Back to the Pool Wars...Year 3

 I'm still at Pool Wars Year 3? Here is what I was dealing with when I opened the pool for the 3rd year. At the end of year 2, I covered the pool by myself and I ONLY drained the water til just below the hatch. I had used 11 2-Compartment bags and 4 bags with one side usable. Over the winter I did have to put a few cinder blocks and one pail full of old pool sand as high winds caused the cover to move about. All alone I uncovered which takes me back to the pool cover vs lawn issue.

A few weeks later....

First item to report, that perfectly rectangular crop circle, OK fine-where I killed the lawn by leaving lay the pool cover that could cover Asia? Guess I moved fast enough....

Another week passed and.....

In my head I'm able to say, "See Dad, it grew back I didn't kill it....(yet:)".

Now it was time to put the additional water into the pool and turn on the filter.....So 'TIMEX', the filter which for years which took the lickings and kept on ticking, or in this case 'filtering'.

The beginning of the end. The only issue I 'thought' I had prior to turning the on/off switch was located at 1. A little tube which last year had developed a lovely spout about 5" up and out. Year 2., naturally I EPOXIED the hole and it resolved the issue  for the summer, although it still dripped. The tubing was yellow and dried out thus the pinhole spout. So I had removed it when I closed the pool and simply purchased a new length of tube. So that was my first repair. Installing the new tubing the old yellow pieces it attached to with washers into holes in the PVC all held by clamps, well~try to visualize the domino effect. One of the yellow pieces broke where the tube slipped on. Then the other yellow tube split at the end attached to the washer. Now the tube no longer was dual end usable. I could put one end of the tube over the yellow piece which still had the 'slip on', but I couldn't wedge the tube over the larger piece  the 'slip on' had broken off of. So back to Lowe's I went and got a larger tube. Getting the tube fitted on both yellow pieces, clamps slipped on and the pieces and washer back into the PVC I tightened it all down. Then with one of the many rolls of plumbers tape I found along the way I taped where the gaps were.

Water up, turned the switch on. Was going to need liquid nail as around the fittings on 1. as leak was still too big. Squirt-moosh moosh~drying. NEXT! The big issue was 2. & 3. Now 2. I had epoxied last year on the advice of pool guy and although it still dripped it was minimal. But this year......2. was a steady stream, the 3.? 

On 3, the PVC which WAS at the arrow, cracked apart due to age. But there seemed to be no leaks despite that so.....

So I gathered 'help'. Along with duct tape and liquid nail was the bedrock of all supplies, epoxy. And I began. First I applied epoxy all around 2. where it leaked, but the gap and depth of the area was just too vast. So finding an 'old' chalking gun with 'old' caulk I levered it into the entire round of the PVC. I let it harden, a little bit, and turned the pump on. It held, for about 20 seconds and then began dripping from multiple areas around the fitting. Turned it off and packed more chalking in and let it dry. Before I left for the day I epoxied OVER the caulk. 24 hrs later again hit the ON button and it lasted about 40 seconds then drips. ARRGGHH! I can figure this out, DUCT TAPE. So I wrapped a few rounds of tape over the gap around the epoxy, caulk, epoxy. Then I epoxied over the duct tape.

 Ah HA. 24 hours later and ON. It lasted another 40 seconds and then slowly leaks appeared from the corners and edges of the duct tape and around the epoxy. THAT'S IT~NOW I'M PISSED.

So I put the ENTIRE ROLL OF DUCT TAPE AROUND IT. And in my best INTERNAL and EXTERNAL petulant child mode, I yelled~~LEAK NOW FILTER!!! I turned on the pump and went from child to master of sailor speak as both 2. and 3. did this....

 I stood there with water spritzing everywhere. 3. is evident in the photo, 2 meanwhile was sending out tiny jet streams which exponentially grew by the second.I briefly considered epoxing the ENTIRE DUCT TAPE, wait 24 hrs..........., forgot that. For a moment I considered walking the 10 feet over the the little house, stepping inside and going to the corner. Where I would pick up the sledge hammer, slowly return to the filter....AND BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF IT! The reality was, the filter had given far more years of service than it was designed to do. If my father was still alive I've no doubt he might eek out another year or two. But my father had worn out and I had to allow him to go. So the least I could do for this filter he nursed for the last 22 years of its life was allow it to go also. I walked in the house and picked up my cell phone and ordered its replacement and set up an appointment for installation.

Replacing the Pool Filter Motor

At the close of the last post regarding year 2 of Pool Wars I was standing looking at a dead motor. And I had ordered and received the $300 replacement. Now my Dad was an electrician in the Navy so over the years he did any work associated with electrical  issues. But I knew that over the last few years there were wiring issues in the house that needed repair or replacement. Plus periodically, when flipping the switch behind the filter, it wouldn't engage. My guess was a loose wire causing a short. But this wasn't a lamp or a fuse, this pump motor was hard wired. And with the house heading toward FOR SALE, I just didn't want to take a chance. My brother had given me a quick verbal rundown on 'how to' and it seemed something I could accomplish, but my concern was should anything fail causing an electrical fire it was important that a licensed electrician had done the work. Plus the outlet by the pool wasn't working and one by one several outlets in both the house and Little House ceased to work. So I called an electrician.

This is one of those moments, of many, when my Mother weighed in. I went home, explained the status and informed her a electrician would come the next day to do it all. She looked up and said "Your father always did that sort of work." Now it wasn't said like a question, just a flat statement. I just stood there, even looking around and at myself...maybe my Dad had materialized or I'd morphed into my Dad....until I finally said, "Ah, I'm not Dad and I think a licensed electrician is needed". Still looking at me in what I've learned years ago as the 'you aren't correctly interrupting what I'm saying', I waited. Finally she gave up and concurred.

