Hi! Trying to close my inground pool by myslef for the first time. 24000 gallon inground pool with one skimmer in the deep end and a suction port on the shallow end. Two return jets one on the stairs and one in the deep end. My question is instead of blowing the suction lines can I just use my pump to suck out all the water after covering the skimmer and capping the suction port? Has anyone done this before? Thank you.
Can I suck the water out instead of blowing? 1st time closing my pool by myself.
- Thread starter snider00
- Start date
Snider:
You can try and remove as much water as possible. I remove water only in the skimmers with a shop vac, but that is prior to clearing the lines with air. You will need a good shop vac. If you decide to do this, then make sure your plugs are nice and tight (you can not also check for leaks because you will still have water in the lines), but if you are attempting this type of closing, I would highly recommend placing antifreeze (for swimming pools only) in the lines. Then call it a day.
Where do you plan on sucking the water out from (skimmer is an easy one), but what about the suction and return jets? Also, track how much water you remove as well. You could easily clear the lines if you lowered the water below the returns, but then would either have to fill back up slightly or if you have a mesh cover, within a month or so with the rain, you will be back to normal.
Remember, most people with IGP uses air to remove water. Why chance something underground. But with the correct amount of antifreeze in the lines, then you should be fine. The only issue is the antifreeze may cost you as much as an air compressor over a few years. You may need 10-20 bottles. Thanks!
You can try and remove as much water as possible. I remove water only in the skimmers with a shop vac, but that is prior to clearing the lines with air. You will need a good shop vac. If you decide to do this, then make sure your plugs are nice and tight (you can not also check for leaks because you will still have water in the lines), but if you are attempting this type of closing, I would highly recommend placing antifreeze (for swimming pools only) in the lines. Then call it a day.
Where do you plan on sucking the water out from (skimmer is an easy one), but what about the suction and return jets? Also, track how much water you remove as well. You could easily clear the lines if you lowered the water below the returns, but then would either have to fill back up slightly or if you have a mesh cover, within a month or so with the rain, you will be back to normal.
Remember, most people with IGP uses air to remove water. Why chance something underground. But with the correct amount of antifreeze in the lines, then you should be fine. The only issue is the antifreeze may cost you as much as an air compressor over a few years. You may need 10-20 bottles. Thanks!
Thank you for your reply! I understand blowing the lines and adding antifreeze process. I uploaded a picture of the my skimmer winter cover. My question is if i put that cover on and then turn the pump on to filter shouldnt the pump suck all the water out from the skimmer line? I understand i will still have to blow the return jets. But this will cut my work in half. Thank you.
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I would not trust the skimmer plug to be 100% solid. Additionally, water can and will enter from the deck. Clearing a skimmer is another 2 minutes at most with an air compressor and a shop vacuum. Assuming you are using a Gizzmo or winter plug with foam rope. Thanks!
i think the main pump will run dry before the line is completely empty. if i understand what you are asking.
I think that is what I am trying to understand. The pump is fully primed. Shouldnt it suck all the water from the plumbing before running dry? Thank you.
Saturn94
Bronze Supporter
- Mar 11, 2015
- 1,761
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I use the pump to clear the return lines just as you suggested.
The gizmos I use have a tube through the center that allows you to clear return lines with the gizmos installed. Once installed (before capping the ends of the gizmos!) I turn the pump on until it stops sucking water (only takes a few seconds). While this may not completely clear the return lines, it certainly removes enough that any remaining water in the lines is well below the depth at which the ground would ever freeze here.
Frankly, I don’t see how blowing out the lines would remove much more water than sucking the water out. It seems the same thing is being done either way, just in a different direction.
The gizmos I use have a tube through the center that allows you to clear return lines with the gizmos installed. Once installed (before capping the ends of the gizmos!) I turn the pump on until it stops sucking water (only takes a few seconds). While this may not completely clear the return lines, it certainly removes enough that any remaining water in the lines is well below the depth at which the ground would ever freeze here.
Frankly, I don’t see how blowing out the lines would remove much more water than sucking the water out. It seems the same thing is being done either way, just in a different direction.
The worst part about those plugs, is when they actually work. Skimmers are designed to let water weep below the liner extrusion, if the plug works you are pumping it down or water is displacing the liner from the track.
Frankly-
A Vacuum merely removes a fraction of the water, & pulls air over water in the pipe.
Blowing pushes the water from behind.
Yes, and this is why I mentioned the skimmer plug (which is a solid black winter plug). Some skimmers do not have a threaded port for a Gizzmo. The best choice is a Gizzmo. I believe based on your statement, that you are in agreement that a Gizzmo is your best option.
We are in accord.
There is a product similar to the gizmo brand, instead of threads it has an expansion plug. They are hard to source.
If no threads a regular expansion plug & pack the skimmer full of closed cell foam is a great measure.
There is a product similar to the gizmo brand, instead of threads it has an expansion plug. They are hard to source.
If no threads a regular expansion plug & pack the skimmer full of closed cell foam is a great measure.
The forces you can produce through suction are nothing like what you can produce with Pressure.
A pump also depends on the other end being fully into water to self prime. If you have air on the end, you will have water in the lines. I am not sure how much water is going to be left but you are gambling in my opinion.
Once the air can buypass any water, it will just leave the water there. Or if it might just blow bubbles past the water if there is a dip in the pipes trapping water.
I dealt with this in car washes where water is easily trapped in some pipes.
A pump also depends on the other end being fully into water to self prime. If you have air on the end, you will have water in the lines. I am not sure how much water is going to be left but you are gambling in my opinion.
Once the air can buypass any water, it will just leave the water there. Or if it might just blow bubbles past the water if there is a dip in the pipes trapping water.
I dealt with this in car washes where water is easily trapped in some pipes.
When I marvel at car wash controls & systems- I often think it is a sister industry..
Not a high volume air pump such as the cyclone or big blue. Those lines will have minuscule water left in them. The water can freeze and because there is room for expansion there is zero damage, I am in the part of the country where -20 happens regularly.
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Not a high volume air pump such as the cyclone or big blue. Those lines will have minuscule water left in them. The water can freeze and because there is room for expansion there is zero damage, I am in the part of the country where -20 happens regularly.
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Not a high volume air pump such as the cyclone or big blue. Those lines will have minuscule water left in them. The water can freeze and because there is room for expansion there is zero damage, I am in the part of the country where -20 happens regularly.
Cyclone can do the residential pools no problem.
Big blue knocks off the big pipes - 4” & up. BB is a beast
Big Blue for Big Boys - that was there old slogan.
I am not commenting on size matters. ������
I just closed my pool today. So to answer my own question I decided to do both. First i sucked the water out with the pump. Then i used the shop vac to blow in the line. I got another gallon and a half of water by blowing. So blowing the line is the way to go. Thank you all for your replies.