Check valve reducer?

[garykli]

Hi, our pool is almost done, and has been filled with water. The pool has 4 returns (2") and the spa has 1 2.5" return in the floor. The pool return is connected to spa return with a check valve right after the swg. What I'm seeing, is that the spa seems to be returning alot of the water, while one of my further pool returns has hardly any flow at all. I'm wondering if that's due to the fact that too much water is being diverted to the spa via the check valve. Is there some sort of reducer that can be inserted inside the check valve? Either a fitting or some sort of spring stop? Want to test this theory out without cutting pipes

Thanks!

 

[duraleigh]

Can you reduce the opening at the spa with a different fitting? If so, that would be an easy way to check.

Secondly, you will want to do something similar to your eyeball fittings on the pool returns. Placing a smaller eyeball on the closer returns should reduce the flow to them and increase the flow to the furthest return.

 

[garykli]

The spa return looks like main drain, so it would be hard to reduce... I wanted to avoid reducing pool returns as spa clearly is returning too much, on full speed the spa return looks like a bubbler

 

[duraleigh]

I can't think of a device to reduce your spa flow (without cutting the pipes) but there are others far more knowledgeable about spas than me that may offer a workable solution.

 

[garykli]

I was thinking of some sort of a stop to put inside the check valve that would prevent the flap from fully opening... Might even be something as hacky as a piece of 3/4" PVC held in place by the lid, just need to make sure it doesn't flip

 

[garykli]

Just thought of an easy solution for testing purposes... reverse the check valve, just open the cover and turn it 180 degrees to prevent any flow into the spa. If that fixes the pool return issues, I can mock around with ways to reduce the flow to the spa... I wonder if using a properly sized PVC plug with a smaller diameter hole cut out in it would be an acceptable 'reducer', if so, I can just install that inside the check valve on the spa side...

 

[duraleigh]

I don't see why that wouldn't work. I don't believe it will make all your pool returns flow evenly (if that's part of what you are trying to do), only increase the flow.

To get the pool returns to flow the same amount from each, you will have to install different eyeballs as we discussed earlier.