5 boys and a grain bin...new AGP build DIY

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Smitty195, THANK YOU! I had concluded my question about over-the-top PVC was a fail. What a great surprise when I signed on for my nightly research. Do you have any photos of your pipes? I would really love to see your set up. Even though I am pretty sure my handy brothers COULD cut and weld whatever I need to go through the corrugated wall, I am running into a timing situation here. The rain has lasted so long that all farming is behind, and once it dries out enough for me to work on a pool, it will also be dry enough for my brothers to work like maniacs for the next few months, so I won't be able to get their help. If the over-the-wall option is something I could do myself for this summer, I would still love to consider it. I think my boys and I could do a PVC project, but I really need to see a visual example. I really appreciate your response!

Cowboycasey, didn't your suggestion about the welded option mean putting double returns in the steel panel? If they were close together like that, you believe the circulation would still be enhanced? (Btw, do you have a picture of the waterfall you attach to your extra pipe? Maybe I missed it in your build thread?)

Dalf1990, I forgot to tell you I'm sorry about your niece, hope she's better soon, and I wish you luck on the new Doughboy. Hope to see photos.

Zea3, I also forgot to ask follow-up questions about your proposal. Do you mean use pop rivets to mount a steel plate from inside the pool wall, then by "duct tape the interior seam," do you mean cover the edges of the steel plate with duct tape? I assume I would have to cut the corrugated bin sheet section out first, then attach the plate, then put in foam & liner, then cut actual holes in steel plate. This might be do-able without my on-site welding brothers...I could get the corrugation cut from a guy with a plasma cutter, then do the rest here at home. Not being an engineering type, it strikes me that pop rivets holding it in makes that area of thinner steel (bin sheets are pretty thick) an easy "target" for bulging or breaking loose because of the weight of the water...does that make any sense?
 
You could revisit Gwegan's fibreglass option. Laying in some strips of fibreglass matte, mixing resin, and putting it on you could do yourself. Then all you need is the holes drilled which might need a holesaw bit or two you don't have, but it's not cutting and welding.

If you imagine the pool like a clock face, and let's say the skimmer is at 12 o'clock. Your two returns might be at, let's say 2 and 10 o'clock, or 15-20' to each side of the skimmer. You can get creative with this to achieve the skimming you're going to need. Skimmer location works best on the downwind side of your dominant wind direction during swimming season. The returns will get the surface swirling gently and two patterns of water movement will develop, both bringing water, bugs, and leaves back to the skimmer.

People with large round pools would know best where to put the returns (what time on the clock face) your returns should be.
 
firstladykatie said:
Zea3, I also forgot to ask follow-up questions about your proposal. Do you mean use pop rivets to mount a steel plate from inside the pool wall, then by "duct tape the interior seam," do you mean cover the edges of the steel plate with duct tape? I assume I would have to cut the corrugated bin sheet section out first, then attach the plate, then put in foam & liner, then cut actual holes in steel plate. This might be do-able without my on-site welding brothers...I could get the corrugation cut from a guy with a plasma cutter, then do the rest here at home. Not being an engineering type, it strikes me that pop rivets holding it in makes that area of thinner steel (bin sheets are pretty thick) an easy "target" for bulging or breaking loose because of the weight of the water...does that make any sense?
Click to expand...

Using pop rivits and a stainless steel plate is a common way to repair a standard above ground pool with a damaged wall. There are also standard above ground pools that are initially constructed this way with a row of bolts holding the panel to the pool wall on either side. In standard construction the row of bolts and any other sharp edges are often covered with several layers of duct tape to protect the liner. If you are concerned about the differing thickness of an access panel you could always get a thicker sheet of stainless steel that would better match the thickness of the grain bin rings. If it would be too thick for pop rivits you could use a row of bolts spaced about 1-2" apart to fasten it together. The edges are wrapped in duct tape and then another layer of duct tape is placed over the seam. The tape is just to prevent sharp edges from damaging the liner.
 
