Help in Identifying My Set Up

[Nochain]

Hi all thanks for taking a moment to look at my thread. I don’t have any documentation on my pool and this is my first pool and would like to understand better how it works I have a specific question. I have two inlet pipes going into the pump. I am not sure how these are plumbed and maybe you can help me identify how this is set up. My skimmer has two holes in the bottom and I have a two floor drains no pop-ups just a side vacuum. This is my set up. My question is how are the two inlets to the pump split? Meaning is one dedicated to the floor drains and the other to the skimmer? Why are there two holes in my skimmer with a float valve with a diverter? What are both holes in the skimer balancing? How is this typically plumbed? Thank you in advance for your advice.
Pics:

 

[Jimrahbe]

No,

If your skimmer has two 'open' holes under the basket, then your main drain is plumbed into the bottom of your skimmer and that is why you have a floating diverter valve.

The two pump inputs are the skimmer (assuming you only have one) and your vac port in the side wall of the pool.

There is really no need for the main drain, and I find the floating diverter to be about 50% useless. More than likely your main drain is never being used.

I have two rent house pools that have their main drains plumbed into the skimmer. Neither have a floating diverter, so the main drains are inoperative. Both pools work just fine without using the main drain.

Do you keep a cleaner connected to your vac port? If not, does the vac port have a little self-closing door?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Is that a salt cell between the pump and filter?

The cell has to be after the filter.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Is that a salt cell between the pump and filter?

JamesW,

In this particular case does it really matter?

There is no doubt where it should go, but since is it where it is, what difference will it make.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Unfiltered water can clog the cell with debris and hydrogen gas can build up in the filter, which is not safe.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Unfiltered water can clog the cell with debris and hydrogen gas can build up in the filter, which is not safe.

JamesW,

Duh, of course... I was only thinking about the output side of the Cell. I did not think of unfiltered water going into the cell, which of course would be a bad idea.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

Unfiltered water can clog the cell with debris and hydrogen gas can build up in the filter, which is not safe.

Also, when Goldline SWGs were really entering the market (the first really viable system, Hayward bought them in 2004), they taught that because they produce chlorine measured in grams, running the output of a cell through a large dirty filter could neutralize the entire output by the chlorine reacting with the debris in the filter before it gets to the pool.

 

[JamesW]

Also, when Goldline SWGs were really entering the market (the first really viable system).

Diamond Shamrock Corp. created the Lectranator in 1976.

The Lectranator has been in production since 1978 (16 years before the AquaRite).

Lectranator Corp was sold to Olin and then to Team Horner in May 1992 and this became the AutoPilot.

Goldline Controls®, began as Independent Energy, Inc., a company founded in 1975

In 1994, the company began producing Aqua Rite® salt chlorinators for swimming pools.

History - Team Horner

Founded in 1969, Team Horner is an integrated manufacturer, wholesale distributor and global exporter of swimming pool equipment and chemicals

teamhorner.com

About Goldline Controls | Hayward Residential and Commercial Pool Products

The Complete Story

www.hayward-pool.com

 

[JamesW]

DOCUMENT ID: US 4100052 A

DATE PUBLISHED: 1978-07-11

ASSIGNEE INFORMATION: Diamond Shamrock Corporation

APPLICATION NO: 05/740870

DATE FILED: 1976-11-11

Disclosed is an electrolytic cell for the generation of low cost halogen biocidally active agent from an aqueous solution having a low halogen salt content for use in the treatment of sewage or other liquid effluents, especially those of fresh water swimming pools or fresh water cooling towers.

The electrolytic cell is used in line with pumps generally associated with the distribution of waters for swimming pools or cooling towers.

Patent Public Search | USPTO

ppubs.uspto.gov

 

[JamesW]

How old do you think this AutoPilot system is?

just replaced this. Looks historic. ran an RC15 cell..

www.troublefreepool.com

Electrolytic generation of halogen biocides

Nov 11, 1976 - Diamond Shamrock Corporation

Patent # 4,100,052

The present invention generally relates to an electrolytic cell for the generation of low cost halogen biocidally active agent for the treatment of a sewage or other liquid effluents especially those waters of a fresh water swimming pool or cooling towers.

