Need help with closing plan

[stoles]

You all have told me multiple times over the last 2 years of asking for advice here that this is the place to come to get help with closing. After a disaster last year with the company we used we're ready to do it on our own.
We use our auto cover to close so we can't lower the water, and leave it low, below the skimmer. The company last year actually did that and tried to close the cover without putting water back in which almost turned into a disaster, among other things.

We have this water feature which we have already separately winterized and closed so we didn't have to leave it running when it got low freezing last week.

We also had issues with getting the gizmo to thread into the skimmer correctly and stay in place over the last two years because of this lip that comes out and interferes with the neck of the gizmo. This year I was going to still use the Gizmo but also got one of the skimlock door covers as a backup plan.

The skimmer housing is cracked unfortunately right at the water line but I think that happened from settling. Our pool builder ghosted us last summer in the middle of trying to fix things that he had messed up so getting this fixed is going to be on us eventually.

I am attaching pictures of our equipment. This is where I want to make sure I don't miss any important steps or anything that a more seasoned DIY pool owner would catch. I've watched hundreds of YouTube tutorials red so many threads here but nothing is the exact combination of what we have. So I've been trying to piecemeal advice together.
We have a shop back and we have a compressor. Unfortunately the compressor is unregulated, so I was planning to use the Shop-Vac.

We have one skimmer and the main drain. You can see the setup there before the pump.
After the salt cell we have a split that goes to the returns And the other side goes to the waterfall and the tanning lunch bubblers. Unfortunately I'm not able to turn both of those off at the same time with the valve here. Last week we turned off the pool valve to the returns, turned the electric valve to waterfall only, and blew that out from the salt cell connection point, put antifreeze in, and shut the waterfall valve before turning the system back on because we had freezing temperatures.

I think I have included everything here. If you have any advice about what to use, where to connect it, what to do, and the order to do it, I would love to hear it.

No detail is too small.

Thanks!

 

[stoles]

Sorry some of the pics are weird. Not sure what happened there.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Stoles !!! Sorry I was out in my own backyard all day (closing).

I would remove the pump and SWG so you can blow the individual legs. Shop Vacs work but it will get more water out if you're blowing less pipe at a time.

Go to a plumbing supply (note...... not a plumbing aisle) and they will likely thread a 1.5 inch pipe for the skimmer. It will have no lip and will get you past the bump in the skimmer. Then cap the pipe after blowing and stuff cut up pool noodles in there instead of the gizzmo.

In case you havent seen it, most of my step by step will work for you

Closing with shop vac.

Today was the day for closing and it went great with a 6HP shop vac. I hooked my blower up for fun after, and there really wasn't much left but some spray. Anywho I wanted to do a write up for all the folks wondering if they could save a chunk of change and tackle their own closing...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[stoles]

Hey Stoles !!! Sorry I was out in my own backyard all day (closing).

I would remove the pump and SWG so you can blow the individual legs. Shop Vacs work but it will get more water out if you're blowing less pipe at a time.

Go to a plumbing supply (note...... not a plumbing aisle) and they will likely thread a 1.5 inch pipe for the skimmer. It will have no lip and will get you past the bump in the skimmer. Then cap the pipe after blowing and stuff cut up pool noodles in there instead of the gizzmo.

In case you havent seen it, most of my step by step will work for you

Closing with shop vac.

Today was the day for closing and it went great with a 6HP shop vac. I hooked my blower up for fun after, and there really wasn't much left but some spray. Anywho I wanted to do a write up for all the folks wondering if they could save a chunk of change and tackle their own closing...

www.troublefreepool.com

I did come across your guide in all my reading.

So, one thing I'm unsure about is where and how our sand filter and heater play into this. I'd imagine blowing out from the skimmer and clearing the returns would take care of all those things in between, but not 100% sure if Im missing something. Should I do that (with filter on recirculate) first? I'd obviously be capping off all the pool returns at that point. I'm trying to make sure I get the order right with those because of the way the waterfall, bubblers, and pool returns are set up. Waterfall is already closed. I'm wondering if the shop vac is powerful enough to blow all the way through from the skimmer and clear the 6 total returns.

Then remove the pump and blow out the main drain from right at that union to air lock it (by closing main drain and flipping back to skimmer, where it's already clear? Plug that opening (and before the filter) with the winter plug. At what point do I need to remove the plugs from the filter and pump? After doing all that?

The pump wasn't removed the last two Winters but we did remove the salt cell last winter and plugged off those lines.

Anything I'm missing?

 

[Newdude]

I'd imagine blowing out from the skimmer and clearing the returns would take care of all those things in between,

It would with a powerful enough blower (cyclone) but may be too much for the shop vac. If you take the pad apart you can blow the individual legs and then the filter and heater separately.

I'm wondering if the shop vac is powerful enough to blow all the way through from the skimmer and clear the 6 total returns.

Again, exactly why I'd take the pad apart. It also helps because you can add antifreeze from both ends, in case there is more than one low.spot.

At what point do I need to remove the plugs from the filter and pump? After doing all that?

Either or. You can blow it mostly clear and then pull the plugs, or drain it first and not have to blow it.

Then remove the pump and blow out the main drain from right at that union to air lock it (by closing main drain and flipping back to skimmer, where it's already clear?

The shop vac likely won't push the water in the pipe very far from the pad. It only needs to be below the frost line, but the only way to know you blew enough is to see bubbles come out the drain.

