Re: Blowing Out Main Drain
Bad news: you cannot reliably blow out 1.5" or 2" pool lines with a compressor; you need a BIG shop vac. The issue is not pressure, but air flow volume, needed to blow out water that may be trapped in low spots in the pipes. (I know, there should not BE low spots: but most pool guys are poor plumbers . . . and most pool buyers will not pay more to 'do it right' underground!)
Best bet? Hire whoever has closed your pool successfully in the past, to do it again. And WATCH how they do it. Next year, do the same.
I would offer more advice, but I'm in Georgia, and am not confident I know what's needed for successful winterization in CT. I was 8 years old -- more than 50 years ago -- the last time it got below zero here!
Good luck!
Re: Blowing Out Main Drain
Thanks. What do you mean by a big shop vac? Mine is a 5HP and the largest I've seen are 6.5HP. Is there something larger? I've seen people post that you cannot use a Shop Vac and I've watching instructional video that use a compressor to blow out all the lines.
Re: Blowing Out Main Drain
Sorry, I can't really help. Vacuum cleaner horsepower rating are even MORE bogus than pool pump horsepower valves. "Big" means "big enough to do the job", and unfortunately, horsepower numbers supplied by the marketing departments of the vac companies are just misleading. What I always used was a Mighty-Vac, but apparently they are no longer made: https://www.amazon.com/dp/b003wlcj9o
This may be the current replacement: Air Supply Florida Cyclone Vacuum and Blower (@ Amazon)
I've already given you the best advice I've got, and I'm not going offer uninformed speculation on something as critical as properly winterizing a pool in Connecticut.
Sorry.
Re: Blowing Out Main Drain
Bought the blower and it worked amazing. Guess we’ll see in the spring, but I’m fully confident the lines and main drain were cleared. Thanks for your help.
Also, local hardware owner also said the air compressor doesn’t provide the volume necessary.
Re: Blowing Out Main Drain
Glad it worked well for you.