DIY Closing - first time with concerns

[ScottDP]

I’m in the cold NorthEast in New Jersey. Considering closing my pool for the first time with concerns about properly blowing out lines. My pool details are in my profile. Has anyone posted the process or step by step procedures? My main concern is removing as much water as possible with a retrofitted Shop-vac.

35K gallon IG vinyl
1HP Pump
Cartridge Filter
2 skimmers
3 returns
No main drain
Raypak Heater

 

[Newdude]

Hey Scott and Welcome !! This is the official page

Closing Pool for Winter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

With no main drains you should be able to easily get most of the water out of you returns/skimmes with the shop vac. My pipes get a gallon of RV antifreeze each. Its probably overkill but for $3 something a gallon i don't care. Lowes had it real cheap last year.

 

[ScottDP]

Hey Scott and Welcome !! This is the official page

Closing Pool for Winter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

With no main drains you should be able to easily get most of the water out of you returns/skimmes with the shop vac. My pipes get a gallon of RV antifreeze each. Its probably overkill but for $3 something a gallon i don't care. Lowes had it real cheap last year.

Thank you. I’ll read the forum.

 

[anthonypool89]

With no main drains you should be able to easily get most of the water out of you returns/skimmes with the shop vac.

I'd like someone to explain to me how enough air pressure is generated by a shop vac to accomplish blowing out the lines. I've always wondered about this. Even what is said in the "closing pool for winter" link cautions that a shop vac may not be enough. How is it done? My shopvac has the typical vacuum hose - so how and where does one attach it to the plumbing? I'd say a compressor probably does a much better job (?) and easily attaches right to the top of my filter tank.

 

[Newdude]

My shopvac has the typical vacuum hose - so how and where does one attach it to the plumbing

The hose gets moved to the exhaust port so it blows instead of sucks. The key to clearing pipes is continuous cubic feet per minute (CCFM) and its a job that alot of compressors fail at. It either has to be a large compressor or a very expensive/good quality little one to put out the volume needed. A shop vac while low PSI has never ending volume and can push all day. Or a leaf blower /cyclone. I always taped my hose/blower to the individual pipes at the equipment pad. The 2 sizes were very close and I just had to seal the air gap.

I'd say a compressor probably does a much better job (?) and easily attaches right to the top of my filter tank

If it has the CCFMs then yes. Many don't. Especially the doorbuster ones that are always out on display on sale. My wife got me a pancake one for a birthday. It couldn't even blow up a pool float.