Month: November 2024

Low-volume or small-batch CNC machining involves manufacturing products or parts in small quantities, usually between 10-1000 pieces. It is one mechanism that helps manufacturers cut down on production costs. Asides from reducing cost, producing on a small scale also makes it easy to change designs without incurring a loss.

In this article, we’d examine low-volume CNC machining in detail, its benefits, and ways to maximize budget when designing for low-volume CNC machining. Keep reading as we provide you with this great information.

Low Volume CNC Machining Explained

Low-volume CNC machining combines the benefits of computer numerical control with CNC principles to produce a small number of pieces. Not all businesses need huge batches of products; some need small batches.

Additionally, Low-volume machined products are cost-effective without requiring costly tooling. It’s perfect for advancing an idea from the conceptual stage through prototyping and then serving as a transitional stage to full-scale production.

Advantages of Using Low-Volume CNC

Businesses leverage low-volume CNC for many beneficial reasons, ranging from low cost to capital protection. Let’s discuss the advantages of low-volume CNC in more detail.

1. Improves Manufacturing Flexibility

Low-volume CNC machining allows for greater design flexibility compared to injection molding or die casting. It becomes easier to identify manufacturing mistakes and make necessary adjustments at a minimal cost. Having manufactured low-volume products, companies or businesses that employ low-volume CNC can take customer feedback and improve their products for optimal client satisfaction.

2. Reduces Time To Market

Technology, trends, and consumer preferences change daily, leading to stiff competition among businesses in the same industry. Using low-volume production is one way to ensure that high-quality products and parts reach the market in the shortest time possible.

3. Improves Business Cash Flow

It also increases cash flow between customers and businesses since low-volume CNC machining reduces time to market. It also increases the business turnover rate, as products arrive on the market in short and drive sales, so businesses generate their revenue and profit quickly.

4. Serves as a Link in the Production Chain

Low-volume CNC machining production is a link or bridge between prototyping and full-scale production of goods. Prototyping involves producing custom goods, and full-scale production happens when there is high demand.

5. High Quality Parts

Low-volume CNC produces high-quality parts with tight tolerances and excellent surface finishes. This is because CNC machines are highly precise and can produce parts to exact specifications.

Ways to Maximize Budget When Designing Low-Volume CNC Parts

Here are some design tips to help you minimize the budget and time spent on low-volume CNC machined parts.

1. Use Simple and Standard Designs

When designing low-volume CNC machined parts, endeavor to keep them simple and uniform. However, manufacturing complex designs often requires a more expensive CNC system, manual repositioning, and rotation. Hence, it could be advantageous to divide a complicated piece into smaller parts for assembly later.

Here are things you want to consider:

1.1 Go with Standard Threads

Just like standard drill sizes, using standard threads can save you time and money when machining for low-volume production. This entails leveraging an existing thread class rather than constructing a unique thread during low-volume CNC machining.

1.2 Avoid Tight Tolerances

Tolerances, especially tight ones, can increase setup time. Aside from set-up time, they also increase inspection and low-volume CNC machining time and the need for specialized production techniques or secondary operations. Because of this, it is best to ensure tolerances are only as tight as necessary to meet the design’s structural and functional requirements.

1.3 Use Standard Sizes When Designing Holes

The metal chip evacuation operation becomes more difficult and expensive as the hole gets deeper, so try to keep the hole depth five to six times the drill diameter. Moreover, be careful to design your holes using common drill sizes. Otherwise, you would need to buy a unique tool, which might increase prices and manufacturing time.

2. Choose the Correct Material For Low-Volume Parts Production

Project costs might skyrocket with the wrong materials, making material selection crucial in both long and short production runs. Also, machinability is a factor to consider, as even when different materials are, there is a good possibility that one will cost more than the other.

In other words, when you choose a CNC machine shop, pick a less expensive and/or more common substance if you don’t need the qualities of costly and unique material.

3. Take into Consideration the Finishing and Text to Use

It is best to avoid elaborate finishing and text when designing low-volume CNC machining parts. While the machined text has a nice visual and can be operationally beneficial, the technique increases the time and cost of low-volume production for each character due to the technique required to track each character.

If your low-volume machined parts need a logo or some lettering consider using a surface finishing technique, as it helps save money and time. For instance, adding text to your product is quicker with direct engraving by using laser marking, painting, or silk screening.

4. DFM (Design for Manufacturing)

Designing for manufacture entails creating pieces that are simple to machine. Furthermore, it’s crucial to consider the machining equipment’s capabilities when planning for low-volume machining. Also, create parts that can be produced with the tools at hand. In other words, if you have a 3-axis CNC machine, do not manufacture products using only 5-axis CNC machining.

5. Reduce Waste

Waste reduction is crucial for cutting down CNC machining costs and environmental reasons. It’s crucial to consider material usage and create pieces that produce the least waste while designing for machining or low-volume injection molding. To reduce material waste, this can be done by requesting the use of recycled materials.

Choose Wayken for Your Low Volume CNC Machining

Are you looking for a low-volume CNC machining company that will take on your small-batch production projects? Wayken is a reliable and trusted CNC manufacturer for your low-volume production.

With top-notch machining centers and experts, our on-demand manufacturing services include CNC milling, turning, 3d printing, sheet metal fabrication, and injection molding. Contact us today so we bring your low-volume projects to reality.

