Pool closing question.

[pb4uswim]

I’ll post some more pictures later, but right now, I’m trying to figure out if I need to buy anything other than the Cyclone to blow out my pool. In the picture below is the tube that the pool closer used last year along with some plugs for my outlets. He screwed the tube into the open hole in my skimmer and then attached the cyclone. I’m trying to figure out what tubing to use to connect from the cyclone to this tube. The bottom of the tube has male threads and, as I said, screwed into my skimmer bottom. The top of the tub has female threads that are the same as the plugs. You can see, in fact, that there is one of those plugs in the top and of course that was to cap off the opening after everything was blown out.

Is there a certain type of connector I need to get to connect between the cyclone and the tube? At the place where I’m thinking of buying the cyclone, they advise to buy a flex tube the looks to have the same end on it as a pool vacuum hose. They also recommend an adapter. Do I need both of these:

Pentair R211256 Hose Flexible | Swimming Pool Supply USA

You can use this hose to help blow out your pool lines with the Cyclone blower and the Waterway 417-640 adapter.

www.swimmingpoolsupplyusa.com

Waterway 417-6140 Hose Adapter | Swimming Pool Supply USA

You can use this hose to help blow out your pool lines with the Cyclone blower and the Pentair R211256.

www.swimmingpoolsupplyusa.com

Or, do I just use my pool vacuum hose?

Thanks.

 

[pb4uswim]

Bumping this in the hope of getting a response. Trying to get this ordered soon.

 

[anthonypool89]

in the hope of getting a response

Wish I could be of some assistance. All I do is hook a hose from my air compressor to the top of the filter (by taking off the gauge). That way it easily blows the air through the whole system. I plug the return lines first, then the air is all directed to the skimmer/drain line and I do that with a double plug.

Curious...you refer to the guy having blown out the skimmer, but how did he do your return lines? I've never used a shop vac / cyclone, etc. for closing the pool though many here do.

 

[DorsalSpine]

I can't help you either. I use a Gizmo in the skimmer, a shop vac and anti-freeze.

 

[pb4uswim]

Curious...you refer to the guy having blown out the skimmer, but how did he do your return lines? I've never used a shop vac / cyclone, etc. for closing the pool though many here do.

He took that pipe and screwed it into the open hole in the skimmer. I only have one skimmer, so that’s the only intake to my system. So he hooked up the cyclone to that and blew out the system. He started with the outlets and then turned on my laminars and cleared them out. When done, he plugged that pipe and left it in the skimmer kind of like a gizmo, but he also crunched up the empty anti-freeze jugs and crammed them in the skimmer basket to work like a gizmo.

 

[Newdude]

If you can figure out which adapters you need to make it work at the skimmer, the cyclone can blow out the whole system right through the equipment. I used my backpack leaf blower at the pad blowing each half of the system after removing the equipment.

 

[pb4uswim]

If you can figure out which adapters you need to make it work at the skimmer, the cyclone can blow out the whole system right through the equipment. I used my backpack leaf blower at the pad blowing each half of the system after removing the equipment.

The pipe sitting on my lawn mower in the first post is how he connected to the skimmer. One end is threaded and he screwed it into the open hole. What I’m confused about is how he connected the cyclone to that pipe.

 

[Newdude]

The pipe sitting on my lawn mower in the first post is how he connected to the skimmer. One end is threaded and he screwed it into the open hole. What I’m confused about is how he connected the cyclone to that pipe.

I’m guessing the pipe you have is just an extension to *exactly* cyclone height and he had an elbow with another pipe going to the cyclone. With most decks being slightly different heights in relation to the skimmer hole, it’s probably a custom pipe that wouldn’t work at other pools so he left it with you.

I haven’t seen one in a while, does the cyclone have a tapered outlet like you’d shove flex pipe on, or is it threaded. You need a threaded elbow for the riser pipe and then either flex pipe to shove on the cyclone or a threaded connector for it instead.

 

[pb4uswim]

I haven’t seen one in a while, does the cyclone have a tapered outlet like you’d shove flex pipe on, or is it threaded. You need a threaded elbow for the riser pipe and then either flex pipe to shove on the cyclone or a threaded connector for it instead.

I guess I’ll have to get the cyclone first and figure out the rest. The pipe I have does have threads on the top that are the same as the plugs to close off the outlets.

 

[Newdude]

If you want the easiest way to figure it out, take the cyclone and the pipe to a plumbing supply store. (Note, *not* a plumbing aisle) and ask the counter guy what you need. It may need a Union if both ends are threaded, but he’ll go in the back and get all your parts, then show you how to mock it up.

The pipe I have does have threads on the top that are the same as the plugs to close off the outlets

Yes. It’s simple a blow through gizmo that isn’t a gizmo. And then you still needed a gizmo. It seems like they made it way harder than it needed to be because a blow through gizmo would perform both functions.

