cyclone vac blower in NJ

[hookedonbolly]

Des anyone know where I can buy Cyclone 3HP Vac Blower in central NJ? I called a few local stores but no one seems to carry it. I want to close my pool this weekend and my 6.5hp Shop-Vac is not blowing out main drain.

 

[samt]

If I was you, I would invest in a small compressor instead of a tool you can only use for blowing out you pool with.
So many different things you can use a compressor for and only 1 thing you can use a pool blower for.

 

[hookedonbolly]

I agree and thought about it. But I am running out of time as we are fast approaching Oct. and don't have time to try things out. Do you know what type of compressor will work for sure?

 

[toofast]

Many folks have reported that the small (and cheaper) pancake type compressors don't have enough volume for main drain. A HUGE one with a big tank will work, but WAY more than a cyclone.

Only place I found to buy them (cyclone) was on line.

 

[samt]

I use a little pancake compressor and it does fine. You don't need a big compressor with a big storage tank because your goal is not to build up presure and blast the lines with a burst of air.

Volume is what you need and a small compressor that pumps air and forces out the water with air is your goal.

My deep end is 7 ft. so I figure my main drain line pipe is about 8 or 9 ft and my little pancake compressor that I bought at HD works fine.

Just turn it on , let it run , and within 2 min. My main drain starts to bubble with air.

Once that main drain bubbles, close off the valve on the main drain/ skimmer and create an air lock.

Sure there is still some water in the main drain pipe but you have just blow out a majority of the water and the little bit that is left in there is below the frost line anyway and will never freeze.

The people that report that a pancake compressor doesn't work, I bet they are the people that let the compressors tank fill up with air and then blast a burst of air through the line.

Let the little unit run and it will push air which pushes water out.

Look on utube, there are videos of a guy doing it this way . Works great.

 

[Durk]

You can rent them from Pelican Pools in Whitehouse, East Brunswick and elsewhere. I think Sahara Pools in Lebanon rents them, too. I don't think they sell them at either store. If I were buying one, I'd get it on-line.

 

[hookedonbolly]

Thanks samt.

I used 6.5 hp craftsman shop-vac and porter-cable 150psi 6 gallon air compressor to blow out lines. Shop-vac gave a nice blow after air compressor pushed out most of the water. Air compressor couldn't continuously blow my return as it couldn't keep up the pressure above 20-25 psi. I think smaller motor (0.8 hp) is to blame for this.

 

[Durk]

A pancake will do fine on a main drain, although it will take its time. A smaller or even a good size Shop-Vac can't do main drains as well because it can't build enough pressure. I would be more worried about the pancake on the horizontal runs--returns and skimmers--especially long ones. You need a good blast of air to air to kick water out of low spots and out the far end of the line. The little tank on the pancakes doesn't compare to a 30 or 50 gal. tank for this. The speed of air flow at the end of the line is directly related to the volume of air available in a short time period. Combining the big Shop-Vac and the pancake is a good approach, in my opinion, if that is what is available.