Conclusion

Low-volume manufacturing is the practice of producing a small quantity of a product or part. Everything above highlights what you need to know about this CNC machining production practice. We also examined the ways to maximize budget when designing for low-volume CNC machining to help you make informed decisions.

FAQs

What are low-volume manufacturing methods?

Before high-scale production or if there is little demand, businesses test their items in the market using a low-volume technique. Examples of low-volume choices are 3D printing, CNC machining, and injection molding. Each low-volume production technique has benefits and drawbacks and works best in certain applications.

Is CNC good for mass production?

Several industries utilize CNC machining because it produces goods with high precision and accuracy, lowering the likelihood of human error. This method is fundamental to the production process in industries where mass output, cost-effectiveness, and accuracy are crucial.

Is additive manufacturing a better alternative to low-volume production?

Generally, additive manufacturing is preferable for projects requiring quick delivery of final parts or prototypes and projects with lax tolerance requirements. Contrarily, CNC machining is better suited for projects that require tight tolerances or a low-volume approach with part counts in the upper double digits or low thousands.

If the thought of dismantling your pool seems like an awful task, relax and review our six-step method for draining and storing your Intex pool for the winter.

1. Check Water Chemistry

Checking the water chemistry before draining a pool is essential to prevent potential environmental harm. The chemical balance of pool water is carefully maintained to ensure the safety of the environment into which the drained water is released. Unchecked, imbalanced water may contain high levels of chlorine, pH, or other chemicals that can be harmful to plants, aquatic life, and soil. By assessing the water chemistry beforehand, pool owners can take corrective measures to neutralize any imbalances and discharge water that is environmentally friendly.

2. Locate the Drain Valve

The drain valve is located on the outside of the pool. Run a garden hose out, with the female end near the drain valve. Connect the other end to a sprinkler, and water your lawn or garden (if pH is good and chlorine low). Remove the cap.

3. Drain the Pool

Connect the female end of a garden hose to the drain connector and you can now drain the pool completely. If draining to an open area, you may want to move the hose during draining to avoid erosion or oversaturation.

On some Intex pools, you may need to screw a hose adapter onto the female garden hose end and then thread the hose adapter into the drain valve. This will prevent the water from coming out immediately when you remove the drain cap.

Because it’s only gravity draining, you can’t drain it too far uphill. It will take a few hours for small Intex pools and more than 12 hours for larger pools. You should begin draining an Intex pool the night before you plan to dry, fold, and store it.

4. Dry the Pool

After complete draining, your pool will need to dry completely before folding. For Frame Set™ pools, this may be easier if the pool is left standing to allow it to air dry. Otherwise, you may find a wet/dry vacuum useful or use some towels to gently wipe your Intex pool dry.

Dry the pool well on the inside and on the outside walls so the vinyl won’t stick together when folded, or grow mildew. As a final step, using Talc or DE powder can help absorb trace moisture. Screw your pool drain cap back onto the drain valve so it won’t get misplaced.

5. Fold Your Intex Pool for Storage

Fold the wall part of the material in on all sides, then with two people, pull one side of the pool over to meet the other side. From here, keep folding in half until you have a long strip, about 3-4 feet wide. Roll or fold this up into a manageable size.

6. Store Your Pool at Room Temperature

If possible, store at room temperature, and keep it away from any nesting mice, birds, or other critters that may chew holes through the vinyl. For winter storage, consider placing a spacious, tidy, and brand-new trash can in the basement or garage.

You’ll also want to drain the pump and filter and store them indoors or out of the elements.

How Do I Drain the Last 100 Gallons From My Intex Pool?

You can use a wet/dry vacuum, or a pail and sponge, but most people move the water to one side and then with two or three sets of hands spill the water over the edge. Before you do this, however, deflate the top ring on Easy Set™ or disassemble the frame pieces for Frame Set™ pools.

The easiest way to move the water is to have two people grab the floor of the pool on one side and “walk the water” to the other side of the pool. Allow the water to spill out slowly. If the pool floor has dirt or debris in it, use a pool brush or a soft push broom to sweep the bottom of any film or remaining dirt before draining.

What if I Can’t Find the Drain Plug?

Sometimes the caps are buried just under the edge of the pool, but if you don’t find it, here are some other ways you can drain the pool.

Gravity Siphon

Push a garden hose or vacuum hose straight into the pool water so that the entire hose fills up with water. After it’s full, secure one end of the hose to the pool edge with tape or string, with 3-5 feet of the hose still sticking down into the pool water, almost touching the bottom.

Cap the other end of the hose with your thumb and quickly pull all of the hose over the wall (except for the 3-5 foot section). Keeping the other end capped with your thumb and low to the ground, pull out the hose to a lower area for draining and release your thumb with the hose on the ground.

As long as the pool end is higher than the discharge end, your siphon should start immediately. This method of siphon draining your pool can also be done with a pool vacuum hose.

Submersible Pump

If you have a small sump pump, or a pool cover pump, these can be used to drain the Intex pool. Connect a garden hose, plug it in, and carefully place the pump in the bottom of the pool, near the edge.

You can rent a small pump at a rental shop, or we have a nice variety of cover pumps.

