Closing an in ground pool

[Johnny B]

edit out

 

[marthas_ear]

Since we are a bit south of Austin, Texas, I think we are opting to keep our new fiberglass pool open throughout the winter. We will be here to keep an eye on weather. Rarely do we have freezing temperature for a long period. Snow is very rare as well. Come to think of it-RAIN has been pretty rare lately!

So far the electricity usage is not that bad- with the salt generator, it hardly takes any chemicals. Without evaporation like in summer the ph should be easier to balance,
My only question- I think has been answered here-
we should keep operating the pool normally- it still needs to circulate a certain number of hours...we need to be sure to operate it at night when a freeze might occur.
Though we may not be swimming in it for 4 months, we will pretty much maintain it as usual, only with some sort of cover other than the solar one.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Keep testing too periodically - when the temps get low the SWG won't operate. Your FC usage will be drastically lower but just be sure to maintain a min- so if the SWG isn't producing, you'll need to add bleach.

 

[duraleigh]

only with some sort of cover other than the solar one.

For me, it's easier to maintain and test with no cover at all. I have to get out a lot of leaves but it still works best for me not to cover it. Our climate is quite similar to yours.

 

[dayreb]

I am attempting to close my inground pool this year by myself. I want to blow out the lines using a compressor hooked up to the drain plug at the filter basket assembly. I would need a threaded nipple on the compressor hose to do this. Where can I get one, and what size is it? My neighbor said I can use a Shop Vac to blow out the lines but i'm not certain where i can place the exhaust hose from the shop vac so that it makes a tight connection.

 

[Durk]

I don't know what the pros do, but I have an air nozzle with a round end. I take the rubber stopper from my closing plug (removing the metal parts) and push it onto the end of the nozzle, then ram it into the pipe hole. Works for me....

If you want to blow at the filter basket plug, and your compressor is portable so you can put its valve within reach, you can just thread an air compressor quick connect nipple into the drain plug hole. Take your drain plug to Home Depot (air tool part, not plumbing) or auto part store to get the nipple (they come in 1/4 and 3/8, if larger, buy a bushing). Make sure you have the right thread on the hose end female coupler (1/4 or 3/8). Buy nipple and female coupler as a set or make sure they match, there are a few different types. Thread nipple into plug hole, snap on quick-connect and blow....

I don't use my shop-vac because it is too small to do main drain. I have no idea how you do it at the pump if you don't pull pump.

 

[Johnny B]

Jason wrote:
"Seal the pipes - I use expandable rubber plugs to seal the skimmer pipe, return pipe, and the unions the SWG attaches to. The skimmer also gets most of a gallon of anti-freeze on top of the plug and some torn up pool noodle foam to protect the skimmer (which will also be covered by the main cover). Some people use a gizzmo in the skimmer but I prefer the rubber plug and pool noodle material as I feel more confident that the rubber plug won't come out."

1- Where do you get these plugs?

2- "and some torn up pool noodle foam to protect the skimmer". So these peices of noodle float in the antifreeze in the skimmer? If there is no freezing of the antifreeze liquid, what are the noodle pieces doing?

3- You guys get polyquat at pool store or elsewhere?

4- Thanks for explaining what the Winterize setting on my mulltiport valve does. I see no mention in this thread that any of you use the Winterize setting, so you don't, right? Blowing out the lines is in place of using the winterizing setting? Or when do you use it

5- Poolmom wrote: "I haven't used Polyquat it the last two winters and had no problems, but every pool is different. If you do use it, you add the PQ first and it will consume some of the chlorine, so after you add the PQ then you wait a day to shock, before you winterize."
This conflicts w Jason's sequence on page 1 of this thread. Jason likes to shock then wait a 1-3 days till the Cl level falls half way back to Normal Level then add Polyquat.

6- Can you tell I really want to close properly after last spring's opening fiasco?


Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

5- Poolmom wrote: "I haven't used Polyquat it the last two winters and had no problems, but every pool is different. If you do use it, you add the PQ first and it will consume some of the chlorine, so after you add the PQ then you wait a day to shock, before you winterize."
This conflicts w Jason's sequence on page 1 of this thread. Jason likes to shock then wait a 1-3 days till the Cl level falls half way back to Normal Level then add Polyquat.

Someone else pointed out that my advice conflicted with the thread and we had this recent discussion about it in this thread.

3. Pool Stores or Online retailers - It should say "Poly[oxyethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene dichloride] 60%" as the Active Ingredient, regardless of the brand name.

 

[dockramer]

I've read through the posts here and greatly appreciate all of the helpful comments as I consider closing for the first time in New York (cold winters). I have a few questions:

First - I was considering draining to below the skimmers but not below the returns. Once I blow out the return lines and cap them, I'm concerned about adding antifreeze to those lines. If I open the cap to place a funnel in the return, do I have to worry about water getting into the return?

Second, I was considering using a shop vac to blow the lines from the skimmers since I don't have access at the filter pad. It is about 50 feet from the skimmers to the filter and another 15-20 to the returns. Do you think I will be able to blow out the lines with this method? Any suggestions for the best way to connect the shop vac to the thread in the skimmer?

Thank you for your patience.

Vinyl pool 18x36
Raypak 406A heater
Hayward Sand Filter

 

[waste]

Welcome to TFP, dockramer!!

1st - that's the way I do it 6 - 8 times a day, we don't add antifreeze because we know that the return lines on the pools we build are 1) 4' down in the ground and 2) just can't get the stuff in there :lol: (the lines are also encased in concrete and we blew ~ all the water out of them)

2nd - It's hard to say if any particular shop vac will blow a particular line :? , but you can always try yours on your pool. For an adapter, I'd start with a Hayward SP 1091-Z-7 , you may have one on the backwash port of your multiport, and either duct tape the vac hose to it or use a wet rag, wrapped around the adapter to make the seal

Good luck with your closing, we'll be here to help if you run into any issues

 

[marthas_ear]

only with some sort of cover other than the solar one.

