First Time Closing - Blower Question

[RafaelS]

Guys,
I will be closing out my pool by myself for the first time and I purchased the Cyclone liner vac through Amazon to do so. I have long lines and I know the pool place had trouble blowing them using their regular equipment. I was always worried as to what to use to blow the lines if I was to attempt this myself. The question is regarding this blower vs a regular shop vac/blower. The Cyclone states it has 3hp and it costs around $300, I saw a Ridgid shop blower in HD yesterday that is 6hp and only $99. Did I waste all that money or is this a different kind of hp we are talking about here? I read the Cyclone is what the pros use to blow out lines but why spend all that money if something so much cheaper can do the same job?

 

[Amanda14]

Watching. I use a 5Hp compressor, but I understand that a shop vac style blower may be a better choice. I am about to purchase one as well (probably the same Rigid), so I am curious to the responses.

 

[jblizzle]

I don't think it is so much the HP that matters, but the kind of pressure it can put out which is dependent on the fan design.

A very inefficient fan with high bypass on a giant motor may move much less air than an efficient fan design with a smaller motor.

 

[bdex]

I don't think it is so much the HP that matters, but the kind of pressure it can put out which is dependent on the fan design.

A very inefficient fan with high bypass on a giant motor may move much less air than an efficient fan design with a smaller motor.

You are on to something here.

I had an older Rigid 4hp vac/blower. Replaced it with a shop vac 6hp.

The Rigid vac by far out powered this shop vac from a blowing the lines out sense. Glad I kept it. Every spec said this Ridgid should be inferior. HP, CFM etc.

The other part is that most of these vac/blowers have a "limit" on the resistance pressure. Once it gets so high, it starts to blow the air out the fan. Not into the pipe. I think that is my problem with the bigger vac.

I say if you have long lines then you spent your money well. I would rather spend the extra $200 than have a line break due to freezing.


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[RafaelS]

So I actually called the Pool store that sells these and asked the question. I told them that I have a 6hp shop vac but was thinking about the cyclone and if he could tell my the difference. He explained that the shop vac may do the job and if it doesn't I can purchase the Cyclone from them. He said that it is possible the shop vac may move a much smaller amount of air compared to the Cyclone even though it has more HP. Basically the Cyclone is designed to much a higher volume of air. I will stick with the Cyclone I think as I know I have a lot of lines to clear and they are all long. The Pool place that was closing it last year had to come back a second time because they could not clear my lines with whatever equipment they used on all their others closings. I assume they had to get something with a bit more power. I am still thinking wheather its worth buying the shop vac and returning the Cyclone if it works, I am not sure though if its still returnable as they said 30 days.

 

[zimm]

You did the right thing. I also bought that same blower a few weeks ago. I couldn't get my lines fully cleared last fall after trying an air compressor, shop vac, and a leaf blower. The pool guys brought over the orange cyclone blower and that did the trick. Don't focus on HP, that cylone is properly designed to blow a massive volume air at a low pressure. A shop vac is designed to suck a small amount of air at high velocity. Different fan for a different purpose.

 

[RafaelS]

You are on to something here.

I had an older Rigid 4hp vac/blower. Replaced it with a shop vac 6hp.

The Rigid vac by far out powered this shop vac from a blowing the lines out sense. Glad I kept it. Every spec said this Ridgid should be inferior. HP, CFM etc.

The other part is that most of these vac/blowers have a "limit" on the resistance pressure. Once it gets so high, it starts to blow the air out the fan. Not into the pipe. I think that is my problem with the bigger vac.

I say if you have long lines then you spent your money well. I would rather spend the extra $200 than have a line break due to freezing.


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Thanks for your suggestion and opinion, I believe you are right and I should stick with the Cyclone. I definitely do not want any water left over in the pipes.

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You did the right thing. I also bought that same blower a few weeks ago. I couldn't get my lines fully cleared last fall after trying an air compressor, shop vac, and a leaf blower. The pool guys brought over the orange cyclone blower and that did the trick. Don't focus on HP, that cylone is properly designed to blow a massive volume air at a low pressure. A shop vac is designed to suck a small amount of air at high velocity. Different fan for a different purpose.