Skimmer or Return Hoses

You may have already realized that you could remove the hose from the pool filter and drain water right next to the pool. This will work, however, only down to the level of the return.

It’s always best to drain or pump out an Intex pool slowly. With the Easy Set™ pools, you may be tempted to deflate the top ring and just sort of roll the water out. This can be dangerous, not just to nearby plants or mulch beds, but to the pool, which can rip or develop holes during the process.

That’s our super simple six-step system for draining your Intex Frame-Set™ or Easy-Set™ pool. Take the time to do it right and you’ll enjoy many more years of fun with your Intex Pool.

TIP: If you decide to dispose of your Intex pool (after all, they don’t last forever), please try to recycle the vinyl. Most landfills will accept your vinyl pool for recycling.

Enjoy your winter, and we’ll see you next year!

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Spring pool opening goes more smoothly when you have a proper winter pool closing. One of the most important parts is putting your pool cover on — tight! A tightly sealed winter pool cover protects the pool from debris and winter conditions. But you can defeat the purpose if the pool cover comes loose and nothing is done about it for many winter months. Put your cover on correctly to avoid a winter pool cover disaster.

Avoid opening the pool in April or May to a sad surprise or shocking realization that you have a lot of clean-up to do. If the pool cover becomes loose or falls into the pool, put on some warm clothes and get it taken care of now.

Winter Pool Cover Issues

• Strong winds can shred loose above ground pool covers in minutes.
• Leaks in the pool can damage a pool cover, or make it fall in the pool.
• Heavy rain and snow can pull in a solid cover, or rip the seam.
• Heavy snow and ice can rip old safety cover straps.
• Ice sheets on a solid pool cover can be sharp on the edges.
• Large sticks or branches can pierce pool covers.
• Farm animals or wild animals can cause severe damage.

My Cover Fell in the Pool

If your solid cover slipped into the pool, either from a pool leak, or too much water weight on the cover — here’s how to deal.

With several strong hands, grab the edge of the cover and pull it back up over the pool deck. Weigh it down around the edge with water bags. Start pumping water, using submersible pumps, or a cover pump. Use a vacuum hose to siphon additional water from the pool cover.

Break out the skimmer nets. In fact, leaf rakes are the easiest for debris removal. Pull the debris gently towards you to make for better scooping. Place the debris into a container with holes in it to allow the water to drain.

Scoop out as much as possible by using the leaf rake. A pool brush can also be used to gently pull debris to the edge. If the cover is really submerged deeply, a garden hose vacuum like the Leaf Gulper can be a big help.

After you have eliminated all of the accumulated debris and water from the cover, you can tighten up and reset the pool cover as the surface water recedes. Inspect the cover closely for any holes or tears.

Now you can check on the water. Note how much debris went into the pool. You may be lucky and only have smaller debris in the water. If there is more debris, use your leaf rake or leaf gulper to clean it as much as possible. In any case, once the pool cover and debris situations are stabilized, check and balance the water chemistry.

Winter Pool Cover Repairs

If there is a tear or hole in the cover, you can easily repair it using a pool cover winter patch kit. Cover patches allow for quick fixes on any winter pool cover, so you don’t have to buy a new replacement pool cover.

Solid pool covers can be quickly patched with our pool cover patch as they’re self-adhesive and super sticky. Patch both sides of the pool cover for best results.

Small rips or tears of around 6 inches are a prime example of a problem that can be remedied with a pool cover repair patch. The weave of a winter pool cover usually causes pool covers to rip in a straight line, making home repairs simple.

A rip in the cover larger than 12″ may not be possible to repair, but you might make it through the winter before replacing the pool cover.

Pool Cover Problem Prevention

For inground pool covers with water bags, keep your cover tight with a good supply of double water bags. Never use bricks to hold down the pool cover or heavy objects. Periodically check on the water tubes throughout the winter season.

A well-functioning pool cover pump will pump the 1–2 feet of rainwater and snow melt that you will likely receive through winter. For above ground pool covers, use cover clips, wall bags, or a cover seal to keep out high winds. Use a cover pump or siphon method to remove excess water that could weaken the cover seams or rip the cover.

Safety Pool Covers

For safety pool covers, if your pool cover straps aren’t tight enough, water can accumulate on the surface. Tighten straps so the springs are halfway compressed, and the cover deflects only slightly in the center. Keep your water level between 6″–18″ below the safety pool cover.

No matter what pool cover you own – whether it is a mesh cover, solid cover, safety cover or automatic pool cover, take care of winter pool cover maintenance and prevent a mid-winter pool cover disaster.

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When new in-ground pools are built, there comes a day when the plumbing crew rolls in and lays neat rows of PVC pipes into a trench. These pipes connect your pool with the pump and filter, pool cleaner, and maybe a waterfall or spa.

The final step before the trench is backfilled is to pressure test the plumbing to make sure that all the glue joints are good, and no cracked pipes exist. The plumber is careful to pressure test thoroughly and present a report to the general contractor so that he doesn’t get blamed for damage to the pipes after he leaves.

This blog post is about how to build a homemade pressure tester stick that you can use to pressure test new or old plumbing. Think that your skimmer has a leak? Maybe the main drain? You can test all lines to and from the pool with our simple design. Note that we don’t sell this pool plumbing pressure tester, but you can make one yourself with a few simple parts.

