Sliding Gate Valve - Pool center drain

[D45]

I am going to see if a cheap $5 stopper plug will fit, even if I have to trim the metal washer

 

[Just_Steve]

I drain the water below the skimmer and remove all the pool hoses and equipment every fall to store them inside the shed

I then blow out the center drain to help protect it from freezing

The gate valve is merely to shut off water to and from the center drain, for maintenance and for winterizing

27 years of pool ownership in the north east and have never blown out center drain, I drain pool below return lines plug return lines I dump about a gallon of pool antifreeze per return line @2 and a gallon in the skimmer 1/2 before gizmo 1/2 after gizmo install. then another gallon goes in piping for center drain. Never had an issue.

 

[D45]

Well I have had center drains freeze and cracked before, so I learned and always blow them out. Never had an issue since I started doing this , so i plan on continuing it

 

[D45]

$5 stopper.......I am going to slow trim it back until it will fit through the fitting

 

[mike93lx]

$5 stopper.......I am going to slow trim it back until it will fit through the fitting

I.meant plug it on the pool side. Trying to put that in the pipe then remove it with water coming through feels like it will be more than mildly frustrating

 

[D45]

Pool is already covered for the winter

 

[D45]

Hayward SCH 80 threaded ball valve ordered for $10 shipped

I'll work on trimming on pipe plug this week

 

[D45]

Well it's almost spring and it's time to install the new valve and do some pool maintenance

Safety Seal TP123 test plug ordered for $20 shipped

I'll cut off the old slide gate valve and Slide the balloon inside the pipe..... and add some air to stop the water flow, then I'll install and glue on the new threaded fitting

Deflate the balloon plug, pull out the balloon and problem fixed, after screwing on the new HD Heyward valve

 

[kbs2244]

My pool bottom drain is threaded below the grate
at the entrance to the following plumbing

as part of the winter prep I thread a 4 foot piece of pipe into the drain and fill it with RV antifreeze
I unplug the plumbing to let the antifreeze fill the pipes
(it takes a few times filling the vertical pipe in the pool to flush the system of water)
I leave the pipe threaded i the drain during the winter, but the pool guy that showeded me how to do this takes it out to take it to the next call
the antifreeze filled pipes are protected from freezing

I used to drain the plumbing to keep it dry over the winter
but I always would worry that it might leak and fill with water and freeze
now if that happens I do not know it
the plumbing is always full of antifreeze in the spring

 

[D45]

Old gate cut out and new valve installed

Looks like the internal piece broke

The Safety Seal TP123 test plug worked great

 

[D45]

I guess now I'm just concerned where the remaining pieces went

I'll open the valve today and see if anything gets forced out