I will be replacing the SFS-1000 external skimmer/pump unit on our 16 foot round Intex as soon as I get one more adapter and a plastic pad to set the filter on. I have been using the time to research setup and use. There was a post from a few years ago that was something to the effect about "the Mom guide to setup..." and that was extremely illuminating and made me feel like I might actually pull this off. After the disastrous summer we had last year, my confidence in my maintenance ability was badly shaken. I really need a win here.
Anyway, I went through the manual as I unpacked the parts. The first things the manual referred to were something it called "plunger valves". Now, at first I didn't give this a thought. I'm going to connect our sand filter to the output of the SFS-1000 thing and just pretend its pump isn't there. Then I noticed another post on here where someone had a pool and filter very similar to ours and had fitted PVC pipe and shutoff valves into their system. That's when it hit me - in my plan, I don't have any way to deal with emergencies! Oh, man, that would NOT be good... Hmmm, so THAT'S what the plunger valves are for! So I go and research plunger valves. I don't like what I see.
So here's the first thing I need some help with: the plunger valves control/restrict the flow of water into and out of the sand filter, yes? If that is true, would it somehow be possible to use a plastic shutoff valve in between two short pieces of PVC pipe linked into the hoses (with adapters or something - sorry, plumbing is not my thing... give me electrical any day!) Those plunger valves sound like accidents waiting to happen.
OK, next worrisome thing. The pump we are replacing is rated at 1000/gal per hour. Our pool is sixteen feet in diameter and four feet deep. It took 5500 gallons to fill it. Our new sand filter is rated at 2650 gallons per hour (I think - anyway, it's the biggest one in the series I could get). I make that as being at least a 265% gain in water flow and I would expect significant gains in filtering and vacuuming ability. I'm pretty sure I didn't buy too small. Did I buy too big? Am I going to cause some kind of problem with whirlpools, tearing the liner with the vacuum, Lord knows what else?
If I have too much filter, could I maybe mitigate the situation a little bit by using valves to slow or restrict water flow a tiny bit?
Some guidance would sure be appreciated. I THINK I've done this right, but if I haven't I need to know what to fix before I set it all up and then have something bad happen.
Anyway, I went through the manual as I unpacked the parts. The first things the manual referred to were something it called "plunger valves". Now, at first I didn't give this a thought. I'm going to connect our sand filter to the output of the SFS-1000 thing and just pretend its pump isn't there. Then I noticed another post on here where someone had a pool and filter very similar to ours and had fitted PVC pipe and shutoff valves into their system. That's when it hit me - in my plan, I don't have any way to deal with emergencies! Oh, man, that would NOT be good... Hmmm, so THAT'S what the plunger valves are for! So I go and research plunger valves. I don't like what I see.
So here's the first thing I need some help with: the plunger valves control/restrict the flow of water into and out of the sand filter, yes? If that is true, would it somehow be possible to use a plastic shutoff valve in between two short pieces of PVC pipe linked into the hoses (with adapters or something - sorry, plumbing is not my thing... give me electrical any day!) Those plunger valves sound like accidents waiting to happen.
OK, next worrisome thing. The pump we are replacing is rated at 1000/gal per hour. Our pool is sixteen feet in diameter and four feet deep. It took 5500 gallons to fill it. Our new sand filter is rated at 2650 gallons per hour (I think - anyway, it's the biggest one in the series I could get). I make that as being at least a 265% gain in water flow and I would expect significant gains in filtering and vacuuming ability. I'm pretty sure I didn't buy too small. Did I buy too big? Am I going to cause some kind of problem with whirlpools, tearing the liner with the vacuum, Lord knows what else?
If I have too much filter, could I maybe mitigate the situation a little bit by using valves to slow or restrict water flow a tiny bit?
Some guidance would sure be appreciated. I THINK I've done this right, but if I haven't I need to know what to fix before I set it all up and then have something bad happen.
