Which lines to clear/blow out for winter closing

[Sidemoves]

Hey all, planning to do my own closings moving forward and hoping to get some guidance on which pipes/lines I need to clear/blow out. I’m planning on buying the cyclone blower linked here, but would appreciate any opinions if there are better devices.

Attached is a pic of the plumbing. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction as to which lines I need to blow out and plug for winter.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Newdude]

I’m planning on buying the cyclone blower linked here, but would appreciate any opinions if there are better devices

It's hands down the best for the application.

which lines I need to blow out

All of them.

Do you have a main drain ?

You could pop the filter off once drained and blow each direction, cycling through each leg. Or the SWG. You'll need the short hose available for the cyclone.

Bungee plugs are self sealing for the returns and Blow though gizzmos in the skimmers make it so you don't have to lower the water level. If any ports aren't threaded, then you need Expanding rubber plugs and you plug them with air gushing out. It's alot of volume but low pressure so it's pretty easy to plug them. Once plugged you move onto another valve, blowing and plugging that leg. The link for the rubber plugs shows various sizes as a reference. You'd need to measure and order the appropriate plugs.

If you have a main drain, blow until bubbles shoot out (in seconds) and close that valve under pressure. 'Air locking' it is like putting your finger on a straw and dunking it. The water can't push the air out. In this case, it's a long straw that's 2 inches wide, but same exact dealio.

 

[Sidemoves]

It's hands down the best for the application.

All of them.

Do you have a main drain ?

You could pop the filter off once drained and blow each direction, cycling through each leg. Or the SWG. You'll need the short hose available for the cyclone.

Bungee plugs are self sealing for the returns and Blow though gizzmos in the skimmers make it so you don't have to lower the water level. If any ports aren't threaded, then you need Expanding rubber plugs and you plug them with air gushing out. The link shows various sizes as a reference. You'd need to measure and order the appropriate plugs.

If you have a main drain, blow until bubbles shoot out (in seconds) and close that valve under pressure. 'Air locking' it is like putting your finger on a straw and dunking it. The water can't push the air out. In this case, it's a long straw that's 2 inches wide, but same exact dealio.

Thanks for the quick reply! Yes I do have a main drain. It’s on the right side of that funky plumbing directly in front of the filter (has the valve pointed toward 3 o’clock). So I would have to remove the check valve then to blow out the drain?

 

[Newdude]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Didn't I tell you a while back that we'd help ??? My momma didn't raise no liar. Just saying.

So I would have to remove the check valve then to blow out the drain?

Yes. Sorry I missed that because the pic was too busy. it'll have to come out to blow all the suction side. But at that point you can blow the return side from there too.

 

[Sidemoves]

Didn't I tell you a while back that we'd help ??? My momma didn't raise no liar. Just saying.



Yes. Sorry I missed that because the pic was too busy. it'll have to come out to blow all the suction side. But at that point you can blow the return side from there too.

Got it. Would I return the check valve as is after? Or plug that check valve and remove the “check” part for winter?

 

[Sidemoves]

Didn't I tell you a while back that we'd help ??? My momma didn't raise no liar. Just saying.

haha! Thank you!

 

[Newdude]

Would I return the check valve as is after?

Yeah. The pool would be sealed off at all points but you wouldn't want rain water getting in there and freezing.

 

[Sidemoves]

You'll need the short hose available for the cyclone.

do you have a recommendation for which hose to buy for this? The blower itself doesn’t come with any hoses.

 

[Newdude]

do you have a recommendation for which hose to buy for this?

@PoolGate used his regular vac hose so I want to say it's 1.5 inch diameter and 4ft long (or more). @PoolStored knows what it needs too. You may need a fitting that connects the cyclone to the hose as IIRC, some cyclones come with it and some don't. Hang tight for them or some one else in the meantime.

