New heating circuit / PVC Plumbing setup Intex pool - suggestiosn / help needed

[poolsam]

I have a 15 foot intex round metal frame pool. It came with the Intex SWG/Filter/pump combo. I installed a wall skimmer / new return, and have a separate pump and cartridge filter. I just bought a Hayward propane heater - H100IDP1. As my SWG has its own pump with automatic timer, I am going to keep that on it's own circuit until it dies then add a SWG to the main circuit. So I have to plumb the wall skimmer / pump / filter / propane heater / return. I plan to keep the pump and filter next to pool, but want to keep the propane heater about 8 feet away. I will only use the heater on cold days. I currently have the intex flexible hose attached to the skimmer and the return. I like the flexible hose connection to pool itself as the kids really get the walls moving.

My question is do I need to plumb a bypass line past the heater, and how is that best accomplished? I was going to run pvc from filter to heater (7 foot run), and back to an area near pool, where the flexible tubing can connect and run into pool. Eventually I will connect my SWG after heater and use the extra pool connections as another inlet/outlet. I would like to also add a water feature (sprinkler) like many have done.

I want to do this right the first time and plan for the future. Help! Thank you.

Current set up below. I plan to install the heater in the far corner (past railway tie on cement pad), and have the Intex SWG/pump run with the two closest pool connections (currently it connects with the original intex inlet/outlet as shown). I will replace the original Intex inlet (farthest away) with a new Hayward connection and use this as my heater return. So all equipment will be concentrated in far corner. Intex SWG/pump will be at front by itself for now.

 

[poolsam]

Plumbing plan below. Blue indicates ball valves. My question is do I also need ball valves in area marked green to isolate heater completely, or will the heater bypass (blue) valve effectively bypass heater. I plan to use propane heater only occassionally for a few hours in the morning on days kids use pool. What is best practice. Any suggestions?

 

[Yaniv]

You don't really need a bypass with the Intex pump, a bypass is needed (for this heater) when your pump can push more than 70GPM of water, which the Intex is far from that.
Having said that, it is a good thing to have because you don't know what the future holds for you . so it is up to you, if it's not too much trouble - do it.
The same goes for the ball valves in the green area, you don't really need them but it would be good to have if you'll need to replace the heater or take it out for service and still want to run the pump to filter the water.
(also consider a union for quick heater release/replace)

 

[poolsam]

For my intex AGP with Hayward skimmer / pump / sand filter/ heater.

Do I need an additional suction outlet for safety and to get more water. Currently the only filtering is from the water entering the surface skimmer.

 

[JasonLion]

One skimmer is sufficient. Additional suction sources are nice, just not essential.