Is there a way to turn the spa return 100% off?

[Flyguppy]

IG 15K gallon pool with attached elevated spa with a spillway, built 2013.

Full Pentair Easy touch system with a VS filter pump.

When I am running the pump, with both my suction and return valves fully on POOL, I still get some return to my spa. Enough to trickle over the spillway (but not full spillway feature)...guessing about 80% to pool, 20% to spa.

Normally, that's perfect.

But, I just bought and installed a couple of these PVC cooling tubes that stick up out of the water. Has holes in it so the pool return is spread wide at night, supposedly cooling the water. I came with 2 extra caps to cap off 2 more returns in case I needed more pressure, which I did.

I am not getting enough pressure to make these effective. I have my VS pump at max, 3500.

If I could get the return to 100% go back to the pool, that would fix my issue. Just wanting to know if that's even an option before I go buy another return cap.

Any other input appreciated as well.

Thanks,

Brad

 

[ping]

You need to locate the spa return valve and close it 100%, it is open a tad bit to allow flow to the spa at all times.

 

[Flyguppy]

Are we talking about taking the Jandy valve apart? Resetting the valve position?

It's got an electric actuator on it....but I've taken them off before, as well as replacing the seals on a Jandy.

 

[blakeusa]

Put a plug in your spa return. Pop it out when you want spillover. Just don't let the water get stagnant.

I sometimes plug my spa return so I can heat the pool and keep the spa heated. Normally just for a couple of hours - or as needed.

Its just how my pool is plumed. Pool returns go to pool and 1 to the spa for spillover.

 

[Flyguppy]

My spa returns to probably 8 different eyeballs.

Not clear on what you mean about putting a plug on my spa return. The actual return valve is a jandy.

 

[mknauss]

Sounds like your spa is set up close to mine.

You will not be able to keep the functionality of the partial return to the spa if you also want the 100% close off of the spa, unless you take the actuator off. The actuator only can handle two valve positions. One you want to be able to isolate the spa to heat it and use it. The other you want some of the water to return there for chlorinating your spa.

In hindsight, it is much better to have a return line like Blake says his is set up. That way you can turn off the spa return completely so the spillover does not run all the time and drive your pH up.

You probably need small diameter fountains to make them work as is.

Good luck.

 

[Esloser]

My pool is set up with 3 modes:

1. Pool with 80/20 split between pool and Spa
2. Spa where water is pulled from spa and returned to spa
3. Spillover where water is pulled from pool and returned 100% to spa.

Does yours have the same? Mine is a Hayward system. Maybe you can hijack the spill function to pull from pool and return to pool?

 

[Flyguppy]

Yup... Mine set up the exact same.

Spa mode is 100% to from spa.

Pool mode 80/20 (or whatever).

Spillover pulls from pool, returns to spa.

 

[Richard320]

I haven't got a clue how you'd do that with the fancy automated system, but I believe it's possible to unlink the actuator from the valve and manually shut off the spa. Find the owner's manual and it will tell you how.

 

[Esloser]

Don’t ask me how to do it, but I am pretty sure you can set the actuator positions based on those modes. As a matter of fact, I know you can. When they were turning on my pool for the first time the guy was asking me how forceful I wanted the spillover to be and was adjusting the actuator to the desired spillover.

I haven’t messed with it yet, but have wanted to play with it. I don’t like the fact that the spa doesn’t refill when someone of my stature gets out and the water drops 2-3”. I was thinking I could crack the pool suction just a hair so a small amount of water would be sucked from the pool into the spa cycle.

Hopefully, someone will come along and give some instructions on setting the actuators to the modes. I haven’t checked the manual yet.

Yup... Mine set up the exact same.

Spa mode is 100% to from spa.

Pool mode 80/20 (or whatever).

Spillover pulls from pool, returns to spa.

 

[mknauss]

I know the actuators only have two positions. So I am interested in how you get three.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

You might want to plug the spa returns as suggested and see if it even provides enough increased pressure for your needs. I'm guessing that the little pressure required for spillover will make a significant difference. Do you have any mystery valves at your equipment pad? My pool has a separate valve just for low pressure spa spillover, separate from the spa/pool return valve.

FWIW,

Mike.

 

[ajw22]

Are we talking about taking the Jandy valve apart? Resetting the valve position?

It's got an electric actuator on it....but I've taken them off before, as well as replacing the seals on a Jandy.

You will find the manual for the Jandy Actuator here https://www.jandy.com/en/products/valves/valve-actuator

Page 7 & 8 explain how you can set the cams for the position of the valve. That is the way the valve is set to go 80/20 or 100/0.

You can see from the way the handle and OFF section is positioned if it closes off an outlet 100%. Post pictures of the valve in the two positions and we can help.

Page 9 describes how to manually override the valve position.

 

[Dodger]

I know the actuators only have two positions. So I am interested in how you get three.

I'm with Marty. I'm not aware of any actuator that has an automated 0 position, 80/20 position, plus a 100% position.

