Winterizing Deep returns

[ec51]

Moved from here.

By far that little air compressor fitting tip made closing so much easier. I made up my attachment and also added a small shut off valve to control the air flow right at the pump. Hooked everything up, blew out the return lines, repositioned the valves and blew out the main drain and I was done.....it has never been so easy.

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread - but I plan to close my IGP myself this year and this topic was right on point for me re: deep returns...

How do you get the air to stay in the deep return/main drain lines without draining and plugging the line?

 

[SPman]

I'd like to know as well.

 

[Catanzaro]

You create an "air lock" with a shut off valve. Last year my valve called it quits, and replaced the internal parts and this year, upon opening, the air released and held through the winter. Below is a thread that I put together with a lot of information.

Concept of closing an IG Swimming Pool

https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/150693-The-concept-of-closing-an-inground-swimming-pool

https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/help-cant-blow-out-main-drain.173830/#post-1533569%20-%20post1533569

 

[Newdude]

I use the valve that switches between skimmers/main drain. I blow out the skimmer line first and shop vac whatever is left. (I add aintifreeze just for redundancy). Then i blow the main drain line and after a few minutes i move the valve back to the skimmers to seal the air in the main drain pipe. It never gets enough air in the pipe to make bubbles come out of the bottom drain but it gets enough air in to keep the remaining water below the frost line. Then any open pipes get plugged.