Capping off the jets.

[pb4uswim]

Last year I closed my pool for the first time. To blow out the lines, I used a pipe the PB used the year before. Basically, I blew it out from the skimmer and capped off the jets. That worked pretty well but that last jet was pretty hard to cap off. So, my idea this year is to fabricate an elbow so that the last jet is above the water. I would screw the elbow in, blow out and cap the other jets and then the last one would have an elbow on it that would be just above the water line, enabling me to shut off the Cyclone and cap the last jet without water spraying all over the place and without the air pressure that makes it hard to start the threads.

That’s a long way to ask my question - what threads are the jet after you take the eyeball off? Is that something I can get at Home Depot? Or, do I need to go to a pool store? Also, what size pipe would I use? The pipe in the skimmer looks to be 2” pvc.

 

[wireform]

Usually the returns are 1 1/2" threads.
I disagree with your elbow idea as when the water freezes over, the pipe will be surrounded by the large ice chunck and when the ice starts to float a bit it'll break out of the wall and cause lots of grief. You can use a duck plug or even this to get the job done while under water.

 

[pb4uswim]

Usually the returns are 1 1/2" threads.
I disagree with your elbow idea as when the water freezes over, the pipe will be surrounded by the large ice chunck and when the ice starts to float a bit it'll break out of the wall and cause lots of grief. You can use a duck plug or even this to get the job done while under water.

Thanks. Good thinking on the issue of freezing. Didn’t think of that. Thanks for the ideas with the other plugs. Looks like I’m not the first person to have this issue. Great to have this forum for such a great resource.

 

[newdude]

I used a duck plug and was very disappointed in how cheap it was. Then the ice removed the protective cover over the winter.

Bungee plugs look much more robust and I'd go that way for blow through applications.

 

[pb4uswim]

I used a duck plug and was very disappointed in how cheap it was. Then the ice removed the protective cover over the winter.

Bungee plugs look much more robust and I'd go that way for blow through applications.

So I looked up the Bungee plug and they have something called a Skim Lock. Skim Lock Have you ever used that? I’m thinking of still using a blow through Gizmo but using the skim lock as an added precaution.

 

[newdude]

Skim lock is an old fashioned skimmer winterizing faceplate. They work at first but as the skimmer ages it warps/twists ever so slightly and water will drip in, filling the skimmer in no time.

I couldn't make sense of all the terrible online reviews until I got my own. It was brand new of course and perfectly square with a thick rubber gasket to make up a little imperfections. My 17 year old skimmer was medium out of square and it dripped on day one. Nobody in the reviews thought that far into it. They just hooked it up, saw it didn't work and blasted it online as junk.

But I'm sure the one made by Bungee is at least a quality version, for what it is. You can use it and still fill the skimmer with pool noodle as backup insurance.

 

[pb4uswim]

Skim lock is an old fashioned skimmer winterizing faceplate. They work at first but as the skimmer ages it warps/twists ever so slightly and water will drip in, filling the skimmer in no time.

I couldn't make sense of all the terrible online reviews until I got my own. It was brand new of course and perfectly square with a thick rubber gasket to make up a little imperfections. My 17 year old skimmer was medium out of square and it dripped on day one. Nobody in the reviews thought that far into it. They just hooked it up, saw it didn't work and blasted it online as junk.

But I'm sure the one made by Bungee is at least a quality version, for what it is. You can use it and still fill the skimmer with pool noodle as backup insurance.

Given that I’m not paying someone to close my pool, I think it’s worth getting it even just to try it out. I’ll still use the Gizmo just to be safe. With those plugs, the skimmer seal and a Gizmo, I’m still under $150. Way less than paying someone to do it. Last year my ”savings” went into buying a Cyclone. It’s worth it, to get good tools. Thanks again to you and everyone on this forum for helping me get to this point. This is another step toward a truly trouble free pool.

 

[pb4uswim]

Question - Would you put a Bungee Plug on each return? Or, just put it on the last return in the line. I have three returns.

Then, if I only use one Bungee Plug, would I cap off the other two first? Or, start the air blowing and cap the first two (like I did last year - cap while the air is blowing) and then let the Bungee Plug handle the last return (which was the only hard one last year). Of course capping the first two and using the Bungee on the last then start blowing would be the easiest.

 

[newdude]

Get one for each. They should be a one time purchase that lasts years and years.

 

[Pool_Medic]

Every return needs a bungee plug, if only using 1 then the other lines never clear of water. I’ve been using bungee plugs since they came out on all my pools, zero issues.