What did you do to your pool today?

[Mdragger88]

Soft open phase 1 underway!
I am currently adding water - opened the cover to see level, get a rough water & temp sample. Our cold spells are behind us & it’s a nice day so got all the plumbing hooked up. The valves are all closed until I’m done filling so there’s no leaks when I open them!
The top Water is already 62 degrees
The oto test was dark school bus so still ok there.
I did unfortunately break off one of the plastic pump drain plugs when tightening & cannot get it out I can touch the oring so I doubt it will hold & not leak.
Maybe I could epoxy or gorilla glue something to it to get a hold of it? Open to suggestions- the needle nose aren’t working. It looks like its made of that strange plastic like those blocks from when I was a kid

When I went looking in the she shed for my 2 spares I decided to clean out all the accumulated junk in there & have the fellas take it to the dumpster so that’s done at least & i can get to my stuff now.
I replaced the flow switch with a new one that came with my tee last season. I was using an ancient terrible looking one so I figured why not!
Also replaced a hose, barbed fitting & clamp since the hose clamp screws were stuck & non functional due to rust.
Next up - clean the nasty deck sometime before I uncover the pool!

 

[Newdude]

I did unfortunately break off one of the plastic pump drain plugs when tightening & cannot get it out I can touch the oring so I doubt it will hold & not leak.
Maybe I could epoxy or gorilla glue something to it to get a hold of it? Open to suggestions-

What about a stripped screw Extractor bit ?

Or cut a slot for a flat head screwdriver.

 

[Dirk]

Can you drill or Dremel a large slot in the plug? And then use a large screw driver on it?

'dude?! You beat me by seconds!!!

 

[JamesW]

 

[JamesW]

 

[Mdragger88]

Oh imma try this in the morning! I have no dremmel but I do have a torch! Back up plan is drill it out

 

[JamesW]

Just be careful not to touch the threads of the hole with the hot screwdriver.

 

[Dirk]

Just be careful not to touch the threads of the hole with the hot screwdriver.

Ditto! When I mentioned a drill, I meant to drill a row of small holes in the plug, and then "connect" the holes into a slot (with the drill bit, or a knife or chisel). And then use a large screw driver in the slot.

Heating the screwdriver is one way to go, but if the female threads in the housing are not metal, I would only do that as a last resort.

 

[Mdragger88]

Ditto! When I mentioned a drill, I meant to drill a row of small holes in the plug, and then "connect" the holes into a slot (with the drill bit, or a knife or chisel). And then use a large screw driver in the slot.

Heating the screwdriver is one way to go, but if the female threads in the housing are not metal, I would only do that as a last resort.

This plug is tiny in diameter - the hot screwdriver will work!

 

[Mdragger88]

Success!!!

 

[Mdragger88]

New/old spare plug went right in (carefully tightened)
& We are up & running! Hard to tell if anything is leaking since everything is so wet right now.
Will gather some samples in a few hours.

Off to the hardware & pool stores for supplies! Replacement eyeballs & aquasalt at the local mom & pop pool store at surprisingly reasonable prices.
spare hose clamps & teflon tape + odds & ends at the hardware store.

 

[Dirk]

Whenever I plumb something, I put down a paper towel or tissue paper. Even a drip that happened hours before will leave a telltale.

Outdoors on wet ground? I'd put a piece of foil down first, then paper, then a few rocks to keep it all in place.

 

[Newdude]

Got a reply this morning to the text message I sent protuff yesterday (late Sunday night...... no expectations of immediate reply).

My Hayward triangle vac head is a tad too wide to fit the protuff pole and they offer an adapter piece to those who need it.

They requested a pic of the pole to prove it was theirs because it was a Christmas present and I didn't have the Mrs's Amazon info from months ago handy at that moment. I sent one with the pole / brush / net and also one with my vac head not fitting for good measure.

They are sending me the part tomorrow because they already had their shipment pickup for the day. The website said any warranty issues or requests would be the easiest I ever had, and I am NOT disappointed.

 

[Katodude]

Those ProTuff folks are the real deal. Their stuff is expensive, but top notch, and with a no hassle warranty. I will buy anything that they make that I need. And just because I am me, I will probably buy some stuff that I dont need too.

 

[Dirk]

And just because I am me, I will probably buy some stuff that I dont need too.

Ha, ha. My brother! That's why I bought a second pole!! One short (with net), one long (with brush).

 

[Newdude]

That's why I bought a second pole!!

My inability to throw things out is gonna get me *2* extra poles.

