Hello. Long time reader, first time poster.
I'd like to feel out this community with my idea I had the other day. I've taken a lot of ideas/info from this site and now I would like to add to the discussion.
Here in Nova Scotia the time is close approaching to uncover the pool and get it ready for the season. Which is always a Pain if you ask me. But we all do it for those enjoyable few months of owning a pool. And as I was looking over my setup and deciding what to add or change I came up with an idea of adding a 3-way valve under the skimmer for winterizing the pool.
So some background info first...I have an 18' round above ground that is hard plumbed to my equipment that is at about or slightly under the running water level of the pool. This is no issue with my pump, nor have I had any issues. In fact it works great! However, with the completion of my deck around the pool, when it comes time to disconnect the line from the skimmer so as to leave it open for the winter, and reconnecting it in the spring, it is just a cumbersome job. Could be a design flaw on my part....but I have to live with that. And in my effort to make things easier this is what I've come up with.
Possible solution: If I add a three way valve under the skimmer, this would give me easy access to open the skimmer for the winter (so ice/snow/water doesn't sit in the skimmer) and quickly change to "operational" in the spring.
A simple diagram of what I'm talking about. Winter comes, and I do my usual closing routine, but then close the valve to the pump/filter and leave the skimmer open to drain into the yard. In spring I close the drain line and set things up for the summer.
Any ideas...pros/cons?
Thanks.
I'd like to feel out this community with my idea I had the other day. I've taken a lot of ideas/info from this site and now I would like to add to the discussion.
Here in Nova Scotia the time is close approaching to uncover the pool and get it ready for the season. Which is always a Pain if you ask me. But we all do it for those enjoyable few months of owning a pool. And as I was looking over my setup and deciding what to add or change I came up with an idea of adding a 3-way valve under the skimmer for winterizing the pool.
So some background info first...I have an 18' round above ground that is hard plumbed to my equipment that is at about or slightly under the running water level of the pool. This is no issue with my pump, nor have I had any issues. In fact it works great! However, with the completion of my deck around the pool, when it comes time to disconnect the line from the skimmer so as to leave it open for the winter, and reconnecting it in the spring, it is just a cumbersome job. Could be a design flaw on my part....but I have to live with that. And in my effort to make things easier this is what I've come up with.
Possible solution: If I add a three way valve under the skimmer, this would give me easy access to open the skimmer for the winter (so ice/snow/water doesn't sit in the skimmer) and quickly change to "operational" in the spring.
A simple diagram of what I'm talking about. Winter comes, and I do my usual closing routine, but then close the valve to the pump/filter and leave the skimmer open to drain into the yard. In spring I close the drain line and set things up for the summer.
Any ideas...pros/cons?
Thanks.
What you are proposing is more of a personal preference, and I understand what you are trying to do and why. I don't see any big negatives to your idea. While others may be just fine backwashing to waste to lower the water level and then using a shopvac to remove any residual water, doing it your way is yet another option. Perhaps the only potential drawback is that it's just something else that could go wrong later or leak. That's a stretch I know, but that's really all I could come up with. I would make sure to use unions so that if/when you ever have to take the valve out for something, you won't have to cut PVC. That's my take. Let's see what others have to say. :blah: :blah: :blah: HA ha. Have a nice weekend.