But you have the process right. Blow the drain leg and move the valve back to the skimmer while under pressure.

Anything I'm missing?

You have the basics well covered. It'll make much more sense as soon as you try. The thinking it out part is miserable.

 

[wireform]

Because you have the wrong gizzmo. You need this one and there won't be that iinterference you speak of.

 

[stoles]

Because you have the wrong gizzmo. You need this one and there won't be that iinterference you speak of.

I almost ordered that one last year but it was out of stock everywhere by that point. We finally got the blue one we had in there in feeling secure, but j lost sleep wondering if it would get knocked loose.

 

[stoles]

You have the basics well covered. It'll make much more sense as soon as you try. The thinking it out part is miserable.

You're right. My brain hurts. I know it's not that difficult, but my specialty is overthinking anyway.

The heater is what's tripping me up a bit. If it has a plug to drain I don't know where that is, and the 2 different companies we have used didn't remove it. I opened the pool this year and just had to turn it back on.

If I remove the pump, can I blow that out from that point before the filter just to be safe?

 

[Newdude]

If it has a plug to drain I don't know where that is, and the 2 different companies we have used didn't remove it

IIRC, Rapaks have 2 plugs. Check your manual or download a new one. The service companies probably didn't care because they used a cyclone and they knew it was empty.

If I remove the pump, can I blow that out from that point before the filter just to be safe

Yes. If you're blowing on recirculate, you're basically blowing just the heater at that point

You're right. My brain hurts. I know it's not that difficult, but my specialty is overthinking anyway.

I call it yard mumbling and it's 90% of any project, walking around out there mumbling to yourself like a mad person. If i this.... then it will that..... but If I do the other thing it will do it like this ....

 

[stoles]

Ok. I'm seriously considering buying the cyclone blower just so I can get this done is easily as possible as a one person job while my husband is out of town.

What do I need to connect this to make the job easier for one person? I see lots of suggestions in reviews but nothing concise.

 

[Newdude]

What do I need to connect this to make the job easier for one person? I see lots of suggestions in reviews but nothing concise.

Let's call @PoolGate who bought his this season for thoughts.

 

[PoolGate]

 

[wireform]

I have found as well as others have that the last stop in this pool closing saga is the cyclone blower. Once you use it you say to to yourself why in the world did i wait this long.

 

[stoles]

I have found as well as others have that the last stop in this pool closing saga is the cyclone blower. Once you use it you say to to yourself why in the world did i wait this long.

We had always just planned on using the compressor doing it this year for the first time (for us), but with it not being regulated, I've been nervous about that and the possibility of too much pressure. We did use it to blow out the waterfall, but that was just blowing straight through to the open air - nothing to cap off once the water was out. Then I started looking at buying a shop-vac with a little extra blowing ability because we need a new one anyway, but I am starting to think I just need to bite the bullet and start with the best tools for the first time. My husband travels a lot so I think I need to just make this as easy as possible to do alone. Wish me luck!! At some point in this process and just for kicks, I might try the bouncy house blower we have out to see if it does anything. haha
(also still dealing with mustard algae coming from somewhere, so I guess I get to start over there again in the spring )

 

[Newdude]

! At some point in this process and just for kicks, I might try the bouncy house blower we have out to see if it does anything. haha

I had a 10ft X 10ft X 10ft water slide that had the big blower. When i got it out to try and turned it on, the air was so weak i put it right back on the shelf. There was tons of CFM but zero pressure.

 

[stoles]

I had a 10ft X 10ft X 10ft water slide that had the big blower. When i got it out to try and turned it on, the air was so weak i put it right back on the shelf. There was tons of CFM but zero pressure.

I'm honestly perplexed by what makes the cyclone so unique. CFM, HP, Pressure? Does anyone know?

 

[PoolGate]

I'm honestly perplexed by what makes the cyclone so unique. CFM, HP, Pressure? Does anyone know?

It is a 3HP motor which enables it to deliver a lot of air and pressure. It has a pretty good head height ability.

 

[Newdude]

I'm honestly perplexed by what makes the cyclone so unique. CFM, HP, Pressure? Does anyone know?

The right combo of CFM and PSI to blow out pipes. Compressors don't have the CFM and most other blowers don't have enough PSI.

 

[stoles]

ok. I'm doing some mumbling, but I'm not in the yard today...

I hadn't put too much thought into capping the returns until now, other than just doing it in order. I have the threaded caps, expansion plugs, and I have one elbow pipe that was capped at the top last year with the expandable plug. The closing company put put the expandable fittings in all returns but one, where they put the elbow that I kept when we opened. I am not sure why they just did that one considering they lowered our water when they really shouldn't have. I have 4 wall returns (and I'm 99% sure I know their order on the run definitely know 1 & 2), and I have 2 tanning ledge floor returns that are on the same valve as the already closed waterfall, not directly with wall returns. Keeping in mind that I'm not lowering the water below returns, what's the best method to cap these?
Does it make sense connect the elbow fitting to the last wall return on the run and use the screw on fittings on the 3 before that. My reasoning is that the last will probably be harder to cap off (without that) if it's still under water, but with the other 3, the air still has somewhere to go so screwing those on under water might be easier? Am I overthinking, as usual? I got 2 of the bungee style plugs for the tanning ledge floor returns. I just wanted to try those out.

 

[stoles]

Hopefully getting the ball rolling on Sunday.