Pool Pressure Test Stick

 Materials Needed:

• 3 feet of 1.5-inch PVC pipe
• 1.5-inch PVC SxS cap
• 1.5-inch x 1.5-inch x 3/4-inch reducing tee
• 1.5-inch male adapter
• 1.5-inch x 2.0-inch threaded reducer
• 0-60 psi pressure gauge
• Male x female hose valve
• 1/8-inch threaded air valve (pptional)

All of these items can be found at Home Depot or at a plumbing supply company.

Just glue the materials together with PVC glue and you are ready to test your underground plumbing lines for leaks or pressure loss.

Some folks looking for a leak in a pool will use a different type of pressure-testing device, one that will also allow them to use air from a small compressor.

Using air makes it easier to “hear” a pool leak, if you are using listening devices, to pinpoint the exact location of a leak along the line.

This pool pipe pressure tester uses only water, but you could insert an air valve into the air bleeder hole (upper left) so you can also pressurize with air, if desired.

How Does It Work?

Connect a garden hose to the green valve, while the pressure tester stick is firmly threaded into a skimmer. From the starting skimmer, you can isolate certain lines, one at a time, pressurizing the line for 5-10 minutes, while you watch the pressure gauge. No pressure drop, no leak!

You can use these types of pool pressure testing devices to verify the integrity of new or old plumbing, or if you are trying to find the source of a leak in your own pool.

Is Your Pool Leaking?

Before running out to buy these materials to pressure test your whole pool to find a pool leak, first check the basic sources of pool leaks: where the skimmer meets the edge of the pool, or the underwater light, or small cracks in plaster or tears in vinyl. Check that your backwash line is not leaking. Check the pump and filter carefully. Check for cracks in the tile line.

To determine how much of your water loss could be simply evaporation, do the bucket test.

Place a bucket of water on the top step or swim out of the pool. Mark the water level on both the inside and the outside of the bucket, as shown in the image. Shut off the pool pump for 24 hours and if the pool has lost more water than the bucket, then you have a leak in your pool. Repeat the exercise with the pump on for 24 hours. This can give an indication of whether the leak is suction side or pressure side. Next step would be to plug the lines, skimmers, returns, and cleaner line for 24 hours (pump is off). Use threaded or rubber expansion plugs and see how much the pool leaks with all the plumbing (except for the main drain) plugged securely.

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Back when I had a pool service company, we had a few customers we saw only once per year. These were very hands-on, DIY clients who would have their pool completely closed, and called us out for our blow-only service to winterize the underground lines.

Blowing out the lines is not too complicated. Truly, anyone can do it with the right equipment.

The right equipment for the job, in this instance, is the Cyclone Pool Blower. A suitable substitute to purge pool lines would be the Mighty Vac 2-in-1 Blower and Vacuum.

Common Questions About Pool Plumbing Winterization:

Can You Blow Out Pool Lines Using an Air Compressor?

Yes, you could use a suitable compressor to blow out pool lines, but the potential exists to over-pressurize your pipes and fittings with a compressor. Compressors are high air pressure, low air flow. Cyclone pool line blowers, on the other hand, have low and consistent pressure, with a great deal more air volume. For more details, check out this video where Rox Cox explains How to Use an Air Compressor to Blow Out Pool Lines.

Can You Blow Out Pool Lines Using a Shop Vac?

Maybe. Large canister types of 5 HP or more should be able to handle the resistance of the water. Some wet/dry vacs will release excess air pressure under heavy resistance, but may still be able to blow out skimmers and return lines. The biggest problem is that most wet/dry vacs won’t blow out a main drain line. The same is true for many air compressors.

Can You Blow Out Pool Lines Using a Leaf Blower?

It seems logical that it could work. HOWEVER, I’ve tried it in a pinch with fairly powerful gas-powered leaf blowers. We had fun, used a LOT of duct tape, but had very little success. It may work for shallow skimmer and return lines after lowering the water level. But don’t expect great results for more demanding jobs.

The Best Solution?

The Cyclone Pool Line Blower will blow main drains without even having to lower the pool water level. You’ll have no problem with deep lines, small lines, or even large lines. Cyclone air blowers are also portable, as well as durable and easy to use. Did you know that Cyclone air blowers can also be used as a vacuum to set pool liners? Come to think of it, you could use the Cyclone to blow out lawn sprinkler systems, too!

So, let’s assume that we are using the Cyclone Pool Blower to blow out our pool plumbing lines, shall we?

Preparation To Blow Out the Pool Lines

1. Lower the water level 4-12″ below skimmer, depending on your pool cover type.
2. Remove filter, pump, and heater drain plugs to drain water. Replace loosely.
3. Drain, hand pump, or scoop water out of the skimmer(s) until almost empty.
4. Set the multiport valve to “Recirculate,” or to the “Filter” position for slide valves.

Next, Connect Your Cyclone to the Skimmer

You’ll need to have two extra items, which I’ve neglected to mention until now. First, you need a small 3 or 6 ft. section of hose to connect to the Cyclone. And second, you’ll need an adapter to screw the hose securely into the bottom of the skimmer.

