Plumbing help

Jump to latest Follow Reply
andyrob2215

andyrob2215

0
May 21, 2014
126
Portage, Indiana
Hey everyone,

I just bought a house 3 months ago and low and behold it came with a 22' AGP I didn't know ANYTHING about pools. I have done a good deal of research and watched all the pool school videos but haven't figured out what I'm going to do with the plumbing yet. There is probably 20' of flex line in the garage that was used before but I'm not a big fan of the stuff. Also I would hate to have one burst on me. I want to hard plumb everything with PVC but don't know the exact route I should go. There is also a heater involved. I would like to have quick connects at the skimmer and return and all the pieces of equipment for winter storage and valves where necessary. I would also like to add a fountain while I'm at it. I have done plumbing experience but with there being a bottom drain and all I'm just not familiar with the schematics.

Here's what I've got if it helps.


Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
Here's what it should look like. I can't see where the heater outlet is, but that's where that green hose goes.

schematic.jpg

What bottom drain are you talking about? If there is one, there should be a T or a valve involved. It will go to the pink line, so you can switch/balance the flow going into the pump.

Just some rules of thumb: don't skimp on valves. Spend the $$ on pool valves. The standard ball valves you find at big-box hardware stores will eventually leak. They're not designed to get opened and closed that much.

Personally, I'd get the pool open and balanced. Then you'll have some idea of where you want to put things, and it will be easier to convince the wife the money is necessary if she's enjoying the pool.
 
Thank you for the reply
The bottom drain is hard to see in this picture but it is directly under where you drew the pink line.
I understand the basic setup of where the hoses go. But once I plumb it with pvc where should I put the valves, check valves, quick connects, etc and how should I install them.

Also you said get the pool open and balanced. How can I do this if I don't have my plumbing hooked up? Once I fill the water ask the way up it will put it off the skimmer and return.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
Open and balanced is so you get to enjoy the pool a while. It worked last year with hoses, no? Just a thought.

Before I started hard plumbing, I'd want to know if I needed a second skimmer downwind, or another return, and where the fountain would go best. What if it ends up blowing all over the barbeque area?

I can't help you much with the layout. I'm unfamiliar with freezeproofing stuff. I could certainly tell you where I'd put couplings and valves, but I don't have to worry about freezing. I only saw frost one day last winter, and it was gone when the sun came up!
 
Must be nice! We had a brutal winter.
I contacted the seller of the house and he actually did hard plumb it but without valves or anything so he had to cut it off and throw it out. the hoses are from years ago and he said they bursted a couple times which Is why I don't want to use them.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
For valves, Jandy neverlubes are pretty much industry standard. I haven't had a bit of trouble with my three-ways valves in four years. http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/search.htm?searchBox=Jandy&x=0&y=0 Some of those shutoffs come with the coupler attached!

Something else I thought of: do you think you might ever want a saltwater generator? Plan for it now. Some require a minimum straight section immediately before the cell.
 
You realy need to reconfigure the layout of that setup. I would hate to be the guy that has to troubleshoot that heater with the front cover jammed up against the pool like that. Also with the output side of the heater pointing away from the return it just does not make sense. Here is a picture of how mine is set up. Note there are two unions, one on either side of the heater to be able to unhook and drain it for the winter. I also have a couple of flex couplings for the hard plumbing to hook to the return and skimmer so disconnecting then is easy. I have run this setup for at least 8 years now with no problems. Please ignore the temp gas line. I had to replace a section last year and have not gotten around to securing it properly

 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Thank you Richard. I will have to think about the saltwater generator.

Dan, this is exactly how I imagined it set up but for some reason the pad for the heater was on that side so that's just where I set it for the picture. I want mine to look like yours but why don't you have any valves? When you take the flex couplings off what's stopping the water from coming out?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
I use a "Aquadoor" cover for the skimmer and a 1.5" PVC plug for the return when I unhook for the winter. The unions allow me to unhook the heater and tip it to the side to drain the water out of it. for the most part I never need to "shut off the water flow" other than to clean the pump strainer. When I do that I move the selector on the filter to a closed position and stuff a rag in the skimmer bottom (if I don't get the aquadoor out) The "flex" couplings I put on the skimmer and return are simply vinyl hose from the hardware store. It has been on there now in direct sun for the entire time I have had this setup.

You can see a little better in this picture how I set up the "pad". It is simply a pressure treated deck big enough to set all of the equipment on. If you are going to hard plumb, I would suggest something like this to keep everything in the same orientation. Hard plumbing does not like sinking or raising patio blocks.

 
Okay I will have to slide everything to the left because there is a deck just to the right of the filter where the heater exhaust would be going.

Can the aquadoor be purchased separately? I don't remember seeing one of those? And it's water tight for the whole winter?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
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