Can I use Gizzmo the following way?

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bfang711

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Sep 26, 2015
54
Setauket. Long Island. NY
hi,

What I did this year for closing the inground pool was a little bit different than last year. Instead of screw the gizzmo in the skimmer pipe, I used the rubber plug to cap all the skimmer pipes from inside the skimmer after blowing out all the water inside the skimmer lines. Then simply place the gizzmo inside the skimmer and cover it with skimmer cover and put a heavy brick on top of the cover. (The gizzmo is long enough that it can only get out from the top.) I do think this will do the same thing as screw in the gizzmo. am I right? plus with the rubber plug on, I can make sure there is no water back into the skimmer line, so no need to pour in the anti freeze. (With the plastic gizzmo screwed in, I still can see the little bubble coming out when I blow out the air, which I think it is not as air tight as a rubber plug.)

Has any one have any experience on it? Should it be working? Any advices?

btw, is there any better way to check if a gizzmo cracking or not? (I think for anyone using gizzmo, a crack on the gizzmo would be a very dangerous thing.)

thank you.
 
I think ice would easily lift a brick if it tries to lift the gizmo. Better to just put an empty bottle in the skimmer opening and then pack the skimmer with pool noodle pieces and screw the skimmer cover on.

Antifreeze is a backup. If your plug fails and allows a little water in, the antifreeze may be enough to protect your plumbing. You should use teflon tape on a threaded connection such as a gizmo to make a good seal.
 
I tried to use teflon tape on gizmo, however no matter how hard I screw it in. I still can see bubbles coming out of it when I tried to blew it out. Is this ok? oh it has to be air tight so that it is safe enough for the winter?

btw, are the skimmer screws standard size? what the size it should be?

Yes. I will add in antifreeze as a backup as you suggested.

thank you very much.
 
I tried to use teflon tape on gizmo, however no matter how hard I screw it in. I still can see bubbles coming out of it when I tried to blew it out. Is this ok? oh it has to be air tight so that it is safe enough for the winter?
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I am assuming you have a Gizmo that has an opening to the top. If air is coming out of the threaded area, then the threads on the Gizmo may be stripped (not sure). Personally, I use the Gizmo with Teflon tape. When installing the Gizmo, I slowly hand tighten, but not too much. You may want to check the threads on the Gizmo and the plumbing back to the pump.

What you did is fine with the black plug. As John mentions pool noodles will help, in addition to the Gizmo in basket. I doubt you will have problems in NY (Assuming you are in Long Island) as the weather is not that severe where ice expands with tremendous force.
 
Catanzaro,

Yes. I am in long island. I didn't know the ice could lift up the skimmer cover as John mentioned. So I think to skrew the skimmer cover would be necessary, instead of just put a brick on.

I actually thought of using another way that people suggested, an empty plastic bottle ( like antifreeze bottle) with some small rocks inside (so that it sink in the bottom of the skimmer) to replace the gizzmo. However I am afraid the bottle will be cracked by cold or by ice. (Maybe it won't.) So I've been struggling between the following two options a lot. (Really don't want to see anything goes wrong next year.) Can you guys please suggest?

with some antifreeze in the pipe, with black rubber plug capping the skimmer line.
1. empty bottle with some rocks inside, plus screwing the skimmer cover.
2. simply put gizmo in the skimmer box and put some pool noodles to fill, plus screwing the skimmer cover.

which way is better?

thank you so much.
 
Anti-freeze in the pipe with black plug is fine. It is the skimmer basket that Gizmo's protect from cracking. Do you worry about the cover and do not screw in or place any bricks over it. Pool Noodles will work fine. You can also use a bottle with Anti-freeze in it as well.
 
Thank you Catanzaro. Yes, you are right. I am worrying about how to protect the skimmer basket from cracking. Do you think a regular foam pool noodles will do the work? or has to be vinyl pool noodles? Any suggested pool noddles webpage? (I think it is kind of too late to buy from stores. I will simply order online.) One more thing, do you mean to use a bottle with Anti-freeze in it? I already pour the antifreeze in the pipelines. I thought I can simply put some heavy stuff, like rocks or sands inside an empty bottle so that it can always sink at the bottom of the skimmer box and absorb any ice expansion. is that right? Do you think the ice can lift it up?

thank you again. your advice are really helpful. I appreciate it.
 
Yes, regular foam pool noodles will work. You can stick the Gizmo in the skimmer basket and then wrap the pool noodles in a circular fashion inside the skimmer. Keep the skimmer cover open to the pool so water can move in the pool, when it freezes. A regular bottle filled up with 50% anti-freeze (pool that is) is fine. People have been using Gizmo's with nothing else in the skimmers with repeated success. IMO, it is the erosion of soil that could cause damage to a skimmer basket, which could eventually shift.
 
Great. I will simply follow your advice. It makes me more confident now.

Last question if you don't mind. The skimmer cover "to the pool" that you mentioned is kind of confusing me. I have only one top cover for each skimmer. I use that to access the pipeline or the skimmer basket during the summer season. While to the pool, it is always open. (Water can flow freely back and forth to the pool from the open, even if in winter.) So just want to make sure we are talking about the same thing. Do you think that I need to screw in the top cover or put a heavy brick on top of it to prevent the gizmo, bottle, pool noodle from coming out, or simply do nothing? Do you think the ice will lift it up?

thank you very much.
 

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Do you think that I need to screw in the top cover or put a heavy brick on top of it to prevent the gizmo, bottle, pool noodle from coming out, or simply do nothing? Do you think the ice will lift it up?
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No, simply do nothing and No, the ice will not lift it up. You are not in Alaska.

I guess what I meant is that the amount of water in the skimmer, at least in my pool will not lift the cover. My skimmer baskets are covered with a solid tarp cover, etc.
 
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