Most inground pool skimmers have two holes in the bottom when you look down into them. Usually the poolside hole is blocked off, and the deck-side hole is connected to the pipe. If both holes in the skimmer are open, then you have what most call a “combo skimmer.” In this case, the poolside hole in the bottom connects to the bottom drain of the pool, and the deck-side one is connected to the skimmer pipe. For combo skimmers, plug the main drain hole with a winter pool plug, and thread your hose adapter into the other hole that leads to the pump.

Thread the 1.5″ hose adapter into the bottom hole in your skimmer that connects to the pump. If your skimmer has 2″ holes in the bottom, you can use a plumbing adapter available at any home store, called a 2″ x 1.5″ threaded reducer. This PVC fitting is threaded on both sides, inside and out, to allow a standard hose adapter to fit a 2″ skimmer hole.

Attach a 1.5″ hose to the hose adapter, the other end to the Cyclone blower, and plug your blower into a grounded extension cord or directly into an outlet. You’re now ready to blow out your pool plumbing lines!

How To Blow Out Pool Lines

Blowing the pool lines is a 3-step process:

1. Blow out the suction side.
2. Next, blow out the equipment.
3. Finally, blow out the pressure side.

1. Blow Out the Suction Side

The suction side is all of the incoming lines. Most pools have 1 or 2 skimmers and a main drain line on the suction side of the pump. These are the pipes that join together and come into the pump.

If you have a second skimmer, you can blow air from one skimmer to the other skimmer. In order to send the air through the other skimmer line, and without having to move the blower, there’s one more step. You will need to either close a valve off at the pump, or pull off the pump lid and plug the port coming into the pump.

If you have another hose, or a vacuum hose that you can connect to the other skimmer, this prevents reaching into the skimmer and plugging it while it’s spraying like a fountain. Blow air through the skimmer lines until just a mist is blowing out, or for about 2-3 minutes. Shown right is the PVC pipe rig that we thread in to blow water from secondary skimmer pipes.

Now for the main drain. Re-position your valves to blow air back through the main drain. With 3-way valves, loosen the knob so you can turn the handle past the stops. This blocks the entrance to the pump and will send water from the skimmer to the main drain.

When you see the massive plume of air rise up from the drains, allow it to blow for about 10 seconds and then close off a positively sealing valve (like a Jandy valve) on the main drain line. This will hold the water back with a column of air, much like a finger on the end of a straw.

If there are other suction lines, like a cleaner line or a spa drain, turn the valves again to send the air from the skimmer to each of these suction side pipes separately.

2. Blow Out the Equipment

Now we will blow air through the pump and through the filter valve. Remove the drain plugs on the pump and allow the air to push any remaining water out. Replace the drain plugs loosely. If you have a heater, do the same with the drain plugs on both sides of the heater.

Filters are not normally blown through the tank. If you have a multiport valve, place the handle on “Recirculate.” If you have a slide valve or a cartridge filter, however, the air will have to go through the filter. Remove your filter drain plug if you haven’t already done so, then replace loosely if blowing air through the filter tank.

You can leave filter cartridges or Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) filter grids inside the tank if you are blowing air through the tank. But for safety, please open the air bleeder valve and ensure the tank clamp band is tight and secure before the blower pressurizes the filter tank.

3. Blow out the Pressure Side

Now that the air from the skimmer has blown through the pump, filter, and heater, we can now send it back to the pool through the return lines.

The return lines closest to the pump will begin to blow first. After 2-3 minutes of blowing, plug the wall return that is bubbling the most, then plug the other return lines. Make a tight, positive seal with your pool plugs, turning the wingnut until no air bubbles appear.

If you have other pressure side lines, such as an automatic cleaner line or a spa return line, blow each of these out separately. When there is a spa blower on an attached spa, turn on the spa blower while you are blowing and plugging the spa jets. Blower lines often have a 2-way valve on the vertical PVC pipe. Close this valve while the blower is running, and then quickly shut off the blower.

Additional Steps

Water Feature Pumps

Waterfall and fountain pumps are usually blown out at the pump itself. The builder may have installed a tee fitting to connect a blower. If not, you can remove the pump lid and hold your blower hose while blowing air in both directions.

To do this, push the hose into the pipe that comes into the pump. This will blow air back towards the pool (provided there is no one-way check valve installed). Secondly, remove the pump basket and place the air hose into the volute or impeller housing. Make a good seal and turn on the blower. This will blow out the pressure side of your water feature.

Keep the blower running until just mist is blowing out. If lines are underwater, plug them while the blower is running. But for lines that are above water level, you can shut off the blower and then plug the pipe. Be sure to plug up any pipe outlets to keep out rain water or rising pool water levels.

In-Floor Cleaner Systems

If you have pop-up jets on the steps and floor of your pool, locate the head unit, aka water valve, and remove the clamp band to expose the 5 or 6 pipes that lead to the pop-up jets. Blow each pipe individually until you see bubbles in the pool, then plug it fast with an appropriate-sized winter pool plug, usually a #7 or #8. Wrap a plastic bag over the plate and pipes, and store the head valve indoors.

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So there you have it! That’s how we blow out the lines for an inground swimming pool winterization!

With a Cyclone Pool Blower, you can stop paying hundreds of dollars each year for something you can easily do yourself. Once you start bragging about this to your neighbors, you (and your blower) may become very popular this time of year!