The next day I arrived at the house and began to realize that the electrician would wire the pump but I really should have the pump ready for that to happen. For 2 hours--I struggled with the filter/pump motor area. At this point the 42 year old filter has essentially been held together with epoxy, so a simple pipe wrench, screwdriver and muscle may not detach the filter/pump motor. All those tools I'd organized for over a year gave me the hardware I needed. I used several pipe wrenches and 2 screwdrivers but often simply turning the PCV wasn't possible--EPOXY. Plus I didn't want to break any old repaired areas in removing the unit. Finally aided by a vast array of 'sailor speak' I had detached 1. and 2. with no damage. (see photo)  But detaching the actual  filter/pump motor from the aged round unit holding the sand? And no matter what I did, the fitting where it would logically be removed, wouldn't budge from the unit side. But the threaded portion attached to the filter/pump motor-that would move. (above the right corner of the photo)

 My only option at this point was to unscrew the filter/pump motor from the main filter, and I mean by rotating the entire filter/pump motor. So, for the next 40 minutes I turned it bit by bit, until it detached. I was able to lift it off and set in its place the replacement and just as the electrician pulled into the driveway. He quickly hard wired it back together and it worked. He found that a fuse in the Little House was all that was needed to fix half the outlets. Like endless times since my Dad passed, I walked to the cellar and pulled out a tiny drawer in the metal box and pulled out exactly what was needed, a 20 amp fuse. The other half of the outlets.....Duh Moment, the outlet box on the cement patio on the back of the house? Fixed by pushing the reset switch.

After the electrician departed and only a $75 invoice, which I thought was good value for the money, I fired up the pump and began getting the pool fit for swimming. After that, pool wise, it was a fairly good summer. No one but me swimming in the pool which makes it difficult to keep algae at bay but I enjoyed the pool between lawn mowing, sorting possessions, trimming hedges and dealing with the 'caretaker'.

In My Effort to Get HELP Regarding Jr. JD

Blog Owner Disclaimer::: Yes I know I bounce around and yes I know I swear I'll post the 'next chapter' in Jr. JD, Pool Filter, my never ending stupidity in my attempts to 'fix or maintain'. But I've come to a hitch in my Jr JD. And as I haven't really STARTED that ordeal as in posting about it.......never the less......

On step 2 of my 'fixing the Jr JD-changing the oil-I managed to find-I think, well I hope-the little piece I turn to drain the oil out. And I did, I drained the oil out. And let me state for the record----as a smaller female with smaller hands it was possible to get my hand to the little piece. It was ALMOST impossible to manuever my digits once there. I tried my hand in numerous positions, I tried several different tools in numerous positions throughout this skit. But in retrospect getting the little piece turned and draining the oil went fairly well.

Then I turned it back the way I came and poured the new clean oil in~~~~and it also drained out quite nicely. &^%$%  I spent the next 2 hours moving that little piece both ways and tried to put oil in a few more times...and it also drained out very nicely. SO

I hunted about on the internet to see if I could find a place where, being anonymous I could asking 'Idiot Question #2365'. I did and waited. The 1st poster kindly offered some advice and 'if I wanted to post a photo it might help with giving an accurate answer'. The next poster gave me a link. The 3rd poster provided lots of chuckles basically calling me a mechanical illiterate and telling me to go buy a new mower. As a polite little 'unknown' I responded to the 'feedback'. The first poster responding to the 3rd poster told me I could look at it as passing the wimp test since I still wanted to tackle the Jr JD.

So since I'm uncertain as to how and if I can post photos into the forum itself, I've provided a link on my post and hopefully the 1st poster will take the time to click on my link and view the 'area'. And if he does, HEY I'LL BE POSTING ABOUT IT.

{Fred: "Heard that before"~~Alice:"Anybody want to bet?"}

From the top looking down 

1. The knob I turned to drain and turned multiple times in attempt to close

2. The exit point of the oil.

From the right side tire looking in.



Then Yesterday After 24 Hours...

Grass is growing despite the fact, 'it' must know I have lawn mower issues, so up to the house to do my job, House Serf in Charge of Everything. I check the pool, needs work. I unlock the back door and inspect the house, opening doors and rigging my computer and other toys-for mental and physical health breaks. I go out and check my epoxy. It held. Seems the epoxy was keeping it nominally attached but stretched when pulling on the handle, no doubt normal use would separate the two pieces. Probably wouldn't have to be as careful but as the grass wasn't ready to be cut, I slathered on another big layer of epoxy. 

Today would the B&S be ready to mow? Well, it did still stretch after the second layer but it also seemed a bit stronger. In an unexpected and seldom experienced flash of insight, AH HA! Having collected into a bucket in the initial clean~up of the Little House, just 1 of many collections into buckets/boxes/piles- were bungee cords!!!

Why not? Was I going to become a social outcast should a professional lawn mower/welder come along and see the blue bungee cord as I was whipping around the yard mowing? An even better question would be DID I GIVE A CRAP? Nope~Never~Not in a Million Years. But the most important question? BETWEEN THE EPOXY AND BUNGEE CORD WOULD I BE ABLE TO MOW WITHOUT CONSTANTLY PUTTING THE HANDLE END BACK INTO THE BRACKET???? No time like the present for to see. I pulled the cord.

 4 hours later, with a freshly coiffed lawn, a clean pool and some tools soaking in a vinegar bath--4 feet of water in the basement, filling up everything underwater including ammo boxes full of TOOLS creates RUST, I packed up to go home. Hopped into Dad's car, which I've been driving since he left us, stuck the key in and turned it~~ THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. Excuse me~I suspect several hours of SAILOR SPEAK is about to occur..............