Hey thanks to you as well for your input, I guess at this point I am convinced Cyclone is what I need. I did a test run on it and even though it does seem to blow lots of air I guess I was expecting something stronger lol. I guess only blowing out the lines will prove if its working properly. I know using an air compressor was probably not going to work for me unless I purchase a really big one (and at that point its costing same or more as Cyclone) as I spoke to a neighbor who had one of these to blow his sprinkler lines. He said it took forever and it kept running out of pressure, he had to stop multiple times and it took him all day to do a job that should take 30 minutes.

 

[bdex]

Mine seem to get pretty clear and I may buy that vac over the winter so I do not need to keep 2 shop vacs around the garage. But a residual amount of water left in the lines when 5-6 gallons of antifreeze is added should not do any damage. I am worried more about low spots.


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[zimm]

After you plug the return bubbling the most, more and more air will start the blow out of the remaining returns. I was pretty shocked how much air and water was blowing out of my returns with the cyclone.

 

[RafaelS]

After you plug the return bubbling the most, more and more air will start the blow out of the remaining returns. I was pretty shocked how much air and water was blowing out of my returns with the cyclone.

I lower my water level below the returns so I do not think I will see the bubbling effect you are talking about

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Mine seem to get pretty clear and I may buy that vac over the winter so I do not need to keep 2 shop vacs around the garage. But a residual amount of water left in the lines when 5-6 gallons of antifreeze is added should not do any damage. I am worried more about low spots.


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I have no way to add antifreeze to my lines so but your pool is probably designed differently. I want to make sure I clear as much water out of them as possible.

 

[Amanda14]

I have been stressing about this and have been searching the site for answers. Last year in NY the weather was hellish over the winter and I had used our 5HP Compressor to blow out the lines and add antifreeze. Everything turned out fine so I don't know if I was incredibly lucky or was incredibly stupid. I think I am going to use the compressor after lowering the level 4-6 inches below the skimmer line and add antifreeze like last year.

 

[bdex]

I lower my water level below the returns so I do not think I will see the bubbling effect you are talking about

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I have no way to add antifreeze to my lines so but your pool is probably designed differently. I want to make sure I clear as much water out of them as possible.

If you drain your pool below the returns then you most certainly have a way to add antifreeze to the lines. Just may have to get creative. A funnel with a curved neck on it. I have an old metal one with a neck that is flexible. If you cannot find one, make a contraption out of PVC pipe and elbows to get it done.

But with that vac I say hook it up and wait until it blows dry air. Let the water settle and hit it again.


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[RafaelS]

If you drain your pool below the returns then you most certainly have a way to add antifreeze to the lines. Just may have to get creative. A funnel with a curved neck on it. I have an old metal one with a neck that is flexible. If you cannot find one, make a contraption out of PVC pipe and elbows to get it done.

But with that vac I say hook it up and wait until it blows dry air. Let the water settle and hit it again.


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Well yes I guess there is always some way to do it if you really want to get creative as you say but I don't see a need for it. When I spoke to the pool guys on closing when I moved in here they also said there is no way to add it and they have never done it in the past (they closed for previous owner). On inspecting how the returns are designed I also did not see a way to get it in there but I might take a look again to see if a funnel would work as you say.

 

[bdex]

Well yes I guess there is always some way to do it if you really want to get creative as you say but I don't see a need for it. When I spoke to the pool guys on closing when I moved in here they also said there is no way to add it and they have never done it in the past (they closed for previous owner). On inspecting how the returns are designed I also did not see a way to get it in there but I might take a look again to see if a funnel would work as you say.

If you use that blower I don't foresee problems.


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[buddywiser]

I've been using one of those Rigids with detachable blowers for about 7 year now and it does the job with ease. I also drain below the return lines.

 

[poolneophyte]

Not sure if you purchased the Cyclone blower yet but you may also want to look at the Balboa Mighty Vac. I bought a Mighty Vac from Poolsupplyworld in 2012 for a grand total of $248 delivered to my door. I have closed my pool twice with this blower and it works great.