Yep, thread is still alive. Just getting started in fact. Took some time to get the finances in order but now I am ready to proceed. I will update the "cost to date" post as I go and add pictures of my progress if it ever stops raining. How do you recognize the equipment set?

Ex MP employee (superintendent for 4 years and sales for 5)! Knew who's it was when I saw it, and verified it with the sticker inside the controller box!

PM me if you have any questions; I'm happy to help you get it done right (I know all of the good guys in the industry and who should be working on your pool!). I'm just down the hill from you also!

I'm very curious, what wholesaler did you buy this product from???
These, my internet friend, are very AWESOME prices!!!

See ya,
Kelly

JANDY 2 SPEED PUMP (OPEN BOX - NEVER USED) Inyo Pool Products INYOPOOLS.COM $509.05
JANDY 2 SPEED RELAY discountpoolparts (EBAY) vegaspools@cox.net $80.90

Just got back from building and saftety... permit in hand.

Anyone ever use a waterways venturi skimmer? I'm wondering how you plumb the return line through the skimmer? Does it have to be a dedicated return line or can it just be T'd off the rest of the pool returns.
http://www.waterwayplastics.com/catalog ... immers.pdf

Looks like it just needs a return line pushing 8-10 gpm. I don't see any reason why it couldn't just be part of the return loop (and I would suggest that you loop the entire return system! That will equalize all the returns the same, and probably only cost you one or two more sticks of pipe!).

Great idea, that was actually gonna be one of my next questions. What size would you use for the loop? I'm working on the plumbing diagram now so I'm gonna have tons of questions. I hope this is where I should be posting as opposed to starting a new thread for each question. How many reutrns do people normally go with? 15,000 gallon pool, 520 sq. ft. of surface area plus 50 sq. ft. for the spa. Should I use 2.5-3" or will 2-2.5" be sufficient for the runs? The set is currently all 2" plumbing with 2-2 1/2” valves and I'm not going to redo it all. Can I run one suction line, from one main drain, Tee to the other, into the skimmer then one run to the pad or should I have two suction lines to the pad? Do both main drains have a hydrostatic valve or is only one needed? No need for a hydrostatic valve in the spa right? I really appreciate your help and once I become educated, promise to pass it along.

If it were my pool, I would plumb the pool with 2 1/2" coming and going, same for the circ pump on the spa. I'd run the jet pump lines 3", but, IIRC, you have a relatively short run so 2 1/2" would work fine there also. 3 returns is typical; put in 4 if you think you'll need one more!

I'd run your main drains up to the front port in the skimmer, and the back port of the skimmer to the equipment (if you are going to install main drains. There is no reason that you have to.). I'd run an 1 1/2" line from the middle of the pool for the vac line, and I would put a 3 way valve back at the circ pump to adjust the two (skimmer and cleaner). Why do you think (or do you know that you need one) you need a hydro-static valve? If you do, one is plenty in either drain. No real need for one in the spa.

I may have my terminology mixed up. So a main drain always has a hydrostatic valve? The city of Murrieta now requires a main drain (with hydrostatic valve) because some of the pools over on the other side floated. So now they require it for everyone. I should mention that my spa and pool will be on a single two speed pump. So I can run 2.5" suction and return to spa and pool and it will be balanced? The linear run to the spa, excluding elevation changes and the loop itself, is about 65'. I will also have a separate 1hp pump for the waterfalls. 2.5" coming and going there as well? I don't have a problem using 3" suction if that will help. Just wanna do what's best.

Hydro-stats as a requirement is news to me! Main drains are not required on residential pools (although that Murrieta place is a little ). If you do have to install a hydro-stat, I would then install main drains and hide the hydro-stat under one of the covers. More blanket requirements for those one in a hundred applications......

