Blowing out lines - skimmer & main drain

[gunkie]

I was going to make two posts, but decided to make one post with two parts:

BLOWING OUT SKIMMER LINES:

Hi there. I'm closing my pool solo for the first time. The return and skimmer lines run to the equipment over a fairly level grade. However, the lines run up and over and down to cross a low wall. When I use the air compressor to blow the lines from the filter side, water spurts out of the skimmers [and gravity allows the water to run right back into the skimmer pipe]. When I blow from the skimmer side, we get very little water out, but lots of gurgling noises. I'm thinking that there is in effect, a trap near the wall. Water has drained from the skimmer lines; I just can't seem to be able to get the rest of it out.

At this point, since the skimmer pipes are not full of water, I can just add some anti-freeze to the skimmer lines. Maybe I got enough water out and just plug it up now?

BLOWING OUT MAIN/BOTTOM DRAIN LINE:

The pool water is lowered to below the returns, but not quite below the bottom of the deep skim bucket where the main drain pipe comes out. I use my air compressor to blow air into the main drain line from the deep skim bucket until bubbles come out of one of the main drains on the bottom of the pool. I then *attempt* to put a Gizzmo or expando rubber plug into this pipe. I almost broke my fingers as the water pressure tries to force anything plugging that pipe, out like a cannon.

Any tricks or tips to avoid a broken finger or a black eye? How much air needs to be trapped in the pipe to avoid freezing?

Any advice is deeply appreciated.

Thanks!

[gunkie]

Well, I think I did OK. I pushed water down the main drain pipe from the deep end skimmer until bubbles came out. Then I made a quick change from blowing air to putting in a expando stopper. I think I left enough of an air gap to avoid any freeze damage in the main drain pipe. I'll let everyone know in the spring

I had my 10 year-old daugher help with the skimmer pipes. I used my air compressor from the pump side to blow water out. She said that the water bubbled up and ran back into the pool. I never saw this because I was in a shed holding an air compressor fitting against a rubber stopper with a hole in the tube end. I could tell that the shallow end skimmer was pretty void of water becasue after removing the air compressor, very little air [no air] pushed back out my end. I pushed air both ways on the deep end skimmer line. However I found that I was able to clear most of the water by pushing from the skimmer side, as evidenced by the amount of water on the shed floor [my daughter had given up by this point].

Again, I will post up about success or miserable failure next spring.

[astabi]

Hi,

I was told to use a shop-vac to blow out the skimmer and return lines. I blew them out and put a gizmo into the skimmer.

I'm attempting to blow out the main drain but am having no luck so far. I guess you blow until you see a steady stream of bubbles the i'll close the valve which will create an air vacuumed seal.