Closing for one night TONIGHT? Please help!

[Zwrickers]

Hi, Change in plans. I need a new strategy to "partially close" my AGP tonight where it will be 28 F for 8-10 hrs. The next night will be 38. I am having my pump and filter assembly repaired in a few days so I can't fully close yet. (Weather is nice the next 10 days, just not tonight.)

So far - I balanced and brought FC up to 75% SLAM level. I tried to put on the cover by myself but we are having extreme winds. The wedding cake steps and ladder are still in the pool. I can't take it out by myself easily.

My plan was to cover the pool, plug skimmer and return, unhook and drain the filter and pump, and wash the filter cartridge. I was going to leave the drained pump/filter outside overnight but wrap it in tarps. I could bring it in if absolutely necessary. Now, what will happen if I can't get the pool covered before the freeze? Water level will be at half skimmer (with faceplate plug and hose to skimmer open on ground).

I just need to be absolutely sure that I do not damage anything by leaving the pool uncovered overnight, the steps in, and a drained pump/cartridge covered up overnight. If there is risk of damage to the equipment or new liner, then I will have to find a way to put cover on, remove steps, and move pump/cartridge assembly myself (the latter which I have done before.)

Any thoughts and opinions are very welcome at this point. Thanks in advance.

Kristin

 

[cowboycasey]

No need to worry, your pool will be fine in those temps, it would need to get down to 0 degrees for 24 hours without your pump running and it still may be fine... it needs very cold temps for long amounts of time where there is no place for the ice to go when it freezes...

 

[Zwrickers]

Thanks. So, my revised procedure of plug skimmer/return and unhook/drain/cover equipment only will be enough?

 

[cowboycasey]

that will be fine, the pool water will not freeze at that temp.. Matter of fact I never cover my pool, I have had 8 inches of solid ice in mine and no issues at all

 

[Zwrickers]

Update - problems:
1) A trickle of water is leaking around skimmer plate plug out the open hose to the ground. I assume it will keep draining the pool to the bottom of the skimmer then stop. What will happen to skimmer if this water freezes and doesn't drain fast enough? Should I use a submursible pump to get the water level to just below the skimmer before the freeze?
2) The circular band holding the filter cartridge housing won't come off this time. Any more torque I put on it is making the 3 way valve get too stressed (part of the repair in a few days) and the bottom of the almost-empty filter housing moving up off the base, so opening it up and removing the filter cartridge is a no go. I am sure there is the last several inches (?) of water that hasn't drained out of the housing. Should I just bring the mostly-empty-but-not pump and filter inside (even though the black base they sit on is cracked and the filter is precariously propped up on cement blocks right now)?

What should I do now? I've never been this frustrated. The only thing that worked was winterizing the return. I've tried so hard to maintain this pool well so far.

Thanks again.

Kristin

 

[Bperry]

I think you’ll be fine doing nothing. Water doesn’t freeze until it gets below 32F and needs to be consistently below that for more than 24 straight hours. A few hours at 28F tonight and warming up to 38F isn’t going to let anything freeze.

 

[Zwrickers]

Hi - Just a follow up. We did get down to 28. Since the water was at 50 F at nightfall (at 48 a few hours ago), it did not freeze in the trickle that was escaping the plugged skimmer. I did end up draining the equipment and bringing it inside for the next two nights. In hindsight, I probably could have just covered it and left it outside........but......IF something had gotten damaged due to freeze and was preventable, I would not have forgiven myself!

Sincerely,
Kristin