Okay, now on to that single pump for the pool and spa...... Here's what will happen: you will want to use the spa,and you may turn it on low speed to heat it up. It will heat up, but it will draw cold air through the air line and fight the heater. It will obviously be more apparent if you use the pump on high speed. Next, you are in the spa, and you start to get itchy from the jets, or you just want to enjoy the evening in quiet, but you can't turn the jets off and keep the spa heating and circulating! So, what is the solution? Keep the 2 speed pump (I know, I'm blowing your budget! You'll thank me for this one though, trust me!) and get another pump (1 1/2 HP for up to 8 jets) and use it just for the jets. That way you can circulate, heat and clean the water on low speed with the circ pump, and turn the jet pump on when you want the jets (and lower the water temp about 8 degrees!). In addition, with that waterfall pump you will be able to have that running all at the same time as the spa, in any configuration that you desire

Keep all of your plumbing runs the same coming and going (why feed the pump with 3" line and then skinny it down to 2 1/2" going back? Slow moving water at volume cleans and circulates better). The length of your runs are not bad, but the cost to go to 2 1/2" pipe from 2" isn't that much, so I'd run it all in 2 1/2". It will just make for a much more efficient pool.

I do have an extra pump, so I will consider that suggestion. It's only an extra 120 feet of pipe. What is the difference between a "main drain" as I've been calling them, and a regular drain where the suction line comes from? It seems that I've been inappropriately calling it a main drain, when really I just meant the suction port inside the pool.

"Keep all of your plumbing runs the same coming and going (why feed the pump with 3" line and then skinny it down to 2 1/2" going back? ..."

Hydraulics 101 - "...it is a good idea to use slightly larger pipes for the suction side than the return side since most pumps prefer higher head loss on the return side than suction side. If suction side head is too large, the pump will start to draw in air from the pump lid or valves and may even start to cavitate if the suction loss gets too high."

I guess I will have to finish my drawing and calculate the system curve to see where it places me on the pump curve since I've now read two different things. Hopefully this weekend I'll have time to get that done.

If using single lines from pool to pad, I would use larger pipe on the suction side than the return side. Most pumps seem to operate much more efficiently and quiter when the suction head loss is kept less than 25% of the total head loss. However, I would also recommend that you run individual suction lines to the main drain and each skimmer. This allows you to isolate the suction lines if needed and also is an easy way to drain the pool with just the main drain. When you have multiple suction lines, then it is fine to go with the same size as the return since flow is divided between the lines and the head loss will be lower.

Why can't you drain it with one line, the skimmers don't have a float that diverts the suction to the main drain when the water drops? If that's the case, what happens when you have two lines and the water goes below the skimmer? You lose your prime?

yes.


You want a main suction that's separate from the skimmer. The skimmer usually is not "on" all the way. The main suction and skimmer suction lines are usually connected to a valve that can shut off one or the other, or allow a bit of suction on both. I keep mine 75% or so on the main, and the rest on the skimmer unless im vacuuming. Now, this all might be different if you have a gunite pool with a floor drain. Vinyl pools like mine are usually plumbed with main suction in the wall. If i know im going to be away for awhile, i usually turn off the skimmer and just pull from then main. That way, if the water level drops due to evaporation in the middle of the summer, and im not around to add water, the pump doesnt lose prime.

Got it! Thanks. I was under the impression that there was a float that would divert to the floor automatically. If I go with one line from the main drain to secondary drain, to skimmer to the pump, and I want to drain the pool, cant I just run a flex line or something from the inside of the skimmer down to the bottom of the pool or maybe even make up a U-shaped piece that fits inside the skimmer and bridges the two holes?

You will have to wait for an actual pool builder to answer all of that. If it were mine, i would want a separate pipe from each suction (main, skimmer, etc) back to the pad.

You will be sorry if you follow this course. My drain and skimmer are plumbed together instead of separately and I hate it. IMO it's more about good circulation than how you drain the pool. YMMV

Yep. You want them separate so you can control each one individually. If i have a lot of junk on top of the water like there is in the spring and fall, i can put most of the suction on the skimmer. Separately plumbed suction gives you more flexibility.

So....if I'm understanding correctly, my p&id will look like this;

When you run the automatic vacuum, you'll go full suction to the vacuum, correct? I can put that valve on an actuator and automate it to come on for a certain amount of time per day, allthough I've never seen that done. Is there something wrong with that?