Getting ready for first close, what is this thing?!
- Thread starter mbeezie
- Start date
Turned off the pump, stuffed my garden hose down there and turned it on. no bubbling or water flow coming out of either of the two things in question.
Edit: Oh, i was supposed to use the front hole! I have to remove that plug first?
Edit: Oh, i was supposed to use the front hole! I have to remove that plug first?
This seems a little weird to me then --wouldn't they have to be a bit below the skimmer box? they are roughly at the same level of the skimmer box.
Ok i can take some pictures and outline my current understanding of how it all works.
If you can show the system, we can look for anything that the lines might go to.
On the plus side, standard threaded winterizing Plugs will seal them if we can figure out where they go to blow them.
The front hole is plugged, so they are probably not equalizer lines.
They might be tied into the skimmer or main drain lines as an equalizer, but that is just speculation.
You can push a garden hose into one of the holes to see if water comes out of the other hole or out of the skimmer hole or maybe somewhere else.
Don't seal the hose in the line as you don't want to pressurize the lines too much.
Here is the whole system. Two suction grates in question are located by the skimmer box on the right hand side of the picture (Past returns 5 and 6)
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I’ll let them help with the layout- but do really have a tcell 5?
I am hoping its actually a t15 with your size pool.
I am hoping its actually a t15 with your size pool.
I can't tell what the suction lines might go to.
Maybe try the garden hose to see if anything happens.
If you can't get any action on the lines with any combination of valves, then I do not know what they might go to.
Maybe try the garden hose to see if anything happens.
If you can't get any action on the lines with any combination of valves, then I do not know what they might go to.
I appreciate all the help everyone. I asked my pool company (they have closed my pool for years, originally for the prior owners so i had kept them).
They said there's really no good way to plug them, and they usually pump the water out a foot below them and then blow them out, and reinstall the grates for winter. I am waiting to see what they say about where they actually go and how they actually blow them out.
They said there's really no good way to plug them, and they usually pump the water out a foot below them and then blow them out, and reinstall the grates for winter. I am waiting to see what they say about where they actually go and how they actually blow them out.
I tried the garden hose -- nothing seemed to happen but it sounds like i was supposed to use the other hole in the skimmer box (it's plugged up, however)
If you lower the water below them, buy 10 ft of 1/2 or 3/4 inch clear tubing at HD. Twist it around while gently pushing it to snake it past any 90s and suck it out with a shop vac. (Duct tape the little hose up the vac hose). Once empty, install threaded plugs. Then leave them forever or reinstall the decorative covers next year, needing yearly suck outs.
That's kind of what i was thinking! It doesn't seem like there is too much piping there. But it sounds like they typically blow out these lines, i just don't really see how they do that. Hoping they get back to me today about it.
Just a little update. i spoke again with my pool company earlier today. They said they did not remember where those pipes went, but recommended opening all the valves except the main drain and blowing it out/seeing where the air goes.
I'll update the thread in a few days when i lower the water level and give that a shot...
I'll update the thread in a few days when i lower the water level and give that a shot...
Ok everyone. so i'm not sure this solves any of the mystery surrounding this thing but i wanted to update the thread.
I drained the pool, blew out all the lines, emptied the heater, took apart the cartridge filter, plugged up the returns and then turned my attention to the mystery pipes. I put my cyclone in one of the pipes in question. water started spraying out of the other side. There was no bubbling from the skimmer box or any air coming back to the suction or return side of the piping where the pump had sat. So i'm confident whatever this thing is has been fully blown out. I then filled them up with antifreeze. i put screw caps over them to cover them for the winter.
All in all, closing it myself was not so bad! only hard part was the giant cover i had to get down alone. there's just no graceful way to do it without a second pair of hands.
Thanks for all your help everyone! I took a bunch of notes and pictures along the way so i have a nice document to refer to for next year.
I drained the pool, blew out all the lines, emptied the heater, took apart the cartridge filter, plugged up the returns and then turned my attention to the mystery pipes. I put my cyclone in one of the pipes in question. water started spraying out of the other side. There was no bubbling from the skimmer box or any air coming back to the suction or return side of the piping where the pump had sat. So i'm confident whatever this thing is has been fully blown out. I then filled them up with antifreeze. i put screw caps over them to cover them for the winter.
All in all, closing it myself was not so bad! only hard part was the giant cover i had to get down alone. there's just no graceful way to do it without a second pair of hands.
Thanks for all your help everyone! I took a bunch of notes and pictures along the way so i have a nice document to refer to for next year.