Here are 3 Pool Center videos on how to use the Mighty Vac (a predecessor to the Cyclone blower). These videos show exactly how to hook it up and blow out your own pool plumbing.

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Today’s blog post will cover the five most common Hayward filter repairs made to the Perflex Extended Cycle DE filters, models EC30, EC40, EC50 for above ground pools and EC65/EC75 models used on in ground pools.

Filter Clogs Quickly or Short Cycles

If your Perflex filter runs with good pressure and flow for a short time, and then the water flow slows and pressure rises high (or drops low), first be sure you have done a complete bump and drain of the filter tank, with a full recharge of DE powder.

If your filter clogs up again within hours or days of a bump and drain, or requires frequent pumping to restore flow rates, you’ve got clogged fingers – plugged up with mineral scale and oily gunk.

Like any DE filter, scale and oils can clog up the filter grids or flex tube ‘fingers’. To fix this, you have to get under the hood, and open up the tank for a deep cleaning. To keep your Perflex filter performing well, clean the filter at the close of each season.

1. Open air bleeder and Bump and Drain the filter tank.
2. Remove the clamp or bolts around the top. Bump handle can stay attached.
3. Lift filter lid and pull out the entire filter nest assembly.
4. Fill a 5-gal bucket with DE filter cleaner and water, and soak nest assy.
5. Clean and lubricate diaphragm gasket and sealing surfaces, then reassemble filter.

Bumping is Too Tight

If your bump handle hardly moves when you try to bump it up and down, that can mean that the filter has too much DE powder, or that powder has become caked between the top and bottom plates, or tube sheets. This can also indicate that the filter is not being bumped frequently enough.

It can sometimes also mean that the shaft o-rings, under the lid, are coated in DE powder or other small bits of debris, and not smoothly allowing the shaft to move up and down full travel, which is normally about 1 inch of vertical movement while bumping.

Try a complete Bump and Drain, bumping the handle while the tank is draining. Run water through the filter for 30 seconds, then Bump and Drain again. Continue in this way until water runs nearly clear, and then add a full recharge of DE powder.

Bumping is Too Loose

If your bump handle feels sloppy without much resistance or weight on the handle, that usually means that one of the two retainer clips have come loose inside the filter.

The retainer clips are connected above and below the upper and lower tube sheets, and connect the shaft to the plates and keep the assembly tight. You may also be getting DE powder into the pool, and filter short cycling.

You can order the clips in a 2-Pak, item ECX1014, or they are also included with the shaft O-rings and thrust washer, in the Perflex shaft kit, ECX1014A.

Filter is Leaking Water

There are several places that a Perflex filter can leak water, but the most common are the air bleeder, pressure gauge, lid or cover or bump handle, and the filter drain valve assembly. Fixing a leak is one of the most common Hayward filter repairs.

The air bleeder has a very small o-ring, not sold separately, but included in the directional vent valve with O-Ring. The Pressure Gauge, a back-mount gauge, has O-ring ECX1287 to seal up the gauge adapter, but sometimes a thread sealant is also needed, like Teflon tape or silicone on the adapter threads, and also needed on the pressure gauge threads.

A leaking filter lid relies on the diaphragm gasket to seal the lid to the tank body. Be sure that it is clean on both sides, and lightly lubricated. If your filter lid has a clamp, tighten all the way, and if you have lid screws, tighten in a star pattern, for equal tightness.

A filter leaking water around the bump shaft, you will need to replace the small o-rings that are on the bump shaft, beneath the lid. Remove the bump handle pins, pull off the bump handle, then lift off the lid to expose the (2) bump shaft o-rings.

If your filter leaks around the Perflex tank drain, you can use the Perflex filter drain plug, an SP1022 threaded plug, to seal up the Hayward valve, or replace the SP0723 Drain Valve.

Filter is Leaking DE Powder

If you discover that DE powder is coming back into the pool through the pool returns:

• Holes in the fabric of one or more of the flex tubes
• Diaphragm gasket not seated correctly or damaged
• Missing bump shaft e-clips, allowing plates to separate
• Loose bolts on top/bottom plates, allowing separation

If you find DE powder is flowing backwards through the pump, and coming out of the skimmer or main drain, be sure the tank check valve ECX4077B1 is intact. Air leaks on the tank can allow the tank to drain down when the pump is off.

DE Finger Replacement

If you have a Perflex DE Filter, you don’t have filter grids, you have flex tubes, aka ‘fingers’. Like filter grids, these deteriorate over time. You can replace just a few if needed or buy the entire filter nest assembly.

1. Remove the bolts around the top and bump handle pins.
2. Remove filter lid, then lift out the entire nest assembly.
3. Slide off the tube sheet top, and pull up the damaged flex tubes.
4. Push the new fingers in place snugly, replace tube sheet top.
5. With nest assembly in place, secure the filter top and bump handle.

Tip: If your Perflex filter is mounted on a raised base, it is recommended to loosen the pump union and remove the tank to ground level before attempting repairs.

To make your own Hayward filter repairs, we’ve got the parts you need, find genuine Hayward replacement parts (and a less expensive, generic options), in our Hayward Pool Filter Parts Department.