 

[pb4uswim]

Maybe I should just get a gizmo then. I don’t really care how I get there, I just want to get everything I need before fall. I think it would be hard for me to spend more than they charge me to close, even with the cost of the Cyclone. So my payback perio is just one year. Given that, I’ll buy whatever I need to do it right.

 

[Newdude]

I’d get a blow through gizmo if you aren’t dropping the water level below the skimmer. If you do then just blow right though the high and dry skimmer.

Take the gizmo/riser pipe and cyclone to the plumbing store and they’ll figure out the rest. $50 tops and it will save you $300+ per year and last forever. This year is a wash because of the cyclone. Next year you’ll be up most of the savings and every year after is Scott free. (Well, minus a few bucks for antifreeze.

If you particularly like to solve things yourself, take the cyclone/pipe to Home Depot and get your MacGuyver on. But you already know they’ll be out of stock on 2 critical parts so then you have to go to Lowe’s who only has 1 of them and then off to another HD two towns over and OMG I FRIGGIN HATE THEM BOTH !!!

 

[DorsalSpine]

+1 for the blow through Gizmo. Works for me. I also stuff a crushed anti-freeze bottle through the front of the skimmer to hold the weir door open.

 

[pb4uswim]

Thanks. I’ll be able to figure out the fittings. So basically between the cyclone and the gizmo you use a flexible pipe similar to a pool vacuum hose? I think I’ll buy the two attachments linked in my first post and add to that a gizmo. That should get me most, if not all the way there.

 

[Newdude]

So basically between the cyclone and the gizmo you use a flexible pipe similar to a pool vacuum hose

Flex pipe will give you some play if the 2 heights don’t line up perfectly. It stronger than the corrugated vac hose like kind and it glues like regular PVC

 

[anthonypool89]

and anti-freeze.

I do that also - one gallon in each line, though theoretically shouldn't need to. I've started buying new rubber expansion plugs every season rather than reusing them. I was most surprised when I opened this year to discover that there was still air pressure in the drain line when I pulled the double plug out of the skimmer. Can't ask for a much more secure closing than that I suppose.

 

[wireform]

Question guys, if you're not dropping the water below the skimmers how are you blowing out the returns and plugging them without water getting back in. I know about the duck plugs which I've never used but that hasn't been mentioned either. I just drop the water just below the returns and use regular tapered plugs. Go for the cyclone blower. I've used every combination blower but nothing will ever compare to the real deal. It's like the speedstir story. Once you use them you'll never get caught without it.

 

[Newdude]

Question guys, if you're not dropping the water below the skimmers how are you blowing out the returns and plugging them without water getting back in

With an extension pipe like PB4 was given from his closer. I personally drained mine and went right to the skimmer. Either a blow through gizmo or a pipe like this work if it isn’t drained. In PB4s case, they then tossed a gizmo in the skimmer loose to absorb the ice. Seems like more work than needed to me but everybody has their way that they like.

 

[DorsalSpine]

Open the main drain and skimmer lines at the pump/filter end. Use a blow through Gizmo in the skimmer and blow the line. Add .5 gallon anti-freeze from the skimmer end and the same from the filter end. Cap line with rubber plug.

Blow the level down in the main drain line. Quickly add anti-freeze and a plug. Alternatively add anti-freeze slowly until you have it sitting on top of the water in the main drain line. Blow the level down and plug it. You want the level low enough to get below the freeze line. The anti-freeze is there if the plug leaks and the water column in the pipe gets up above the freeze line.

My returns are threaded. Remove eyeballs. Screw in elbows (from hardware store). Elbow and the pipe are above the water line. Blow and/or suck water out of the returns. Add anti-freeze. Plug the elbow. Remove the elbow assembly and screw in plug ASAP. You are doing this underwater so a little water will get into the line as you remove the elbow assembly and swap it for a plug. Repeat for the other return. Add anti-freeze from the pump end. Any water in the line is mixed with the anti-freeze.

I adapted this so I can do this by myself. With a helper I just blow the return lines and let the shop vac run until I get good air flowing out of the returns. Plug them and add all the anti-freeze from the pump end. The return closest to the pump gets capped first since they are not home runs to the pump.

Your mileage may vary. Your own risk, yada, yada, yada.

 

[pb4uswim]

This is my first time, but it looked like the guy who closed last year did this. The water wasn’t lower than the skimmer or the outlets. He screwed in the pipe to the skimmer. He then blew the lines and when the first outlet was blowing air, he capped it off and then went to the next one. There are three. When he got to the last one, he shut off he cyclone (his assistant did) right when he get it capped. Then he shifter the valve to me laminars (water feature) and blew them out. Then he poured anti freeze down the pipe. Capped that off (the top was above the water) and then crumbled up the gallon jug and shoved that into the skimmer. I guess that works like a gizzmo.

What I’m not sure of is all what he did at the equipment pad. I’ll post another thread with pictures of my equipment and discuss that. I’m sure he removed my cartridge filter and removed some drain plugs (probably from the heater).