Overhauling equipment and pad many ?s

[nick1427d]

Hey everyone it's time I started to replace my plumbing and equipment as well as my pad. My booster pump for polaris shot **** and my main pump is, as I can tell, as old as pool. I'm going to be replacing all the plumbing and valves from ground to all my equipment and my pump.

Here are my equipment pad specs:

The discharge plumbing is 1.5", the intake plumbing is 2" both have valves so I can change which jets operate and skimmer/main drain etc currently leaking will be replaced. However the 2" reduces to 1.5" after valves all the way to pump.

Separate 1.5" discharge pipe for dedicated polaris jet, no valve, ran from booster, and intake was tied into main intake.

Current 1.5hp sta-rite pump with magnatek motor

DE filter & multiport

Polaris 380

my ?s:

1) Should I replace all of my intake to 2"?
2) What main pump do you recommend - don't care about noise but 2 speed would be nice was thinking of a superflo
3) I only used my polaris about 5 times a season so I wouldn't particular care if I didn't have an auto cleaner, however since I already have the line and electric for it, do you recommend I just buy a new pump or if I need a cleaner get one of the robotic ones?
4) The current concrete pad is a bit unleveled so I will be pouring a new one. Does it matter if it is higher or slightly lower in elevation than the pool deck/water level and does it matter how far the pumps or filter are from the lines if it's a difference of say 3 feet from current locations?
5) Any recommendation on valves?
6) Should I add any check valves? currently have none

Let's say money is no issue.
Current setup would function fine just a lot of leaks, pool seemed to filter fine on current setup buy return jets lacked pressure, no obvious leaks on discharge side other than valve.

Thanks a ton

 

[JasonLion]

1) How important this is depends on how many parallel pipe runs there are on the intake side. If you only have one pipe from the pool to the pad it is fairly important. If there are two parallel pipes it is usefull but not critical. If there are three or more parallel pipes then it gets fairly unimportant.
2) For a 40,000 gallon pool you might want a 1 HP two speed WhisperFlo.
3) The robotic cleaners are nicer in several ways but they are more expensive and less reliable. I would leave it all setup to have a pressure side cleaner, even if you don't actually replace the booster pump right now, just in case.
4) 3' horizontally is not an issue, 3' vertically is a major difference, though still acceptable. When the equipment is below the water level you need to have cutoff valves to keep the pool from draining when you clean the pump skimmer basket. If the pump is more than a foot or two above the pool priming the pump starts to get difficult.
5) Jandy NeverLube valves are the gold standard for valves.
6) You didn't mention anything that would require a check valve.

 

[nick1427d]

Thanks a lot Jason