firstladykatie said:
Cowboycasey, didn't your suggestion about the welded option mean putting double returns in the steel panel? If they were close together like that, you believe the circulation would still be enhanced? (Btw, do you have a picture of the waterfall you attach to your extra pipe? Maybe I missed it in your build thread?)
Click to expand...

it would be like needsajet explained, skimmer at 12 and returns at 5 and 8 (the skimmer needs placed downwind side) the only reason I have the returns wher they are is because the intex came with the holes already, actually the 2 returns use to be the suction for intex :)

here are some pic's :)

2 inch return and suction side pipe and the waterfall installed
Fn1wWsEh.jpg

0MSIvb3h.jpg

ESB3ijdh.jpg

Oktrkx1h.jpg

Wv4TkMvh.jpg
 
Kim or someone...I finally got my credit card and my computer together, and I signed up to become a TFP supporter. It doesn't appear that anything has changed by my name. Wondering if I did something wrong. Tried to test it by posting a new pic, but got a message saying my limit has been reached, which makes me think the membership didn't go through. Tips? Thanks.
 
Thanks Needsajet and Kim...guess I shouldn't work on this stuff in the middle of the night. :) I'm very happy to support TFP because of all I've learned. I have been telling all my pool-owning friends to get over here.

Cowboycasey, I think I finally read your suggested post about cutting the wall box enough times to figure out that maybe you were not originally proposing that the returns be placed under the skimmer? Did you mean separate locations all along? I was envisioning one panel, like the steel kind I've seen in above grounds, when I first read your post...a box with skimmer at water level and the 3 other holes below. Maybe I made that mental leap because I am trying to minimize cuts in the wall because with a bin wall, they will be difficult to make and complicated to seal. I'm working on some options for that, both the fill-in approach and the weld-flat method.


PLACING THE EQUIPMENT, SKIMMER, AND RETURNS:

Anybody want to make a suggestion about where I place things based on my drawing? It's just a late-night sketch, but it shows the niche in my house walls at the top that I am considering for the pump and filter. And it shows the SSE winds and my ideas about surrounding spaces.

SEATING/PIPES/EQUIPMENT: I don't want anything on the east, because that is the center of our backyard volleyball area and is the most visible from my living room windows. I also left the south open in case we ever add solar panels. The deck is on the west so it doesn't block my view of pool from inside the house when there are parties and also so it "disguises" the hillbilly grainbin which will be visible on that side to the street north of our house (DH is not crazy about its appearance...I think it's kind of cool to be unique and "repurposed," and I can already see it all landscaped with plants and decor). I wanted to make the new patio (under the trees for shade relief) ground level and concrete, with the west raised deck out of composite. Deck portion is raised for jumping in and some gated storage underneath. If I go with concrete for the patio, then I probably shouldn't bury my pipe from the house as I hoped, so I may need to reconsider patio shape, patio material, or where to stick equipment? I suppose equipment could go under deck, but how to get around tree to get there confused me, and I'm not crazy about placing equipment on patio to see out my house windows constantly. What to do with the pipes confuses me.

FLOW/LADDER: Can anybody tell me how the placement of a ladder affects skimming? On my 27' Intex, we had the skimmer at about 11 o'clock in this location. Our single return was at 12:30 and our ladder was at 1:00. The jet pretty much shot out in front of the ladder and then circled on around to the skimmer downwind. For this set-up, I have the ladder tentatively drawn on the north edge of the deck in the shallow end. If the skimmer goes at 11:00 again to be opposite the prevailing winds, then does having the ladder at 10:30 mess up the flow into the skimmer?

