Pipe Deisgn & Winterization

[daynick]

Hi Everyone! May I please get some feedback about my pipe design (the return portion)? It is has the T that forms a sprinkler. And the swing check valve down below the T.
May I please ask does anyone see any design errors? This is my third season. This past winter I did not get the water out and it froze and cracked all the way down below
the swing check traveling all the way beyond the T just short of the valve. Thank goodness. But a bummer too. Every year I have had some freezing so I realize I need to learn
about winterizing. I have a new compressor so maybe I need to use that in every open ended place I can find. However, the outlet into the pool has a cover that has a screen
face on it and I am not sure where I could apply air pressure. And the swing check valve prevents water flowing downward. Do I really need a swing check valve here? If the
water was allowed to move downward why would that matter? And the really strange thing is that I never did anything to remove water from it during year 1 & 2 and this year
it was full of water - as soon as I cut the pipe the water spilled out. I can't understand how the water was not caught in this location year 1 & 2 if I did nothing to remove the water.
Thank you very much.

 

[Hootz]

Is this the only return from the pump to the pool? It is unusual to have a ball valve to block off the return.

 

[daynick]

Yes this is the only return. My friend did the pipe work. He is a very interesting person. Extremely intelligent. I don't always understand what he does or why. Let me please explain how that ball valve works for us. If the ball is wide open not enough water or no water diverts through the T into the 1/2 pipe and therefore the sprinkler does not work. However, when we close down the valve maybe 60% of water goes to small pipe and we then the sprinkler flows well.

 

[daynick]

May I please ask do you have any ideas about the water being trapped up top just above the swing check? I cannot understand how it stayed up there the first two years and did not crack. The last winter was a doozy for freezing. I know the valve was open every year. But what allows that water to go down and empty? Only pressure I think.

 

[Chickinvic]

May I please ask do you have any ideas about the water being trapped up top just above the swing check? I cannot understand how it stayed up there the first two years and did not crack. The last winter was a doozy for freezing. I know the valve was open every year. But what allows that water to go down and empty? Only pressure I think.

My hometown is Victoria BC (right across from you). I moved to Ottawa almost 6 years ago, but my family are still in Victoria. I would have never thought much about needing to properly winterize in Victoria before, but the past few years have been weird weather there. My mom actually bought snow tires for her car this winter for the first time in her 48 years of living in Victoria. You must be experiencing the same pattern.

Anyways, sorry I don't have sound advice - just wanted to say hello since I come from right near you.

 

[Hootz]

I see no need for a check valve in that particular line. The check valve as it is installed will keep water in the line from the check valve to the pool return and the line to the fountain when there is no flow. This is why you had freezing issues in that portion of the line. It would be possible to get all the water out with the check valve installed if pressure was introduced at the pump towards the pool but I see no need to trap water in that portion when the pump shuts off; there is no harm in pool water running back towards the pump when it shuts off.

 

[daynick]

I think you probably have hit the nail on the head the weather has been pretty harsh. Thank you for writing and a warm hello back to you. : )