I suspect the "spillover" and "80/20" described are the result of the same return actuator position.

 

[Flyguppy]

You will find the manual for the Jandy Actuator here https://www.jandy.com/en/products/valves/valve-actuator

Page 7 & 8 explain how you can set the cams for the position of the valve. That is the way the valve is set to go 80/20 or 100/0.

You can see from the way the handle and OFF section is positioned if it closes off an outlet 100%. Post pictures of the valve in the two positions and we can help.

Page 9 describes how to manually override the valve position.

While this shows the actual actuator (mine is a hayward...same thing), I think I need to actually get into the Jandy VALVE....not just the actuator.

The actuator, like others have said, has 2 full positions, which is what mine does. (I see you can adjust those in the manual, but that doesn't help me I don't think....because even at full POOL mode, I'm getting the 80/20...and you can't turn the handle any more than that.)

So, inside the jandy valve itself, is there some way to set FULL POOL to 80/20 that I could change? Take it apart and move the valve over so it fully closes?

Unless maybe the HANDLE is moving a full 180*, so I think it's moving the valve 180*....but those cam settings are not really moving the valve to full closed?

- - - Updated - - -

I'm with Marty. I'm not aware of any actuator that has an automated 0 position, 80/20 position, plus a 100% position.

I suspect the "spillover" and "80/20" described are the result of the same return actuator position.

The spillover return position is the handle at 100% spa return (makes sense....all the water going back to spa = spillover the spa wall to pool). With the handle at 100% pool return (normal position in pool/filter mode), I'm getting the 80/20 split....still some going back to the spa...just enough for a trickle over spa wall to pool.

 

[Esloser]

So, I went out to look at my setup and run through the modes while looking at the valve positions.

It looks like suction side is either pool or not pool.
So, in pool mode, Spa suction is off and pool suction is on. In Spa mode, spa suction is on and pool suction is off.

And,

Return side is either Spa (open) for spa mode with pool (closed) or 80% Spa / 20% pool

For spillover, the valve is suction from pool only and spa open.

So, there are only two positions for each actuator. I wonder if you can adjust the return side to either open or closed and do away with the partial open option.

Then, for the different modes, you’d have:

Pool: suction from pool, return to pool (spa closed)

Spa: suction from spa, return to spa

Spillover: suction from pool, return to spa

Using all either open or closed.

 

[ajw22]

I think I need to actually get into the Jandy VALVE....not just the actuator.

Actuator sits on top of the Jandy valve. Remove the screws that hold the actuator down and then you can remove the screws that hold the top of the Jandy valve in place to get into it.

 

[Flyguppy]

Actuator sits on top of the Jandy valve. Remove the screws that hold the actuator down and then you can remove the screws that hold the top of the Jandy valve in place to get into it.

Well.....not sure accessing the valve is going to help me.

Just went out an put my actuator in manual mode (disengaged the drive) and moved the handle every which way.

In no position was I able to get the 20% going back to the spa to shut off completely.

So, it's not the cams in the actuator. Nor, is it the valve position on the inside.....

 

[Dodger]

Then, for the different modes, you’d have:

Pool: suction from pool, return to pool (spa closed)

Spa: suction from spa, return to spa

Spillover: suction from pool, return to spa

Using all either open or closed.

This is the off-the-shelf setup with the actuators; there is even a 4th combination of the intake and return valves, which is Spa Drain.

A lot of Pool Builders or Techs will "help" the homeowner by creating a partial position in the return actuator that gives a constant spillover, like moving the cam to 80/20.

In my case, I opened up the return actuator and moved the cam back to it's original position (180 degrees from pool side of the tee.) You don't have to play with the valve diverter underneath. Now I just use my Jandy automation's "Spillover" macro to turn on spillover some of the time and keep the spa water refreshed.

- - - Updated - - -

Well.....not sure accessing the valve is going to help me.

Just went out an put my actuator in manual mode (disengaged the drive) and moved the handle every which way.

In no position was I able to get the 20% going back to the spa to shut off completely.

So, it's not the cams in the actuator. Nor, is it the valve position on the inside.....

Be really careful there. If you move that handle past the actuator stop, all your alignment is likely off.

But it is also possible that your valve diverter is not functioning well. There are rebuild kits available online and they are simple to replace. Open it up to inspect, and then make sure the actuator and diverter flap are in synch.

 

[Flyguppy]

Took some pics to my pool store. Decided it was time to replace my filter grids (5yrs old), hoping that improved the flow.

Showed a pic of my return side to the guys and here's what they said. Basically, the way they built my pool....the put a common return line with a check valve to my spa. Therefore, in pool mode, I'm getting more like a 50/50 return to both pool and spa. He says they way it is now, I have no way to restrict the return to the spa. He suggested a diverter valve to the left of the check valve, allowing me to control how much water is going back to the spa while in pool mode, therefore increasing my pool return pressure.