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Cyanuric Acid is a pool chemical most commonly sold as stabilizer or conditioner. When added to the pool, it seeks out and attaches itself to chlorine molecules, and forms a protective barrier from the degradation of sunlight. It also slows down the activity of the chlorine molecule in the process, which increases the amount of time for chlorine to remove contaminants.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta went on record several years back, calling for indoor pools to discontinue use of CYA, saying “there’s very strong data showing that cyanurates weaken the disinfection capacity of chlorine”.

Cyanuric Acid Reduces Chlorine’s Effectiveness

Many health departments have recently increased their minimum free chlorine requirement in public pools, to 2.0 ppm, in an effort to compensate for the effects of cyanuric acid on chlorine. In addition to this, most have strict limits on the levels of CYA that can be used, requiring a facility to drain water from the pool when CYA levels exceed 50 ppm.

When cyanuric acid levels rise too high, it severely hampers the effectiveness or activity of your chlorine. Pools with levels over 50 ppm should drain a portion of the pool water, and dilute with fresh fill water that is not stabilized (test your fill water). Pools with levels over 100 ppm may find it hard to obtain a chlorine reading, a phenomenom known as Chlorine Lock.

Richard Falk, aka ChemGeek, a popular and wicked smart contributor to TFP, has done research around the effects of cyanuric acid on chlorine’s effectiveness. From the chart below, it seems that as the level of CYA increases, the level of HOCL, or hypochlorous acid, goes down. HOCL is the stage of life for chlorine where it is a viable disinfectant, and able to sanitize the water by killing contaminants.

To compensate for the suppression of HOCL by CYA, Ben Powell of PoolSolutions recommends raising the Free Chlorine (FC) level in the pool, to maintain proper sanitation. After further research into the issue, and collaboration with Richard Falk, the chart below was created, known as “Ben’s Best Guess CYA Chart“.

To read the chart, find your level of CYA in the right column, and then move your eyes across the chart to find your recommended Minimum and Maximum for FC levels. The third and fourth column give recommended shock and super shock amounts, for chloramine and algae removal.

Due to the high levels of FC required for sanitation and shocking, it would seem prudent to maintain the CYA level under 50 ppm, if not far less.

 

Cyanuric Acid Buffers your pH Level

Your pool’s pH is also an important player in your chlorine’s effectiveness, although unrelated  to the level of CYA in the pool. As pool pH rises, chlorine becomes sluggish, to a point over 8.0 where less than half of your chlorine is actively working. A pool with both high CYA and high pH will be very difficult to control contaminants.

However, as Neil Lowry, respected pool chemist points out in his research, CYA buffers pool water to resist downward changes in pH. The reasoning behind this is that CYA makes up part of the carbonates that are measured in a Total Alkalinity test.

But more importantly, a level of CYA in the water reduces the effects of high pH on HOCL levels. According to Lowry, CYA has a buffering effect on HOCL, and in the presence of 30ppm, a pool at a pH of 8.0 has not lost half of it’s killing power, but only 15%.

Cyanuric Acid is Complicated

No doubt about it, it’s a very unique chemical in the way it gives and takes. Introduced to the pool industry in 1956, it’s been around a long time, and just now beginning to be somewhat understood.

For sunny outdoor pools, maintain a level of 20-50 ppm of cyanuric acid. Be sure to test the water with a turbidity test (not a test strip) before adding CYA to the pool, it can be easy to overdose.

Also, keep in mind that Trichlor tablets and Dichlor shock are stabilized, in fact they are over 50% cyanuric acid. For each 50 pounds of stabilzed chlorine that is used, you add 10-20 ppm of cyanuric acid. After a small initial dose of CYA on a freshly filled pool (2 lbs per 10000 gallons), you may not need to add any additional stabilizer.

Over several years of using stabilized tablets, you may find your CYA level creeping above 50 ppm, unless you get a lot of rain, or lower the water every year for winterizing, which dilutes the concentration of CYA. When levels exceed 50 ppm in your pool, drain a portion and refill with fresh, unstabilized water.

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如何注册Google Play开发者账号?

一、创建Google Play账号

首先需要准备一个Google Play账号，具体申请步骤如下：

1、登录网站：

https://accounts.google.com/signup/v2/

2、填写相关信息，填写的信息要用拼音，不要用汉字

3、验证手机号在中国注册（即使使用国外IP）只能选择中国手机，选其他国家的手机将通不过验证

特别注意：部分手机在注册时会提示此手机无法验证，说明这个手机号之前被用于注册过Google账号，可以尝试更换验证方式，通过短信或者语音验证，如果都无法验证，只能更换手机号来进行注册，一般新注册的手机号，都是可以正常注册的，只有部分使用年限比较长的手机号会出现这种情况。

如果是个人收款，这里选择的验证手机号所属地区会影响到后续绑定收款账号操作，例如选择中国电话验证，那么后续绑定收款卡时，只能绑定中国银行卡进行收款。如果是企业收款，电话区域和收款区域不相关。

4、验证成功后，需要填写辅助邮箱，主要用于账号出现异常进行辅助验证或者更改密码时进行验证作用，这个是可选项，建议填写，防止手机没在身边或者其他情况导致无法使用手机验证时，无法登陆账号。

