locked the main drain and then also locked the skimmer which you’re saying is pretty much unnecessary because of how the skimmer is winterized. The past 2 years, the oool people closing always had the handle pointing in the direction they are now in the pics as to keep everything closed up, I guess. Seems like moving the handle from 9 to 6 wouldn’t hurt anything and the drains r still locked. Thanks much for your help.

And poolguyinCT, I’ve never heard of air inlets to a house. They must build them differently over there on the east coast...
 
viscid said:
Catanzaro, it seems as though I locked the main drain and then also locked the skimmer which you’re saying is pretty much unnecessary because of how the skimmer is winterized. The past 2 years, the oool people closing always had the handle pointing in the direction they are now in the pics as to keep everything closed up, I guess. Seems like moving the handle from 9 to 6 wouldn’t hurt anything and the drains r still locked. Thanks much for your help. /QUOTE]

After you shut down the cyclone, and removed the hose or adapter that you used, air released from the system, which included the main drain. If this was done quickly, I doubt you have anything to worry about. Look inside your pump housing to see if water is in there. But for future, have someone shut off the Cyclone at the skimmer and you shut off the valve about 2 seconds prior to the Cyclone being shut off. The skimmer makes no difference as the lines are cleared of water and it can not come back as you plugged with either a Gizzmo or black plug, threaded plug, etc.
Click to expand...
 

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