Sorry if this has been answered... I read bunches of posts, but I can't find the answer I need.
I'm looking to close my pool for the first time. It was installed last November, so the pool company closed it included in the installation.
When they opened it, they left the skimmer gizmos and two solid return-jet plugs (screw in once the 'eyeballs' are removed), the cover and the tools for the cover. I think they should have left a dummy pipe for the Salt Water Chlorine Generator... but they did not.
I want to try blowing out my lines with my shop vac. It is 6.25 peak HP (fairly good-sized Vac). The piping runs are not all that long and, I think, pretty simple... Two bottom drains, two skimmers, two returns.
My biggest question would be... what is the easiest way to hook up the shop vac to the system? I have read about using the threaded drain outlets in the pump and pump basket, but it seems that would really restrict the flow. On the other hand, with the exception of blowing into the inlet of the pump basket, or the pipe where I have removed the SWCG, I don't know where else to connect. Could I go in through the waste connection? Air up the entire system with the filter valve set to waste?
Is there danger to blowing air through the SWCG cell? Is it necessary to put in a dummy pipe before doing this?
I think my plumbing is pretty simple... the far left is return from the bottom drains (both), then there are return from the skimmers, then there is the supply under the SWCG.
The valves on the main bottom drains are simply open/closed. The Skimmers valve give a choice of both open, both closed, or one open/one closed.
Also, is it necessary to blow air through the pump, or will removing the plugs and allowing the pump, basket, and filter to drain be sufficient? Conversely, does it hurt anything if I DO blow air through these? Will air even pass through the pump?
(As I said, I have read the posts about closing below 60, bringing it up to SLAM levels before closing etc. I'm just looking for help suggestions on the physical act of blowing out the lines.)
My best plan that I could come up with was to connect to lower the water below the skimmers, connect the vac to the waste pipe with the filter set to closed, move both of the return valves to 'full closed' and blow air into the system. All of the air should be directed to the returns, which I cap while the air is on (may consider lowering the pool level below the returns to do this if I can't get them capped). Then with the return plugs in place I can open the one skimmer and blow that out, inserting the gizmo into the strainer. Switch the valve to blow out the other skimmer, insert that gizmo. Open the main drain until I am getting a good stream of bubbles, then close that valve with the understanding that having that valve closed will keep water out of the drain...
Please let me know if I am on the right track...
Thank you!
Chris
I'm looking to close my pool for the first time. It was installed last November, so the pool company closed it included in the installation.
When they opened it, they left the skimmer gizmos and two solid return-jet plugs (screw in once the 'eyeballs' are removed), the cover and the tools for the cover. I think they should have left a dummy pipe for the Salt Water Chlorine Generator... but they did not.
I want to try blowing out my lines with my shop vac. It is 6.25 peak HP (fairly good-sized Vac). The piping runs are not all that long and, I think, pretty simple... Two bottom drains, two skimmers, two returns.
My biggest question would be... what is the easiest way to hook up the shop vac to the system? I have read about using the threaded drain outlets in the pump and pump basket, but it seems that would really restrict the flow. On the other hand, with the exception of blowing into the inlet of the pump basket, or the pipe where I have removed the SWCG, I don't know where else to connect. Could I go in through the waste connection? Air up the entire system with the filter valve set to waste?
Is there danger to blowing air through the SWCG cell? Is it necessary to put in a dummy pipe before doing this?
I think my plumbing is pretty simple... the far left is return from the bottom drains (both), then there are return from the skimmers, then there is the supply under the SWCG.
The valves on the main bottom drains are simply open/closed. The Skimmers valve give a choice of both open, both closed, or one open/one closed.
Also, is it necessary to blow air through the pump, or will removing the plugs and allowing the pump, basket, and filter to drain be sufficient? Conversely, does it hurt anything if I DO blow air through these? Will air even pass through the pump?
(As I said, I have read the posts about closing below 60, bringing it up to SLAM levels before closing etc. I'm just looking for help suggestions on the physical act of blowing out the lines.)
My best plan that I could come up with was to connect to lower the water below the skimmers, connect the vac to the waste pipe with the filter set to closed, move both of the return valves to 'full closed' and blow air into the system. All of the air should be directed to the returns, which I cap while the air is on (may consider lowering the pool level below the returns to do this if I can't get them capped). Then with the return plugs in place I can open the one skimmer and blow that out, inserting the gizmo into the strainer. Switch the valve to blow out the other skimmer, insert that gizmo. Open the main drain until I am getting a good stream of bubbles, then close that valve with the understanding that having that valve closed will keep water out of the drain...
Please let me know if I am on the right track...
Thank you!
Chris