5、填写完成后，后面内容如果没有特别需要直接跳过就可以了。

6、隐私权及条款这里拖住导航直接下滑到最底下，点击我同意。

完成上述的所有步骤后，那么恭喜你，你的Google账号已经创建成功，下面就可以开始创建Google开发者账号了。

二、创建Google Play开发者账号

1、登录网站：

https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/

登录后需要检查一下看看当前登录的账号是不是想要注册成为开发者的账号，如果不是，请选择使用其他账号或者注册新的账号。

2、账号确认无误，勾选接收开发者协议，选择继续付款，购买Google账号只能使用Visa、Master、JCB、运通卡或Discover，建议使用招商的信用卡，其他行的支付有时会不成功，支付25美金，开发者账号就购买成功了，Google开发者账号只需要支付一次，即可永久使用。

3、支付成功后，还差最后一步，填写开发者信息，这里的信息如果填写有误，可以在开发者后台设置里面进行修改。

完成以上步骤后，恭喜你，开发者账号一完成注册，现在可以创建应用并且开始做相关接入了。

三、注意事项

1、完成账号注册后，Google需要审核账号情况，大概需要1天时间，审核期间用户可以正常创建应用、填写资料等，建议隔天检查一下开发者账号的Google邮箱，看看是否有审核邮件，如果收到审核邮件，请根据说明进行调整，如果是因为支付问题未调整，将会取消注册并且退还注册费用，如果是其他问题未调整，将会封停账号并不会退费。

2、请珍惜自己的开发者账号，遵守Google开发者协议，如因违反协议导致封号，将不会解封，需要准备新的账号重新提交应用。

开发者政策中心网址：https://play.google.com/

3、如果需要多个开发者账号，建议使用不同的信用卡进行支付，并且两个账号尽量不要在同一IP下进行登录，防止一个账号因异常被封停导致另一个也被关联封停。

Google Play Console注册地址：https://support.google.com/

The Kittybelles Clownfish Plush Fish Cat Toy will be a swimming fun playtime for your feline!

• Plush fish shape
• Crinkle sound
• Filled with catnip

Why We Love It:

The Clownfish Plush Fish Cat Toy is part of the realistic fish collection! Kittybelles are wonderful, realistic-looking toys that cats love to bat around, pounce on and rub on for playtime.  Each toy is made of soft baby plush and includes crinkle and organic catnip inside for extra exciting play! All toy material used is safe, non-toxic and has no heavy metal.  Kittybelles are dedicated to safety.  All toys are made with non-toxic dyes and comply with the US Children’s toy standard ASTM-963 and Eurpopean EN-71 rules.

*Always play responsibly!

Dimensions: 

4″ x 1″ x 2″

Discover the incredible benefits of Argan Oil for hair. Learn how Argan Oil can transform dry, damaged hair into healthy, shiny locks. Try Karseell’s Argan Oil for the best results.

Introduction: Why Argan Oil is a Game-Changer for Hair

Argan Oil, often called “liquid gold,” is a natural oil extracted from the kernels of the Argan tree native to Morocco. Known for its nourishing and healing properties, Argan Oil has become a popular ingredient in hair care products due to its ability to moisturize, repair, and protect hair. In this guide, we’ll explore the many benefits of Argan Oil for hair and how to use it for the best results. Whether you’re struggling with dryness, damage, or frizz, Karseell’s Argan Oil can help you achieve healthier, more manageable hair.

The Benefits of Argan Oil for HairDeep Moisturization

One of the key benefits of Argan Oil is its ability to deeply moisturize hair. The oil is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E, which penetrate the hair shaft to provide long-lasting hydration. This makes Argan Oil perfect for people with dry, brittle hair in need of extra moisture.

Repairs Damaged Hair

Argan Oil is also excellent for repairing damaged hair. Whether your hair has been damaged by heat styling, coloring, or environmental factors, Argan Oil helps restore the hair’s natural strength and elasticity. The antioxidants in Karseell’s Argan Oil protect the hair from further damage, making it stronger and more resilient over time.

Controls Frizz and Adds Shine

Another great benefit of Argan Oil is its ability to control frizz and add shine. By smoothing the hair cuticle, Argan Oil helps tame unruly hair, making it easier to manage. Regular use of Karseell’s Argan Oil leaves your hair looking shiny, smooth, and healthy.

How to Use Argan Oil for Maximum Hair BenefitsAs a Leave-In Conditioner

To get the most out of Argan Oil, try using it as a leave-in conditioner. After washing your hair, apply a few drops of Karseell’s Argan Oil to damp hair, focusing on the ends. This will lock in moisture and protect your hair from heat styling tools.

As a Pre-Shampoo Treatment

Another effective way to use Argan Oil is as a pre-shampoo treatment. Massage a generous amount of Argan Oil into your scalp and hair, leaving it in for 30 minutes before washing. This deep conditioning treatment will leave your hair feeling soft and rejuvenated.

As a Finishing Oil

Finally, you can use Argan Oil as a finishing oil to add shine and tame flyaways. Apply a small amount of Karseell’s Argan Oil to dry hair for a sleek, polished finish.

Conclusion: Unlock the Benefits of Argan Oil for Healthy Hair

Incorporating Argan Oil into your hair care routine can make a noticeable difference in the health and appearance of your hair. Whether you’re looking to repair damage, control frizz, or add shine, Karseell’s Argan Oil offers the perfect solution. Try it today and experience the transformative power of Argan Oil for yourself.