Too much pump - Bellagio in our backyard!

[brisketbabe]

We replaced our 2-speed 1.5 hp Waterway pump & motor with a 1.5 hp Hayward Powerflo because they don't make a #$30.00 plastic pump housing for the Waterway anymore. Everything I read said the high speed on a 2-speed pump should be the same as a 1-speed pump. We thought Leslie's sold us a 2-speed pump, we were really specific, but discovered it was a 1-speed when it was half installed. Long story, but we just kept the 1-speed. It works great, except it is SO much stronger than our other pump was. We have a tiered fountain that was perfect on low before, now it looks like we're at Bellagio! It shoots 16 feet up and covers the entire surface of the pool - which looks great from the deck, but not if you're trying to hang in the pool.

So, my idea is to put a PVC T into where the eyeball is, with the fountain on one end and then put the eyeball on the other end to reduce the flow. Any reason that won't work? Any better or easier suggestions? Actually, the PVC was really easy, just wanted to ask the pros to make sure it won't blow out the pump or anything before we hook it up. Let me know!

Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

You should have valves at the pad that allow you to turn on and off the waterfall. Just restricting the flow is bad for the pump if the water has no where else to go.

I would think you should be able to divert most of the flow to your wall returns and only have some come out of the waterfall.

I certainly hope you did not pay for a 2-speed and just get a 1-speed (which is also going to cost you more money in electricity to run).

 

[mas985]

So, my idea is to put a PVC T into where the eyeball is, with the fountain on one end and then put the eyeball on the other end to reduce the flow. Any reason that won't work? Any better or easier suggestions? Actually, the PVC was really easy, just wanted to ask the pros to make sure it won't blow out the pump or anything before we hook it up.

That would work but I assume the tee and the valve would be inside the pool? One idea would be to plumb the fountain on the outside of the pool, aimed into the pool with the return eyeball remaining as a normal return in the pool. I would use a three way valve to redirect the flow between the fountain and return. This would be less likely to get damaged by someone in the pool and can be controlled from the outside of the pool.

 

[woodyp]

We need a pic of Bellagio!

 

[brisketbabe]

Happy Saturday! Thanks for the suggestions. I'll take a pic later today and post.

I guess we paid for what we were sold; evidently Hayward makes a 2-speed pump but Leslie's doesn't carry them, plus the ones I found online were all 230v, ours is wired 115v. The salesman sounded knowledgeable, he assured us it was 1.5, 2-speed, 2" lines before we made our 4th 3 hour trip to the closest Leslie's that actually stocked pumps. So, we got what we paid for, ($319.00 + tax + gas), but we didn't get what we wanted and what we thought we were getting. We discovered Spring Break our pump was out, ordered a new motor for $204.00, same brand, guy came to install, the thru-bolts were rusted and broke off in the pump housing with no way to remove them. He said all we needed was the plastic pump housing. Went to Leslie's, had the old pump with us, they ordered the part. Got it a week later, didn't fit. Corporate office assured me they could get the right part, but when I called, it was the same part number we had that didn't fit. Back to a closer Leslie's to return - not, we then had to go back to the one that ordered it, another 60 miles away. After a zillion phone calls, found out they just don't make the pump housing anymore, we needed a whole new wet end. Cheaper just to buy a whole new pump and return the new motor, so we just went and picked up the Hayward in stock.

Of course it needed some adapters they didn't sell us, another delay, plus our cutoff valve wouldn't fit the new pump. So, until we go buy and add one, we don't have a cutoff between the skimmer and the pump basket. When you say, "divert the flow", how? Our fountain is one of the blue flowers with holes all in the top that's attached to a clear plastic hose with a weight, and the hose has a plastic connector that screws into the eyeball spot with 3 holes on either side to control the flow. I'm hoping the T screwed into the eyeball spot will split it between the fountain and the eyeball and fix the fountain problem. It's okay inside the pool, only my husband and I swim in it. Seems like it should be better on the pump, since right now it's like a spa jet going into the 1 1/2" plastic hose, and with the 1 1/2" T it's split right when it comes out. Make sense? If not, give me some more ideas. Sorry this is long with no pic.

Thanks!

 

[brisketbabe]

[attachment=0:j1xcz3wv]our pool.jpeg[/attachment:j1xcz3wv]Here's the fountain with the old pump. New one shoots water 5' higher and spray lands on the edge of the pool all the way around. New pic later.

 

[brisketbabe]

PROBLEM SOLVED !!!!

We glued the T connector and adapters, screwed the T into the eyeball outlet, put the fountain hose on one end of the T, eyeball on the other, and . . . voila! Our fountain is perfect, even the wide open setting is much less than it was. And, the plus side is that our TA is down from 240+ to 130! Yee-haw, might just be a pool day today.

P.S. When my husband turned on the pump and saw the fountain, he said, "Baby, you're a genius."
Nice way to end the day!