DEEP END/PLAY AREA: Any suggestions about how deep ends affect circulation? That curly unlabeled amoeba shape on the south end of the deck is a potential slide. Not shown in the drawing is my boys' much-loved portable basketball goal that will inevitably be dragged up to the edge. They previously used our trampoline to leap up and "slam dunk" before landing in the water (I know, I know...but no one has been hurt in 4 years of doing this, and by comparison to our other antics, this is quite tame). They are begging me to leave deck space for jumping mid-air to shoot a basket, since I have outlawed catapulting from trampoline into this pool. I may wait to get a slide in a few years when I get grandkids and let these middle-age kids enjoy jumping off the south edge of deck to b-ball for a few years until then. Depending on deep end circulation needs, I can adjust where we dig the low spot. I was just thinking shallow should be close to ladder and house for littler ones. My six kids are ages 8-22, but I have a never-ending stream of guests of all ages coming through our pool.

Thanks in advance if any of you are map-reading planners who can offer some tips or ideas.

It's finally NOT RAINING, but still waiting for ground to dry...Katie and the kid crewIMG_20160607_0939278_rewind (607x640).jpg
 
Are you committed to putting the pool equipment near the house and the existing patio/seating area? It might be noisy and not so attractive.

Have you considered placing the pool equipment behind the pool at about 5 or 6 o'clock? That would hide it from view of the house and keep the pump sounds away from the seating area.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Thanks, Yippee, for the thoughts on sound. That area is a little used, pretty sheltered spot that is not visible from anything but my laundry room. It is just a filled in gravel area that was too hard to mow. I have wondered about noise, but figured having it 30' from pool is less disruptive during swim time than next to pool?. It would be in the way at 5, and I would like to avoid having it on complete south because of far running of electric and possibly future solar panels. I'd like to keep equip on the north or northwest somewhere, depending on plumbing needs and limitations.
 
Kim, since you have a pretty large round pool, can you tell me how much you run your 2-speed pump on high or low, and can you tell me what the lower HP is? Thank you for the tip about wishing you had an extra return. Any idea how ladder placement would affect skimmer effectiveness? I think I struck out on responses to that so far. Thank you.
 
Amazon.com : 1.5 HP 2-Speed 3450/1725 RPM, 115 volts Above Ground Pool Pump - Waterway brand - With large Debri : Swimming And Pools : Patio, Lawn Garden

My pump ^^^.........notice the 3450/1725 RPM That is high and low. I ONLY run it on high when I am running the cleaner/vacuuming. Oh and when we turn the eyeball up and make a lazy river ride! That thing will push some water around the pool! FUN times!

I worked on my flow with ping pong balls (the cats had a blast watching them go by LOL). I kept messing with my eyeball return until it was just right. My ladder nor my pet ramp mess with the flow to the skimmer effectiveness. My ladder is a straight up and down one so does not protrude out into the pool much at all. The pet ramp does protrude out but the stuff seems to go around it in time.

Kim:cat:
 
Thanks, Kim. In your post about extra return, you typed a 30' I think. But in your signature you have 33'...which is it, and do you believe your pump is completely adequate? I'm still wondering if my 30' setback of equipment means I need to look into something stronger for a 36' (although I really want the energy savings of lower HP). Thanks again for all the answers.
 
33'.........I forget LOL and am too lazy to look! My pump does a great job. In fact we just replaced it with the exact same one when the old one started making noises. Katie I will have to put a call out to one of our members who knows head loss and such smart stuff. I will PM him right now.

Kim:cat:
 
It was finally dry, hot, sunny, and felt like CHRISTMAS for the last 24 hours! This post should be called "Five Friendly Family Members and a Backhoe"...

Last evening, my BROTHER brought me a BACKHOE and gave my boys a refresher lesson.
View attachment 50148

This morning, my 20yo DAUGHTER came home for vacation and got to help her 12yo brother scrape the sod off our pool circle (he likes being taller than his sister teaching her how to run the loader back and forth to dump the sod loads on the back of our property).
View attachment 50149

Tonight, my NEPHEWS showed up (farm boys-turned-engineers from New York and California), checked my progress, and started the deep end digging. I rewarded them with pizza and home-made milkshakes. Fun times.
big boys coast to coast (640x426).jpg

So, Houston, we have lift off!! If I miss the rain tomorrow, maybe I can finish up the digging. Wahoo. We really are going to build a pool.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply