Winterization

[Therapydoc]

First time pool owner (installed myself from start to finish and turned out well with no major issues ) and want to make sure I don’t mess something up with winterizing

I want to walk myself thru this and make sure none of the experts here see anything incorrect. Have a 20x40 pool with salt chlorinator and de filter and heater/chiller. 2 aqua genie and one return. Apc365 auto cover. I don’t want to lower the water below the skimmer level bc of stretching and weight on the auto cover and don’t want the hassle in the spring with it not opening.

My plan:
1. Drain all the pumps, filter, heater
2. Install aqua genie winter covers and gizzmo and 90 degree pipe in one return so it’s above water level.
3. Blowout/suck out returns and suction sides and slide. Blowout heater
4. Rv antifreeze in gizzmo and aqua genie and in 90 degree return pipe and pump basket
5. Add winterizing chemicals with PH on the high side
6. Turn off all breakers to pool equipment

Planning to store all plugs in aqua genie basket so not to lose them.

Questions
1.Do most of you worry about taking the diving board off ?

2. How well does hooking up an air fitting to pump drain plug work for blowing out the system? Is it too much pressure on heater or anything to do it that way? I have Jandy valves on all lines so I can isolate each one to get good pressure.

3. Do you pour any rv antifreeze into pool equipment or valves other than pool pump?

Thanks for all the advice in advance

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I don't close so I'm not much help but.... I know where to find the TFP wiki article on closing! See if this helps!

Closing Pool for Winter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Maddie

 

[Newdude]

don’t want to lower the water below the skimmer level bc of stretching and weight on the auto cover and don’t want the hassle in the spring with it not opening.

Use blow through gizzmos for the skimmers and bungee plugs for the returns. Or just cap them with threaded return plugs while air is shooting out.

Dont do the elbow pipe at the return. The ice will grab hold of it and if the skating rink shifts when it thaws, it's problems. Heck, I left mine uncovered one season and the wind bellowed the ice nearly as much as the safety cover. It was forever rocking up and down when it 2 inches thick or less.

Pull the last union at the pad and add antifreeze to the returns with a bendy funnel. For me, the SWG gives me easy access to it when pulled.

1.Do most of you worry about taking the diving board off ?

I put mine in the shed, primarily to extend its life. For 2 measly bolts I get it out of the UV for half the year and it's also not sitting in a snow drift. They aren't cheap and it takes 10 mins including the walk to/fro the shed. (Or garage/basement/etc)

How well does hooking up an air fitting to pump drain plug work for blowing out the system?

With a compressor ? So so. I'm not a fan of compressors. Once air escapes anywhere in the system, you lose the pressure which was all they had going for them. They also can leave 95% of the water in a pipe and blow through that small air cavity making you think the lines are empty. Even a big compressor simply doesn't have the CFM for the job. Here's two other options, or for the ultimate efficiency, buy a cyclone that will last forever with one use per year.

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

Do you pour any rv antifreeze into pool equipment or valves other than pool pump?

No. Pulling the drain plugs does a good enough job.