Another swimming season done

[CarlD]

Well, we got our last swim in a couple of weeks ago. Even with a solar cover and solar panels the water has been in the mid 70's, and we're all too chicken to swim in that!

So, I've turned off my panels and started dosing the pool's chlorine up. I'll get it all perfect, then add a quart of Polyquat, let it go for 48 hours, then boost the FC up to shock level, and keep it there until the water temperature goes to the low 60's or below 60.

Then I'll close.

Meantime if the weather improves and I get over this low-grade cold, I'll blow out the solar panels and lines, pull out the drop-in steps, and put away all the outdoor furniture and umbrellas. This includes storing the outdoor speakers and cables for the winter. I don't REALLY need to do this, but it should lengthen their life since they don't endure the bitter winter.

PF will get a lot quieter as winter comes upon us. Meanwhile, the fun Fall stuff is on us--including watching football on Sunday afternoons on the HDTV!

(Actually GOING to Jets' games has gotten too stressful--between the elongated waits to get in and out of parking, the fan behavior, language and....well, just plain DIRT there, my family rebelled and said "ENOUGH"! The new stadium will have 20,000 more seats and tickets will START at $20 a seat more...from $75 to now $95 for the cheapest endzone seats in Nose Bleed City...The only good thing is the Giants' fans, who go through the same thing on alternate Sundays, have to pay EVEN MORE--but at least their team won a Superbowl!)

Anyway...I actually look forward to a cold, snowy winter. I like it better in single digits than in the 20's because the air gets crisp and no longer holds water. Joints and aches and pains go away when it's that cold because the moisture is gone! And the snow is beautiful except from behind a shovel....

So...here's to another great swimming year!

[shadowman]

Alas it's true! My last swim was on the 16th. The water temp has dropped to 75, the solar panels are turned off and the first leaves are appearing on the solar blanket. The safety cover will go on in a few weeks and the long winter will begin. I just added bleach for the first time in 2 weeks. The levels have remained rock solid all that time. I haven't winterized the last two years but just run the filter an hour or so every night. I suppose I will get surprised one of these times but it sure makes it handy to pump out rain water when the filter pump is still useable.

So long faithful forum people. I'll see you on the other side.

[Watermom]

Anyway...I actually look forward to a cold, snowy winter.

Not me!!!



By the way ..... even though PF will get slow over the winter, we mods will still be popping in around here frequently if anybody wants to talk pools!!

[aylad]

We're through for the season, too, it looks like--water is currently in the low 70s, and it's just too cold for me. After the hurricanes came through and dumped all the rain, the temps started falling and the typical daytime high now is only low 80's, and it's actually been in the high 50's at night, so the water's not warming up any. Am starting to decrease my pump time to 6 hours or so daily, and will continue to decrease it as the water gets colder. Water still looks great, though!

You guys keep the cold snowy stuff up north this winter, okay?

Janet

[Watermom]

You guys keep the cold snowy stuff up north this winter, okay?

Janet

I agree with Jan! Keep it above that Mason-Dixon line!

[CarlD]

And now my pool is closed for the winter. It wasn't as tough this year.

For 2 weeks I've been letting the pool cool, solar panels off. Last week I actually disconnected them to let them drain a little and plugged their returns.

Monday I added 1 quart of polyquat.

Wednesday (48 hours later) I started increasing the chlorine level. P-quat lowers FC levels and after adding a quart, it takes about 2 days before the chlorine levels will come up.

Saturday:
I tested the water and found it had a pH of 7.3. Since I KNOW it gets more acid over the winter, I added Borax. I also added two gallons of 12% LC.
Pulled off the solar cover and laid it on the lawn for rinsing, drying and folding.
Threw in the Blue Diamond robot to clean it, and got the leaf rake and pulled out a ton of leaves.
Started the shop vac in reverse blowing out the solar panels. This takes all day and I have to undo a few hoses to allow enough blow-out pressure.
Meanwhile I washed the solar cover of leaves and pollen.
Out came the ladder and drop-in steps, to be stored in the shed.
We then put on the winter mesh safety cover 90%, just leaving the end where the return, drain and skimmer is open.
Some of the deck furniture (umbrellas) went to the basement.
We folded the now-dry solar cover and put it in the basement.
At this time, I was beat.

Sunday:
Tested the water and added one more gallon of 12% LC.
Several hours later I started backwashing to waste to drain the pool below the returns.
As the skimmer went dry I turned its ball-valve off. When the water was low enough, I plugged the return, my overflow drain, the low drain and the skimmer.
The skimmer gets an Aquador cover and a Gizmo, and the bottom of the skimmer is left open.
The rest of the winter cover was then closed.
Quick-connects released the Solar panel manifold, the return, drain and skimmer plumbing, as well as the pump-to-filter pipe.
The Multivalve was removed from the filter.
Each O-ring was dried, lubed with silicone grease and placed in its own, marked zip-lock bag with the air forced out. All the zip-locks go in one larger one so they stay together. The O-Ring from the Multi-valve on top of the filter gets treated the same way.
The pump was unplugged, the pump's banding ground removed, the strainer removed and cleaned and the entire pump allowed to drain--I turn it upside down!
The filter drain plug is removed and goes in a zip-lock with all the O-rings. These are then stored indoors.
The flexible plumbing was drained and went into the shed as did the pump.
Meanwhile the rest of the deck umbrellas and their stands went to the basement.
Finally, when the filter was drained (I stick a flat rock under one side to tip it toward the drain, I cover it with heavy contractor trash bag and duct tape it tight. I wrap duct tape around the rim where the multivalve mounts, and at the bottom below the curve. This way the bag is tight, but no duct tape gets on the filter itself, only on the bag. I make sure it can't flap in the wind, then I put a cinderblock or patio block on the top to protect the covered opening.

And I'm done!

[aylad]

Wow--I shocked my pool--and I'm done, too!

I don't know if I have enough energy to maintain a pool in the north!!

Janet

[CarlD]

Ahhhh, I just went really "granular" in my description.

I left out:

"Take break and watch Jets win ugly"
"Have lunch"
"Play with my little kid, pal around with my big guy"
"Fix dishwasher electrical circuit"
"Order take-out"
"Drink a brew"
"Browse with Firefox"

[Watermom]

My pool is covered (has been for about a week now), but still has the filter and pump on it. It is still too warm around here to totally close it. We are still having day time temps in the mid 80s. I have to get the cover on before the big onslaught of leaves start falling around here, but still need to circulate for awhile yet. When we start having night time temps around freezing, which is still quite aways off for us, then we will tweak the chemistry, drop the water level and disconnect the filter and pump. It will probably be mid to late November.

[Poconos]

Been just a little below freezing a few nights but not for long and no worry yet. Got it partially winterized in that I blew and plugged the returns because pieces of those pipes are above ground. Soon I'll do the whole works. Last few days it's een unseasonably warm in northeast PA. Leaves are about gone. That's good because I'll do one more cutting then convert the tractor to winter mode.
Al