First time closing and need help identifying

[Damsroy]

Hello,

Pool was completed in May this year. Thanks to all the great advice from this fantastic community I was able to maintain the pool myself and have TFP crystal clear water all summer.

Preparing to do my first close and want to make sure I understand fully how things work (suction, return, jet pump, pool pump, etc..) so I can do my step by step closure process.

I already purchased the Cyclone blower as well as well as a connecting hose and a hose smooth male adapter. Also have the 1.5” return line plugs ( I need 16 of them for pool returns + spa + autofill).

I'm sure things will get clearer when I start blowing the lines and I’m able to see the air flow/bubbles but I would prefer to start with a clear plan in mind.

My initial questions are the following but I’m sure more will come as I make progress:

- to blow lines from the skimmer what kind of adapters do I need? my 2 skimmers have 2” npt female thread and the adapter I have now is 1.5”. Can I just use a female to female reducer that I screw in the skimmer to reduce from 2” to 1.5”?

- To winterize the spa ( 8 jets with their own pump, 2 returns and 2 floor drains/suction) I was planning to empty the spa using the “drain spa“ button on the Jandy automation board so I access easily to the floor drains/suctions and can blow them and plug them from the drain. Does that make sense? Can I leave the spa empty all winter or do I need to fill it back with water a few inches below the returns/jets?

- I have a dedicated “jet pump” for the spa. This pump returns only to the 8 spa wall return. However, where does the suction come from? If I put the system in “spa mode” the suction is from the two drains in the spa. But if I leave it in pool mode and still turn on the “jet pump” where does the suction come from? The pool skimmers?

- finally the pvc adapter at the end of the cyclone extension is 1.5”. All my pipes at the equipment pads are 2” (one is even 3 for the jet pump intak). How do I connect the cyclone to those pipes if I want to blow from the equipment pad?

Attaching pictures of the pool and equipment for reference.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Damien

 

[kimkats]

I am willing to bet you have seen this link but just in case you have not I am sharing it with you:

Closing an In Ground Pool

Winterizing a pool is essential for keeping your in-ground pool protected during cold-weather months. This Pool Repair guide will show you how to do it.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Damsroy]

Thank you for that link. Read it carefully several times.
Now trying to get into the specific of what To blow with the set up 8 have, from where and in what order.

 

[Damsroy]

So I managed to find the different adapters to be able to blow the lines from the pool (returns and skimmers).

Now i need to understand the exact lines blowing process for my set up.

My pool has a spa and a pool that can work independently from each others with their own pump.

Since my spa has two drains at the bottom and a dedicated jet pump I was thinking of winterizing the spa first:
- empty the spa first (using the "empty spa" button on the Aqualink)
- blow all the spa returns, jets and drains from the spa toward the equipment pad
- plug spa drains, spa returns and spa jets. Done for the spa

Can I leave the spa empty all winter or is it better to refill it to just under the returns/jet level? In that case i would use my cover pump to move water from the pool to the spa.

Then I would move to winterizing the pool, lowering the water level to below the returns, blowing all returns and skimmers from the pool and blowing the two pool floor returns from the equipment pads (no pool floor main drains in my set up) and airlock them.

Does the above process makes sense or I'm making things too complicated by separating the spa and the pool blowing process?

 

[Hootz]

I would really like to help but your pool plumbing is so complicated it's hard for me to determine the flow and best place to insert air. One tip I will pass along: you do not need to lower the water below the return jets. Blow the water towards the pool or spa, through the jets. As the air bubbles are exiting the jets, plug the returns. It seems counter intuitive but it works. My plumbing is much simpler but here is my process: all air is sent from the equipment pad towards the water. Skimmers blown and plugged. Pool returns blown and plugged. Pool main drain blown and air locked. Spa main drains blown and air locked. Spa returns blown and plugged. Pool level a few inches below skimmer (returns submerged). No skimmer in spa, water level left above returns. I try to keep the pool water below the bottom of the skimmers by pumping out excess rain water.

 

[Damsroy]

Thank you @Hootz.

Attaching a picture with labels if this can help.
From top to bottom:
- A= SPA Return (2 returns in the spa)
- B = Pool return floor (2, will be airlocked by blowing from the the equipment pad)
- C= Pool return wall (4)
- D = Spa suction floor (2)
- E = Pool suction (skimmer, 2)
- F = Spa jet returns for jet pump (total of 8 jets returns so I assume i have 4 on this line)
- G = Spa suction floor for jet returns (3" pipe with a reducer down to 2" at the valve)
- H = Spa jet returns for jet pump (total of 8 jets returns so I assume i have 4 the 4 remaining on this line)
- I = Plumbing for suction pool cleaner - Not hooked up but I assume line will nee to be blown and plugged too.

All pipes have the red valves so they can all be closed independently from each others.

 

[Hootz]

Here is my suggestion; buy a spare pump cover and insert a bulkhead connector through the top to insert the cyclone. I have seen some cut a piece of plywood the same size as the plastic cover and use the existing ring to clamp it down with with a bulkhead through the plywood.
Another idea is to remove the union connection from the pump side of valves e and f...and then the short pipe to the pump. You would need to come up with an adapter to attach to the union threads. You could blow through the valve for suction side and through the pump for returns.
You could instead blow from a skimmer for the pool but the spa is a separate system...if you don't blow from the pump you'll have to find a way to blow from the spa.
Your plumbing is set up well you should be able to isolate all circuits with the valves (may have to manually operate the automation valves). Close all the ball valves and work your way through...maybe mark the completed paths with a piece of masking tape or something. It's going to be trial and error as to what works best for you.
If it were me I would leave water in the spa above the returns

 

[Hootz]

Also drain your filter and heater. Remove drain plugs from pumps.

 

[Damsroy]

Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

I will look into the spare pump cover. Seems like a small investment and a very practical solution.

Will update this thead as I go through trial and error. Not before early/mid November.

Spa will be interesting. The floor suction/drains have three holes/lines. I guess one of them is for the pool pump, the second is for the spa pump and I will have to figure out what the third hole is for.

If I find a way to airlock those three spa floor lines I will blow from the equipment pad. If not I will empty the spa, blow from spa and refill spa with water from the pool.

 

[Hootz]

The path marked H does not have a valve to isolate it. I'm thinking maybe it goes to the blower? That would explain why it doesn't have a cut off valve (if it is to the blower, would not have water)

 

[Damsroy]

The path marked H does not have a valve to isolate it. I'm thinking maybe it goes to the blower? That would explain why it doesn't have a cut off valve (if it is to the blower, would not have water)

In fact the path marked H also has a valve to isolate but it is hidden behind the pump so it can't be seen on the pic.

The blower is between E and F on the picture, on the right hand side.

 

[Damsroy]

Ok. Talked to the PB. He confirmed that spa needed to be emptied first, floor suction blowned, add anti freeze for extra safety, plug the floor suction lines and refill spa with pool water until spa bench is covered.
Not ready to close the pool yet but I think I have a solid plan now.

He is not recommending air locking the spa floor suctions.