Union (Quick-Connect) O-Ring Care

[BigDave]

This post is kinda pointed to CarlD but I'd love to hear anyone's opinion.
When winterizing (disassembling) a plumbing system with Quick-Connects (Unions?) and storing the lubed, bagged, and marked O-Rings, how should I protect the Union halves that are still outside attached to the pool etc.

[waste]

Hey BigDave.

What I've always done is put plastic over the exposed end amd duct tape it . If you don't want the adhesive to be on the pipe forever, just tape the plastic and don't get any tape on the pipe. Then, to prevent the plastic from ripping, tape across the opening so that stuff can't get down the pipe.

The other way is to plug the pipe with an expandable rubber plug.

[BigDave]

Thanks Ted.
One more question: some of my open unions and o-ring grooves will be facing skyward. Is there a danger of breaking the union should condensate form on the o-ring groove? Should I fill the groove with foam? Am I way over the top worrying about this?

[CarlD]

Dave,

Most of mine are protected from the weather--under the deck, and none point up so I don't bother. I did one season. I put a freezer ziplock bag over it, a large enough one, then duct-taped it tight, but only on the bag.

For the o-rings I put each one in a zip-lock bag I mark in advance with a Sharpie pen. I wipe the ring clean with a paper towel, then lube it with teflon rubber gasket lube, put it in the ziplock, push all the air out and seal it. I put ALL the ziplocks in one large gallon size one. I put the drain cap from the sand filter in there too.

Carl