Air compressor suggestions

[DLSDO]

Plan to winterize my pool myself this year. I plan to purchase an air compressor to blow out the dual main drains. I was shopping around and my head was starting to spin. Does anybody know how big of a compressor I need to adequately clear the main drains? Gallons, psi, cfm's???? Help. My deep end is 8' and its about 15 feet to the equipment pad from the drains.

Thanks,

 

[el_steak]

I'm not an expert, but if it's anything like irrigation system pipes, you need high CFM and low PSI. This is not something you usually get with cheap "consumer" level compressors.

As for my pool, I use a powerful shop vac in blower mode and it works perfectly.

 

[DaveNJ]

I use a 26 gallon, 5hp, oil lube air compressor. I winterize the pool, also used for tools, nailer's, spray gun. Had the compressor long before the pool.

 

[PoolOwnerNumber9]

The cheapest air compressor should have no problem blowing out the lines. The Cubic feet per minute does not matter. A lower cfm will just take a little longer. 8ft. equals 3.5 psi. Be sure to blow out all of the lines, not just the main drains.

 

[Hotrod30]

My old Sears 5hp works for me.


You want to get one that matches the power suppy the you want to use. If you have 115 volt outlet nearby, you should get 115 volt compressor. Some compressors have wheels on them so you can move them around. Most have limits of 125 lbs air pressure.


Just wondering.... since midwest is a large area... what growing zone are you in?

See growing zones:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

 

[DLSDO]

My old Sears 5hp works for me.


You want to get one that matches the power suppy the you want to use. If you have 115 volt outlet nearby, you should get 115 volt compressor. Some compressors have wheels on them so you can move them around. Most have limits of 125 lbs air pressure.


Just wondering.... since midwest is a large area... what growing zone are you in?

See growing zones:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Interesting link. We are in zone 6a. It gets pretty cold here. I have an outlet about 20 ft from the equipment pad. Not sure of the volts.

Thanks for all the info everybody.

 

[DaveNJ]

If its a standard looking outlet its 115v. Do you intend to use a compressor for anything else in the future (tools, spraying, nailer's).

 

[Hotrod30]

6a growing zone isn't to bad.

I live on the edge of 4a/4b. When I winterize the pool, I take great care to get as much water out of the lines as I can. I have been doing my own pool for 25 years and have never skimped on the anti-freeze.(knock on wood) WalMart price $3.69 a gal verses replacing a broken line; not much of a choice. That's why I use 19 gal of the stuff and use more that one gal per ten foot of line. I've even been known to go get a couple of more gals to be on the safe side.

I have all the tools that I need including a small pump on a 3/8 tubing that I can stick down the 1.5 inch lines to try and get as much water out after I use the air compressor ,before I add the anti-freeze. Also, the pump house plumbing was built with winterization in mind. And I'm retired with not much of a social calendar. So you see where I'm coming from when I say the following.

Just a suggestion but do you think maybe you should let the pool company winterize once more until you get the hang of your pool. If you could be there while they are doing it and just watch and learn. You could pick up an air compressor on sale and other items that you will need like plugs, gizmos, skimmer covers and the like.


I'd rather see minus 30 deg with 2 foot of snow that minus 20 deg with no snow.

 

[acamato]

Last year, I used my shop-vac to blow out the lines. It worked great. I used duct tape to seal the hose around the fittings.

 

[mudrider420]

sorry to hijack the thread, but for those of you who use a shop vac--what size do you use and how do you properly flush the lines?? also for those using the compressor, how do you attach it to the lines??

 

[acamato]

I think my Shop-Vac is 15 gallons?. I will have to check. When flushing lines you do not need alot of pressure you need volume. A shop-vac will provide volume at low pressure, air compressor provides high pressure at low volume.

If you returns are 2' below the water, you only need 1 psi to overcome the water pressure.

To blow out the suction line (skimmers & main drain) I hook the shop vac to the pipe that goes into the pump (of course after I remove the pump). I select the skimmers on the Jandy valvea and I wait for air to come out of the skimmers and insert the gizmo in the skimers, then I switch the valve to hte main drain and wait a little (you wont push air out of the main drain) then I close hte main drain to trap the air.

For the returns: I take out the jets, hook the vac to hte return piping, wait for air to come out of the returns and insert the plugs.

I do not drop the level in the pool, so I do get a little wet.