My heavy duty pole is still great except the twisty knob thingie is shot. I can wrench it tight with pliers but it was a pain changing lengths to vac. Now that I have a protuff, I'll end up using it for the vac and keeping the other one for brush duty. Much easier to not have change heads.

But then it'll bother me that they don't match so I'll get a protuff for the brush and keep the HD pole for the net.

But then it'll bother me that *that* doesn't match and I'll have 3 protuffs and still not be able to throw out the original pole.

What if I need a closet hanger bar on year 3 ??? What then ? Why did I throw that out ? I could have done 6 closets with the 2 pieces of pole.


I need help.

 

[HermanTX]

My inability to throw things out is gonna get me *2* extra poles.

My heavy duty pole is still great except the twisty knob thingie is shot. I can wrench it tight with pliers but it was a pain changing lengths to vac. Now that I have a protuff, I'll end up using it for the vac and keeping the other one for brush duty. Much easier to not have change heads.

But then it'll bother me that they don't match so I'll get a protuff for the brush and keep the HD pole for the net.

But then it'll bother me that *that* doesn't match and I'll have 3 protuffs and still not be able to throw out the original pole.

What if I need a closet hanger bar on year 3 ??? What then ? Why did I throw that out ? I could have done 6 closets with the 2 pieces of pole.


I need help.

You need to watch the Progressive commercial on becoming your parents!

 

[phonedave]

My inability to throw things out is gonna get me *2* extra poles.

My heavy duty pole is still great except the twisty knob thingie is shot. I can wrench it tight with pliers but it was a pain changing lengths to vac. Now that I have a protuff, I'll end up using it for the vac and keeping the other one for brush duty. Much easier to not have change heads.

But then it'll bother me that they don't match so I'll get a protuff for the brush and keep the HD pole for the net.

But then it'll bother me that *that* doesn't match and I'll have 3 protuffs and still not be able to throw out the original pole.

What if I need a closet hanger bar on year 3 ??? What then ? Why did I throw that out ? I could have done 6 closets with the 2 pieces of pole.


I need help.

I got rid of my solar cover reel. Sort of. I still have 3 sections totaling about 28 feet of 3" diameter thick wall aluminum tubing. Why,? Because as soon as I throw it out (or scrap it) I know I am going to need it. It lives next to the 12' length of 3" angle iron that I am keeping for the same reason.

 

[Newdude]

I still have scraps of my solar cover I retired in 2017. I currently use a piece to seal up my central AC return for winter. It also makes awesome bubble wrap for storage or moving.

 

[Dirk]

My inability to throw things out is gonna get me *2* extra poles.

My heavy duty pole is still great except the twisty knob thingie is shot. I can wrench it tight with pliers but it was a pain changing lengths to vac. Now that I have a protuff, I'll end up using it for the vac and keeping the other one for brush duty. Much easier to not have change heads.

But then it'll bother me that they don't match so I'll get a protuff for the brush and keep the HD pole for the net.

But then it'll bother me that *that* doesn't match and I'll have 3 protuffs and still not be able to throw out the original pole.

What if I need a closet hanger bar on year 3 ??? What then ? Why did I throw that out ? I could have done 6 closets with the 2 pieces of pole.


I need help.

I can't tell if your joking, or partially joking, or not. I'm not. I still have my original pole, and I can still work the adjuster knob, but barely. I hated it before, but despise it now that I have the Pros. I attached a hook to the end of Ol' Joe and now he's the designated xmas-light hanging pole. But he lays in the back of the garden, on some rocks. He doesn't get a place of honor by Pro 1 and Pro 2.

Funny about the "Much easier to not have change heads." That's exactly why I bought Pro 2!

Regarding the hoarding, uh, I mean forward thinking. I have 10s of thousands of screws and nuts and bolts and washers, collected over decades. It's not the retentive organization of all of them that makes me feel bad, it's finding just the one I need that makes me feel good!

Regarding the 12' length of 3" angle iron... have you priced that stuff lately?!? I had to give up on a project because I refuse to pay $30 for a 6' length of 1.25" angle iron!!!! To think of all the metal bed frames I've thrown out!! Yah, I wish I had saved them now!

Other things I hang on to for less reason. I've been tripping over a 6' length of some sort of drainage pipe for at least a decade. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it out, though I couldn't ever imagine using it. But here you go, to bring us full circle. Sun shades for my Pro 1 and Pro 2 (I figure if they're going to wear out, it'll be from leaving the rubber handles in the sun all day). Ya just never know when you might need something.

That said, to my "credit," I did manage to summon the strength to throw out, count 'em, two of the cardboard tubes the Pros came in. I know I'll regret that someday...