For me, it's easier to maintain and test with no cover at all. I have to get out a lot of leaves but it still works best for me not to cover it. Our climate is quite similar to yours.

Good point. I think we will start out with no cover.
It surprised me that the SWG doesn't operate in the cold.
We have testing supplies left over, so testing FC won't be a problem.
Thanks for replies.
Sorry to see the season end. This is in 78 degree water....still 91 air temp.
This is how it looks Saturday...was installed in May 09.[attachment=0:1qczcue4]myhomesm.jpg[/attachment:1qczcue4]

 

[TheExecutive]

I have a few questions:

1. I only have one skimmer. So when I blow out the pipes I just stick the hose in the skimmer right?

2. So do I add the antifreeze to the returns in the pool? If so wont it spill back into the pool?

3. I have a sand filter, do I need to get anti-freeze in there too?

4. I have a light in my pool, do I leave that submerged under the water, or do I have to drain below it?

 

[Johnny B]

FYI, those expandable rubber plugs are only at Leslies locally, not Lowes or Home Depot, not at the commercial plumbing supply house (but they could order it).

Questions:
1- Once the pump is Off & things are drained as you desire etc, “position the Multiport Valve between any 2 settings”. Make sense or irrelevant?

2- “Put the Multiport at the Re-circulate setting when you blow out the lines to bypass the DE filter so you aren’t pumping air in the DE can.” I don’t have a Re-circulate setting on my Multiport; my settings are: Filter & Vacuum to Pool, Filter to Waste , Drain & Vacuum To Waste, Auxiliary Circulation, Winterize, To Remove Handle, Backwash.
My multiport should be on what setting when I blow out the lines?


3- Leslie’s guy reports “draining at 2-4inches below the skimmer is what is done locally”. So re blowing out my 2 Return lines that will remain below water level, just blow them out & when it appears to be all air exiting that submerged pipe just have a 2nd person plug it ASAP, perhaps a little water will flow back into the pipe but certainly not all the way back to the pump area?

 

[Johnny B]

`

I have a few questions:

1. I only have one skimmer. So when I blow out the pipes I just stick the hose in the skimmer right?
Yes

4. I have a light in my pool, do I leave that submerged under the water, or do I have to drain below it?

The light will likely be below water if it is at the level I have seen all othe rlights. Be sure you read this & other threads on closing

 

[gkruske]

Closed yesterday, for my first time. Took me the majority of the day, by myself. I felt that I was thorough, although my compressor had a hard time. Ran most of the time, but have figured another route that I could take next year.

Now...to my question. In my final inspection to make sure that all valves were open, except the main drain, I accidentally turned the main drain valve (after it was successfully blown for about 45 seconds). I realized my mistake after about MAYBE 5 seconds, and closed it fast. I was getting anxious to finally finish, and was moving too fast.

How much water came back up in the line, and how is this going to affect things? I considered hooking back up, and blowing the line again, but that would have forced the antifreeze in the heater and above-ground lines out thru the drain.

 

[waste]

Closed yesterday, for my first time. Took me the majority of the day, by myself. I felt that I was thorough, although my compressor had a hard time. Ran most of the time, but have figured another route that I could take next year.

Now...to my question. In my final inspection to make sure that all valves were open, except the main drain, I accidentally turned the main drain valve (after it was successfully blown for about 45 seconds). I realized my mistake after about MAYBE 5 seconds, and closed it fast. I was getting anxious to finally finish, and was moving too fast.

How much water came back up in the line, and how is this going to affect things? I considered hooking back up, and blowing the line again, but that would have forced the antifreeze in the heater and above-ground lines out thru the drain.

This is a 'grey' zone :|

Properly sealing a main drain would require scuba gear to plug the line while it's blowing out! So we force enough air through the line to blow most of the water out of the line and trust that any left in it is kept below the frost line, by closing the line 'topside'. However, the valve or plug you use to close off the 'topside' could well fail, leaving you as if you had never blown the line .

If you could easily separate and reblow the MD, I'd suggest that - if not, trust and hope that the winter won't damage that line

 

[gkruske]

Thanks, Ted, and kind of what I thought. Been bugging me all day.

These valves are brand new, and I paid dearly for them from the PB, so I hope they're good.

Each run has it's own valve. So, as I mentioned in the original post, I can hook back up to the back of the pump, close all open valves (they're full of antifreeze now), and open main drain. When I did this on Saturday, I had the MD blowing for about 45 seconds. I wanted to feel good about that line, and I did, until I made my mistake.

I suppose the worst that is going to happen is that I will end up pumping out the antifreeze that is sitting in the heater and one above ground line. That's not much of a loss. I suppose I could pour another gallon into the pump, and hit it with a shot of air to move it down the line. Not a big price to pay for a little peace of mind.

Thanks for the suggestion.....

 

[waste]

Closing off the other valves (so as not to waste the antifreeze in them) is a very good idea

You are lucky to be able to do that :!:

I'd just 'reblow' the MD and forget about it for the winter



If you still are worried about it, either ask more here or just work your way through a 6 - pack until it doesn't bother you :lol:

Hope to see you over the winter, if not, we'll see you next spring :-D

 

[duraleigh]

or just work your way through a 6 - pack until it doesn't bother you :lol:

 

[waste]

or just work your way through a 6 - pack until it doesn't bother you :lol: