Equipment Identification

Rocketfish · Jul 1, 2016

Hi guys. I have read and looked at the pool equipment section of Pool School and had some supplemental questions.

Below is a picture of my pool equipment. I CAN identify the pump, filter, and heater, but not the lines valves exactly. Away on the other side of the pool is the backwash / drain thing that sticks out of the ground. I used this when we had RO treatment on the water.

Can you tell me what these valves or ports are at A, B, and C, and should I be using them for something?

Davejavu · Jul 1, 2016

A is used to bypass the heater. B and C are suction lines (skimmer(s), main drain or vacuum port). The suction lines can vary in different pools. It's a pretty crazy looking setup, so these are my best guesses.

YippeeSkippy · Jul 1, 2016

Do you have any water features like fountains, scuppers or such?

How many returns do you have in your pool? Do you have a main drain? One skimmer or more?

Spa?

Rocketfish · Jul 1, 2016

YippeeSkippy said:
Do you have any water features like fountains, scuppers or such?

How many returns do you have in your pool? Do you have a main drain? One skimmer or more?

Spa?

I have 4 returns throughout the pool.

There IS what appears to be a main drain assuming it is that round vent looking thing at the "deep" end of my sports pool.

There is one skimmer without a weir (been meaning to order it)

I am thinking of replacing the heater and also re-routing all the pvc lines if that makes sense to do, so please, give your input. As for the suction lines... is there a reason that "C" has a valve stem on it? it has some plastic cover over it that has been cracked to expose the valve stem.

Also, I don't know if you can make it out, but the gas line comes up in the center of the picture (brownish pipe) goes AROUND the heater and to the back. It is NOT supported and if anyone were to stand on it inadvertently, I'm afraid it would snap, hence the reason why I was thinking of re-routing everything in here.

There are no other features that I know of such as fountains or scuppers, but I'd LOVE to add them

YippeeSkippy · Jul 2, 2016

To my un-plumbers eye it just doesn't look like enough valves to run all those returns and skimmers or to be able to isolate one from another.

Pick one and turn it half way and then go feel your water returns and check the skimmers, see what got changed? Try it with both valves one at a time, just be mindful if you close one off that you make sure its not starving the pump of water. You're just gonna have to play with them to determine what they control. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help than that.

basod · Jul 2, 2016

I don't see a return in the picture. Kind of baffling that it doesn't just recirculate water. The two things that are touching the ground on either end must be pipe supports

Rocketfish · Jul 12, 2016

basod said:
I don't see a return in the picture. Kind of baffling that it doesn't just recirculate water. The two things that are touching the ground on either end must be pipe supports

I should take a new picture for you guys. The angle is bad in that it sort of disguises a section of pipe which is the return. the return portion of the pipes seem to split into two so I'm guessing they each have 2 returns in the pool? Those two return lines are what you are thinking are pipe supports.