Open Pool Myself This Year - Questions

[ctfortner]

I think I have a good understanding of what to do but wanted to ask about a couple of things. The $250 to open it is just more than I can stand to spend on something I feel is fairly simple. I am a pretty handy guy, I replaced my pool pump motor myself mid season last year, so I should be able to handle this

I have a safety mesh cover, and I know pretty much how to remove it, as I have removed half of it before. Folding may be tricky the first go at it, will see. I know there are plugs in all the returns and I know how to remove and replace with eyeballs, done that before as well. Looks very simple to reinstall the salt cell as its just screw unions on each of of it, and it plugs into to my hayward panel. I know where/how to remove the skimmer gizmos.

My drain basket contains the following:

pump drain plugs (i see where those go)
Another small black threaded plug of some sort, not sure what its for. Does the booster pump have a drain?
plug for sand filter
pressure gauge for sand filter
4 small white threaded plugs. I know these go in the pvc lines coming from out of the ground to the equipment

Now, my equipment sits below pool level. I remember asking the guy about this the first time he winterized it, and him telling me (for some reason) he was going to drill drain holes in my pvc lines to be on the safe side. I know where the plugs go, I just cant recall why he did that, and if there is anything special involved to un-winterize the pool.

I wasnt there any of the times they winterized it so I dont know if they used antifreeze (doubt it), and I dont know what they did to get water out of the lines. Suck the lines out maybe?

So my general plan of attack was going to be...

remove cover
install all plugs (sealant/teflon used here?) The PVC line plugs in picture appear to have silicone on them.
install filter gauge
install salt cell and plug in (should it be cleaned or anything first)
set valves where they should be
remove return plugs and install eyeballs (water level is currently above returns)
remove gizmos

My pump pretty well self primes being below water level. Water level is close to normal level, they dont drain it down when winterizing and my under cover pump sits on the first step and keeps the water level there all winter.

so... check everything and fire her up. Do I need to wait any amount of time for water to hit the sand filter, or does it not fill up until the pump runs anyway?

What have I missed?

The PVC line plugs I am referring to




equipment below water level

 

[ssgumby]

Sounds like your plan is solid. Not sure why they drilled those holes. My pad is below water level, I do not have them.

My basic process was.
1. Put all plugs back in at the pad (filter, pump)
a. Put pressure gauge and site gauge back in filter.
2. Remove all plugs from pool (gizmo, returns)
3. Turn on main breaker inside house.
4. Open valve to input side of pump and let water begin to gravity feed.
5. Open valves to returns.
6. Set filter from Winter to Filter.
7. Say a prayer, bow to the pool gods, hang garlic around neck, and pray some more (we had a brutally cold winter)
8. Fire it up and watch for leaks.

That was about it from my memory. Was really quite simple.

As for folding your mesh cover, I just did mine for the first time and it was amazingly easy. Follow these steps (found these somewhere here).

1. Undo all straps.
2. From one end, grab the second set of straps and pull it back onto the first.
3. Repeat step 2 until complete.

Now you should have the cover piled ontop of itself and the width of your pool. Now, fold each side inward, then again. Should now fit in the bag!

I think it took me and my wife 10 mins tops to fold the cover.

 

[ctfortner]

Thanks for the info ssgumby.. I am not sure if he was going to put holes in the pvc until I asked about the equipment being lower and if it was a concern, but I think it was something along the lines of if water somehow made its way back toward the equipment it would drain out vs. sitting in the lines and freezing. He also had me wrap them with the electric heat tape as a precaution as well.

I will give the cover folding instructions a try and see how it goes, shouldnt be to bad. I will pickup some garlic before getting started

 

[ssgumby]

Thanks for the info ssgumby.. I am not sure if he was going to put holes in the pvc until I asked about the equipment being lower and if it was a concern, but I think it was something along the lines of if water somehow made its way back toward the equipment it would drain out vs. sitting in the lines and freezing. He also had me wrap them with the electric heat tape as a precaution as well.

I will give the cover folding instructions a try and see how it goes, shouldnt be to bad. I will pickup some garlic before getting started

That baffles me though, the idea is to seal the pipes up and pump them full of air. The air locks the water out, so putting a drain hole in would let the air out.

 

[blbncsu]

Going to open my pool first time this year also and plan on doing your same process.
Also just as worried about getting the safety cover off without falling into the cold water.

I too have a system below pool water level. When they closed my pool they too also put vent holes into the return pipes. I can't recall the exact reason but I want to say it was for a vacuum break. I will use teflon tape and the plugs to close them back up.