How to winterize bottom floor returns?

[ASPooltime]

Hey all,

First time pool owner here. I've been reading up on how to close my inground pool with a sand filter and everything so far is making sense except none of the videos or tutorials talk about the floor returns. My pool has two floor returns on the slant to the deep end and I'm not really sure how to tackle them. Do they need to be blown out and plugged like the others or do they have an air trap just like the main line? I've attached a picture of the floor returns.

Any advice?

 

[Pool_Medic]

Are those returns or pop up cleaners of some sort?

 

[ASPooltime]

Are those returns or pop up cleaners of some sort?

I am not sure, but they shoot out water in a cone on the floor, I can see it when some algae grows because that cone stays clean. I know when I opened the pool in the spring, I didn't do anything to those, so maybe they're cleaners? Even so, shouldn't those lines need to be air blasted anyway? Maybe they don't let water back in?

 

[Pool_Medic]

Need a picture of your pad showing all plumbing.

 

[ASPooltime]

Here it is. Pretty standard sand setup. Intake is 2 skimmers and main drain. Output is for the returns. I'm not sure on the output split, I haven't messed with it too much.

 

[Catanzaro]

Do you recall if the wall and bottom returns pop up and spin? It does not appear that you have a canister for an in floor cleaning system. However, you have a lot of shut off valves.

Do you know if the covers can come off? You could blow air, dive down and plug them if you have a helper, but could be tricky. The best thing to do is blow air until you see bubbling and close the valve to create an "air lock".

It appears you have to shut off valves to bypass the heater (heat pump), and then another red shut off valve, plus a T with a Pentair shut off valve (missing handles).

And you have some unions at the MPV, which is smart. So the lines probably have to be used to create a lock. BTW, I see you handles on the retaining wall.