More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an improved electrolytic cell having a bipolar configuration which is used in line with the pumps generally associated with the distribution of waters in swimming pools or cooling towers or other liquid effluents for the generation of chlorine from affluent containing low levels of chloride.

This employs an enclosure connected in line with the liquid distribution system of the facility containing a series of parallel planar plates to be utilized as electrodes arranged such that the effluent flows through the parallel planar matrix of plates and is treated thereby with the chlorine being electrolytically produced from within the confines of the electrolytic cell.

 

[Nochain]

No,

If your skimmer has two 'open' holes under the basket, then your main drain is plumbed into the bottom of your skimmer and that is why you have a floating diverter valve.

The two pump inputs are the skimmer (assuming you only have one) and your vac port in the side wall of the pool.

There is really no need for the main drain, and I find the floating diverter to be about 50% useless. More than likely your main drain is never being used.

I have two rent house pools that have their main drains plumbed into the skimmer. Neither have a floating diverter, so the main drains are inoperative. Both pools work just fine without using the main drain.

Do you keep a cleaner connected to your vac port? If not, does the vac port have a little self-closing door?

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hi one skimmer and yes there is a flapper that spring closed when vac not in use. Your post is very interesting and insightful as one of my concerns is that the floor drains don’t appear to have much if any suction. I thought this was an issue but perhaps not?

 

[Nochain]

Is that a salt cell between the pump and filter?

The cell has to be after the filter.

Yes I am going to correct this. So much for professional installers. They also glues in the pump and valves!

 

[1poolman1]

Diamond Shamrock Corp. created the Lectranator in 1976.

The Lectranator has been in production since 1978 (16 years before the AquaRite).

Lectranator Corp was sold to Olin and then to Team Horner in May 1992 and this became the AutoPilot.

Goldline Controls®, began as Independent Energy, Inc., a company founded in 1975

In 1994, the company began producing Aqua Rite® salt chlorinators for swimming pools.

History - Team Horner

Founded in 1969, Team Horner is an integrated manufacturer, wholesale distributor and global exporter of swimming pool equipment and chemicals

teamhorner.com

About Goldline Controls | Hayward Residential and Commercial Pool Products

The Complete Story

www.hayward-pool.com

I used the term viable as in easy to install and use. In this area in the mid-late 90's, all the AutoPilot systems seemed to last about 10 minutes (minor hyperbole). Customers were always complaining about them and there was very little support in this area. No one, including me, knew how to use or maintain them, no literature was readily available, no education in their installation and use. They weren't handled by my wholesalers, appeared to only be installed by builders. Customers seemed to always lose the manual.

Kreepy Krauley had their Kreepy Klear (later bought by Polaris, who came up with their own inline cell) that could be installed into the pool through one of the return lines (that was fun trying to guess which return the pull string would exit). They could generate chlorine 24/7 as the cell was in the pool. Also destroyed the plaster or vinyl right above the cell if the SWG was left running with the pump off. One install was enough to convince me to let someone else sell them though I did help with a couple more installs.

Goldline put theirs on the market. I bought a "try me" unit through distribution and installed it for a customer at a great price in about an hour, added the correct amount of salt to the pool (always minus one bag to be sure), ran the pump for the next 24 hours or so, returned the next day to start the system and all was well. Sold and installed 10 the first year, and I wasn't even trying. Once Hayward obtained them sales skyrocketed. Seemed that once Hayward got the market going all the other manufacturers picked up the pace.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Your post is very interesting and insightful as one of my concerns is that the floor drains don’t appear to have much if any suction. I thought this was an issue but perhaps not?

No,

Even when a main drain is working properly, it is almost impossible to tell by feeling for the suction.

I have a main drain on the pool at my house and I only open it about 5%, just to keep the water in the pipes fresh. I should have just told them to build the pool without main drains but did not really know any better at the time.

Thanks,

Jim R.