Pool Replumb

[venno]

Hi All

I have owned my pool for nearly 2 years (first one) and I am planning to re-do some of the plumbing to add a dedicated vac and also installing automation in the form of the Viron Connect 10 system. As I have to remove all my pool equipment and take up the paving from under the pump enclosure all the way to the skimmer, I though I may change the suction from 1.5" to 2". Also, as the pool equipment will be de-installed and then re-installed I thought I may re-pipe in 2" as all the equipment supports it.

I have attached the drawings for the current and proposed changes. I am in Australia so sorry about the metric units, will remember to convert to imperial in the future.

The returns would be a major drama to upgrade to 2", hence I am willing to leave these as is. Is there any benefit to changing the suction line to 2" and re-piping the pad to 2" as well, or should I leave it be and just run my vac port line in 1.5" as well?

 

[jblizzle]

You can lower the head loss and increase flow rate by upsizing the pipe. There is more advantage on the suction side and equipment pad than the return pipes. I would upgrade the suction and pad and leave the return lines at 1.5".

Are you removing the waterfall? Or just leave it out of your 2nd picture?

 

[venno]

Hi jbizzle

The waterfall stays, I will be automating the changeover valve between it and the pool returns with Viron Connect 10 system.

Cheers for the advice, pretty much what I was thinking, just wanted to check with those more knowledgeable on the subject. So leaving the returns at 1.5" won't create any problems if the suction is 2"?

Tucson is an awesome city by the way, went there a few times for work in the late 90"s, had an absolute blast.

 

[jblizzle]

No problem with the suction line being bigger. You could increase the size of the return as well, but the advantage is not as high and it sounded like more work.

 

[prs]

In a suction vacuum system there is a significant amount of head loss in the corrugated hose that floats in the pool. You might want to look at relocating the vacuum port to minimize the length of this hose. Also if you choose to leave the cleaner in the pool and the vacuum port is close to the skimmer, it's likely the floating hose will mess up your skimmer action, plus the hose might get sucked into the skimmer.

IMHO, and if it doesn't involve tearing out a lot of extra concrete, the best place for the vacuum port would be in the center of the side of the pool that is next to the pumping station as shown on your sketch.

 

[venno]

No problem with the suction line being bigger. You could increase the size of the return as well, but the advantage is not as high and it sounded like more work.

Cool, and yes the returns would be a drama.

- - - Updated - - -

In a suction vacuum system there is a significant amount of head loss in the corrugated hose that floats in the pool. You might want to look at relocating the vacuum port to minimize the length of this hose. Also if you choose to leave the cleaner in the pool and the vacuum port is close to the skimmer, it's likely the floating hose will mess up your skimmer action, plus the hose might get sucked into the skimmer.

IMHO, and if it doesn't involve tearing out a lot of extra concrete, the best place for the vacuum port would be in the center of the side of the pool that is next to the pumping station as shown on your sketch.

Cheers for that, would be easy to do put it in that location (easier than next to the skimmer).

I just assumed it needed to go at the end of the pool but it makes sense to use as short lenght of vac hose as possible. Is there a particular depth below waterline I need to put the vac port?

 

[prs]

I don't know if there's an optimum depth but my port is 25 cms below the water line and it works fine.