First Opening - Help me open my pool please

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Your cartridge filters are in ground? Like buried? It's also weird to me that you have two. Seems to me that if one was dirty then the other would be irrelevant. Unless you can switch between the two. If so that's kind of cool.
So you have a valve to switch water to that Energy Filter off or on? Do you have two pumps too? One should be a little smaller and would be a "booster pump" for your Polaris. If you have that and it's off, that could also create your no pressure on that gauge. Well that and a valve that routes water to it or not.
Have you seen the inside of your cartridge filters? How do they look?
A Google search came up with this fitting that you could install.
USABlueBook - PVC Gauge Tee 1 NPTF, Pack of 4
I would try to install something like that somewhere in between your pump and cartridge filters. As far as a bleeder valve or "relief valve" you may be able to find something on Google as well. You ever do PVC work before?
 
Go to this link, there are some pictures of my setup here http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/109202-Ready-to-learn-about-my-pool

Yeah I have to large cartridge filters that are in ground right off the side of the pool. It seems to me like the water gets filtered twice before returning to the pump. The first filter is always way more dirty than the second filter. As far as the energy filter yes there is a Jandy valve that can shut water flow off to that filter, but if I do that gives me one less return.
Right underneath the return, there are 5 return ports and 2 on the other side of the pool for the 2 seat jets. Im pretty sure 5 pipes go to the 5 returns and the 6th pipe splits and feeds both jets for the seats. Its a very odd setup from what I'm used to.
I do not have 2 pumps.
Yes I've seen the cartridge filters, I've cleaned them several times. The are just long cylinder shaped filters with pleating on the outside and a bunch of hole in the middle portion.
I would assume that the gauge would after the pump before the pipe splits for all the returns?
Once again thanks for the help
 
The more I think about this the more it bothers me. Ive been brainstorming.
Correct me if Im wrong. A modern filter system sucks water through the skimmer basket, through the pump basket, and then pumps water into the filter and then returns the water to the pool. The gauge on the filter system works because as it becomes harder for the water to get through the filter due to debris, the pressure builds up.

On my system, the pump vacuums water through the filter first, next to the pool. Then the pump returns the clean water to the pool. Im pretty sure this is why I do not have a gauge on my system. Even if I put a gauge before or after the pump, I dont think it will help. Before the pump wouldnt have much pressure, because it sucking from the pool. After the pump and there wont be much pressure because there isnt a filter in line. And the pipes are 1.5" and only a couple feet long.

Any opinions?
 
I actually swam in my pool today for the first time. And I got to see what pipes actually ran where. 1 return pipe feeds both jets in the seating spa area. Another return pipe feeds a single return under the skimmer, this is the return pipe with the filter/gauge on it. Then there are 2 more pipes that run to 2 more returns. Under the skimmer I have 5 ports, 3 of which are returns. The 2 lowest ports I found out are under vacuum. I can feel a suction on them. I'm assuming they feed the 2 filters along with the top of the first filter which has a skimmer basket on it. Pretty confusing to type out hope that makes sense...
 
Sorry I have been away and wasn't able to respond. I have a few thoughts, they may be scattered so please forgive me.

The only problem I see with not having a pressure gauge in your system, is not being able to know when you need to clean the filters. I guess you could watch for flow loss but that isn't very accurate. Then you may be cleaning your filters when they don't 100% need it, therefore wasting you time...

As far as where to put a pressure gauge I would find a section of piping between your pump outlet and your MAIN filter inlet. The small filter gauge doesn't really count unless you keep that return on at all times. I am not sure if on your setup, that line diverts water away from your MAIN filter, or if it is able to do both.

Have you plugged the Polaris cleaner into your return under the skimmer? Does it have a different looking outlet on the wall or is it the same as all of the other returns?

So in your write up it sounds like you don't have a bottom drain. Is that true or did I miss something? On my setup I have a valve where I can switch suction between main drain, skimmers, or both. Useful for me because I have to refill my DE filter using the skimmer, and bring all the suction to the skimmer.

All in all it seems like you have figured out everything for the most part. Only thing now is whether or not you want a pressure gauge and relief valve in there somewhere. Other than that if you are happy with your setup and know how it all works, I say leave it the way it is.
Is your pool clean? You saving money by not going to the pool store? You doing your own testing? Did you enjoy the swim yesterday? If yes to all of those questions then you are winning! Keep up the good work!!
 
Thanks for the response. Like I stated earlier I don't believe a gauge will work anywhere on my setup. The filter is the first thing in line. The water gets filtered and then goes to the pump and then the pump returns the water. So if I put the gauge between the filter and the pump, I would think it would have to be a vacuum gauge, not a pressure gauge. And If I put the gauge after the pump, I don't think it will build pressure because the pipes are so short and large in diameter. Who knows....I'm lost.

So far I've just been cleaning the filters whenever...I just pull them out here and there and wash them off.

I have not plugged the Polaris in, haven't had time. But all 5 ports under the skimmer (3 returns and 2 under vacuum) look identical.

When you say a bottom drain, are you literally referring to a drain on the bottom of the pool? If so, no I do not have drain on the bottom of the pool.

Yeah I'm enjoying the pool, not sure its worth the trouble though.

So in your write up it sounds like you don't have a bottom drain. Is that true or did I miss something? On my setup I have a valve where I can switch suction between main drain, skimmers, or both. Useful for me because I have to refill my DE filter using the skimmer, and bring all the suction to the skimmer.

All in all it seems like you have figured out everything for the most part. Only thing now is whether or not you want a pressure gauge and relief valve in there somewhere. Other than that if you are happy with your setup and know how it all works, I say leave it the way it is.
Is your pool clean? You saving money by not going to the pool store? You doing your own testing? Did you enjoy the swim yesterday? If yes to all of those questions then you are winning! Keep up the good work!![/QUOTE]
 
Its been awhile since I posted. I've learned a bit since my last post about my pool. First off its a Foxx Pool with a Wall-Pak filter system. The system has 2 cartridge filters. The first filter pulls water through the skimmer basket and filters the water on top. The second filter is a sealed unit. This filter was originally designed to work with a bottom drain, it was supposed to pull water from the bottom drain and filter it. At some point the bottom drain started to leak, the previous owners put a new liner in and covered the bottom drain. They then plumbed in 2 lines below the 3 returns under the skimmer. The 2 low lines are under vacuum and draw water to the second filter. This explains why the second filter never gets dirty, it was originally designed to pull dirt from the bottom of the pool. These 2 lines they added are basically now used just for circulating water. I contacted Foxx pools and found out some more information. They make a kit to block off the wall-pak, the kit adds a normal skimmer with flapper. This also allows for the owner to add a more up to date filter system. The down side is you have to put a new liner in when you do this. So my plan Is to use this system as long as I can, because it is working fine. When I have the spare cash and/or the liner needs to replaced, I will have the wall-pak block off installed with a new liner. Then I will plumb in a new filter system myself. Figured I would share this in case anyone else has the same pool or a new person to the forum has the same pool. Also, the rep at Foxx pools confirmed my thoughts on a gauge on the system. My system pulls water through the filters instead of pushing water through the filters. He said I could indeed add a vacuum gauge before the pump to monitor when my filters are dirty. He also said that when the filter system first came out the vacuum gauge was an option when installing.
 
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