 

[PoolStored]

You want the following:

A 1 1/2" hose adapter (HD/Lowes has them too) that screws into the Cyclone.
Amazon.com

You need a flexible PVC piece of pipe, like this:

Amazon.com

 

[Sidemoves]

You want the following:

A 1 1/2" hose adapter (HD/Lowes has them too) that screws into the Cyclone.
Amazon.com

You need a flexible PVC piece of pipe, like this:

Amazon.com

Thank you. For the flexible PVC…what size should I get?

Also should I be wrapping a towel or something around this flexible pvc so I can get a good seal on the ports?

 

[Newdude]

For the flexible PVC…what size should I get?

The adapter does 1.25 and 1.5. I'd go 1.5.

should I be wrapping a towel or something around this flexible pvc so I can get a good seal on the ports?

If it didn't fit snug-ish in the 2 inch pipe , I'd fatten it with electric or duct tape. It doesnt have to be air tight, the cyclone has enough oomph that some air can escape and it still gets the job done.

 

[PoolStored]

The adapter does 1.25 and 1.5. I'd go 1.5.

Get 1.5.

Get a second clear pump cover for your pump.

Get a hole saw and cut a hole in the second cover.

Get a Hayward SP1023 and mount into the new cover.

Get a secone 1 1/2" hose adapter (HD/Lowes has them too) and screw it into the SP1023 that is mounted on the second cover.
Amazon.com

Get 2, 1.5" hose clamps. Connect the hose to the cyclone and the pump cover, use the hose clamps to secure....

 

[Sidemoves]

Get 1.5.

Get a second clear pump cover for your pump.

Get a hole saw and cut a hole in the second cover.

Get a Hayward SP1023 and mount into the new cover.

Get a secone 1 1/2" hose adapter (HD/Lowes has them too) and screw it into the SP1023 that is mounted on the second cover.
Amazon.com

Get 2, 1.5" hose clamps. Connect the hose to the cyclone and the pump cover, use the hose clamps to secure....View attachment 551366

Thanks for the suggestion. But to be clear, if I do this, I would still need to remove the cap on the check valve and blow air down the suction side (essentially in reverse flow) to clear the main drain? And while doing so I would need the main drain valve set to open pointed at 12 o’clock , and while air bubbles are coming out of the main drain, turn the valve back to the 3 o’clock position?

 

[PoolStored]

Yes.

 

[Lake Placid]

From the look of the pictures (it’s a very busy plumbing setup) it appears everything can be blown down by accessing the union at the SWG. All the plumbing appears to be tied together with valves and you can manipulate to clear everything. (Please double check my eyes.) You could blow out the filter and heater by access from the pump.

The PoolStyle FK101112006PCO 1.5" x 6' Overmolded Cuff Spiral Wound Connection Hose will fit the threaded adapter that comes with the cyclone. I’ve found the end of the cuff will fit well enough in most pump strainer housings that you can blow directly through the impeller opening in the housing. Typically your local big box store will have other adapters on shelf designed for a shop vac the allows you to adapt the cuff to fit other pool plumbing as well.

There seems to be a standalone pipe with a flexible Polaris hose attached to it on the right side of the first pic. Is that plugged/abandoned?

 

[Sidemoves]

There seems to be a standalone pipe with a flexible Polaris hose attached to it on the right side of the first pic. Is that plugged/abandoned?

Thanks for the advice! Yes that was an old Polaris line. I’ve since plumbed it to be another return to the pool. Sorry it’s an older pic of the plumbing.

 

[Lake Placid]

Looking again at your pic it appears everything including the heater and filter can be blown out from the SWG union. The only questionable item is that Polaris line that you converted and how you plumbed it in. Can you confirm all the plumbing is indeed tied together via the valves and unions?

 

[Sidemoves]

Looking again at your pic it appears everything including the heater and filter can be blown out from the SWG union. The only questionable item is that Polaris line that you converted and how you plumbed it in. Can you confirm all the plumbing is indeed tied together via the valves and unions?

Here is an updated pic of the plumbing. Would appreciate if you could look at let me know if I can just blow it all out through the SWG union

 

[Newdude]

You can except for the check valve before the pump. If you have to open that up anyway, you might as well blow from there so long as the hose fits.