Power outage - equipment drained - now what?

[Schneida]

In Houston, TX and we lost power this morning. Once I saw the restoration time was going to be 4 hours later, I went down my checklist, turned off pool power at the breaker and drained all the equipment. Naturally power came back on about 15 minutes later (total time out an hour and 20 minutes).

Question is….is it best to just leave pool off and equipment drained as is until Thursday when we are expected to get back above freezing temps? Should I do anything else in the meantime?

Our pool was finished end of July so it’s our first winter with the pool. Freeze protection was working great before this but a little worried we may be having rolling blackouts over the next two days.

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

If you had not drained the system, the power would not have come back on at all...

Just leave everything off until we warm up enough to make the pad ice free.

I suggest that you put something in the skimmer to keep it from completely freezing up. Something like a plastic bottle that the ice can crush in rather than expanding out and breaking your skimmer.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Schneida]

S,

If you had not drained the system, the power would not have come back on at all...

Just leave everything off until we warm up enough to make the pad ice free.

I suggest that you put something in the skimmer to keep it from completely freezing up. Something like a plastic bottle that the ice can crush in rather than expanding out and breaking your skimmer.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Right? Naturally this happens while my husband is 15 hours ahead in Korea so he’s not help. I took the skimmer baskets out, should I leave them in? We do have auto overflow drain line out to the street and it is currently open if that would also help with skimmers. Thank you!

 

[JJ_Tex]

but a little worried we may be having rolling blackouts over the next two days.

There are no predicted rolling blackouts and the news is stating any outages are localized issues and not rolling blackouts.

You can always check the status here:

Grid and Market Conditions

www.ercot.com

You can see the forecasted supply is over demand, with the closest point being this evening after solar production ends but before everyone goes to bed.

Wind production is way down today as it is usually 30-40% of our production, but luckily it is sunny so Solar production is up. The rest of the sources are fairly constant.

 

[Newdude]

I worry about the other 'rolling blackout'. The 'your 4x4 is 4 wheel go, not 4 wheel *stop*. It's also not 4 wheel turn. Anywho, here's a telephone pole with a big fat transformer on it for your troubles' type of rolling blackout.

Maybe not this event if everyone has blue skies, but in general.

 

[HermanTX]

Right? Naturally this happens while my husband is 15 hours ahead in Korea so he’s not help. I took the skimmer baskets out, should I leave them in? We do have auto overflow drain line out to the street and it is currently open if that would also help with skimmers. Thank you!

The concern is ice forming with no circulation. I would put empty water bottle or cut up a foam pool noodle and stick in each skimmer. Great work in draining the pump. Did you also drain the heater & filter?

We only have 24 hrs to go so let the equipment sit drained and put it all back when the sun is out tomorrow or Thursday. The risk of algae is low with the extreme cold water.

 

[Schneida]

The concern is ice forming with no circulation. I would put empty water bottle or cut up a foam pool noodle and stick in each skimmer. Great work in draining the pump. Did you also drain the heater & filter?

We only have 24 hrs to go so let the equipment sit drained and put it all back when the sun is out tomorrow or Thursday. The risk of algae is low with the extreme cold water.

Yes I drained everything - two pumps, heater, filter and chlorinator. We do have a booster pump which I covered with some blankets and towels. I went ahead and put the water bottles in the skimmers and will keep an eye on those. Thank you!