This our first pool season. We had a pool slide that had been backordered installed on Friday and attempted to heat the pool to use it once before closing on Tuesday. Our Jandy gas heater has shorted x 2 already this first season and it happened again Friday night. The other times we were able to get the rest of the equipment working while we waited for heater repair. This time the breaker is tripped and won't go all the way back. I'm in IN and temps overnight tonight are supposed to be in the mid 20's. How worried do I need to be about freezing? I think the underground pipes will be ok, but I'm worried about the equipment pad. I also need advice about pre-closing chemicals. Chlorine level is about 7 right now. I was planning to raise it to slam level yesterday and then add polyquat tomorrow. We don't have a robot vacuum. We were also planning to vacuum this weekend and can't do that either! Help!
Breaker tripped, freezing temps, closing scheduled in 2 days
- Thread starter jkbotki
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,758
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcome to TFP! 
At this point, I would be concerned about everything above ground level. With no water movement and temps in the 20s, that can be a serious issue. So if you are sure the system is dead and you've exhausted all reasonable methods of troubleshooting (i.e. resetting/replacing breaker, power supply confirmation, etc), then start draining everything at the pad, especially the pump, filter, and heater. If you have a component on the pad attached by a union fitting, you might remove it or at least one end so that residual water has a place to run out or expand if it freezes. You can still add some chlorine if you wish, but you will have to brush it around manually really well. If you have an old tarp or something, you can drape it over any exposed items/lines as well. That should hold you over until Tuesday.
www.troublefreepool.com
At this point, I would be concerned about everything above ground level. With no water movement and temps in the 20s, that can be a serious issue. So if you are sure the system is dead and you've exhausted all reasonable methods of troubleshooting (i.e. resetting/replacing breaker, power supply confirmation, etc), then start draining everything at the pad, especially the pump, filter, and heater. If you have a component on the pad attached by a union fitting, you might remove it or at least one end so that residual water has a place to run out or expand if it freezes. You can still add some chlorine if you wish, but you will have to brush it around manually really well. If you have an old tarp or something, you can drape it over any exposed items/lines as well. That should hold you over until Tuesday.
Closing an In Ground Pool
Winterizing a pool is essential for keeping your in-ground pool protected during cold-weather months. This Pool Repair guide will show you how to do it.
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,236
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
It’s all on the same breaker (maybe this is part of the problem). I’ve been able to arrange an electrician for the pool company first thing in the morning. I think we will at least cover everything.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,236
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Electrically it may work but it makes troubleshooting difficult when you have multiple devices on one breaker that you cannot individually disconnect. Especially when the breaker is a GFCI breaker and you need to sort out if it is a GFCI or overload trip and then which device is causing it.
For those reasons the pump should be on its own GFCI CB shared only with a SWG. Lights should be on their own GFCI CB. Then you can have a CB for pool equipment - heater, UV, Ozone. That makes it easier to troubleshoot and keeps the basic pool operational even if one piece of equipment is tripping a breaker.
