Play the what is this game with me.

[dldeuce]

I just bought this house, and I have a few questions about the pool equipment. They had been running only the chlorine tablets, so the CYA is off the scale. It's expensive in Houston to drain 2/3 of the pool, so I thought I would drain before it rains and then let the rain dilute it over time. Well, the rain was a bit short this week to refill, so now I discover this. What is this?

In my old pool, I just had a valve on a faucet that just poured into the pool manually with straight plumbing. This is obviously a float valve to automatically maintain the water level, but how does it work? It seems to only allow a trickle into the pool. Does this not allow you to just turn on the faucet and get the full flow into the pool? If I really drained down the pool, would I need to just drop a water hose in from the faucet?

 

[jeffchap]

That's really not designed to fill the pool, just to keep up with evaporation. So it doesn't need to support very much flow.

 

[ajw22]

It is a back flow preventer feeding an autofill valve that replaces water lost by evaporation. It is not intended to fill the foll if it was drained.

Back Flow Preventer - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[ajw22]

Does this not allow you to just turn on the faucet and get the full flow into the pool?

Nope.

If I really drained down the pool, would I need to just drop a water hose in from the faucet?

Yup.

 

[dldeuce]

Thank you all for that. That's kind of a flimsy float valve that was just trickling water and I thought there might be something wrong with it. I noticed they had the valve closed on it.

Now, let's keep playing.

I have a main pump with a manual valve that selects between drawing from a skimmer or the main drain.

 

[dldeuce]

It also has an auto valve that can draw from the spa. First, I presume that in the position shown, the skimmer is turned off. Is that correct? Should I normally draw from the skimmer or the main drain? Second, when would I ever want to draw from the spa on the main pump and why is that on an auto valve?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

First, I presume that in the position shown, the skimmer is turned off. Is that correct?

Correct. Look for "Off" embossed on the handle. It sits over the closed line.

Should I normally draw from the skimmer or the main drain?

Skimmer. The main drain serves little purpose other than adding a bit of circulation to the deep end. The priority is skimming the surface before debris sinks. Some like to keep the main drain open 10% or so.

when would I ever want to draw from the spa on the main pump and why is that on an auto valve?

You likely have an automation system with a Spa Mode option. When activated, the suction valve moves to pull water only from the spa and the return valve moves to send all water to the spa. This isolates the spa which allows all pump pressure to go to the spa (you get bubbles). You'll be able to heat the smaller body of water much more quickly.

 

[dldeuce]

Correct. Look for "Off" embossed on the handle. It sits over the closed line.

Skimmer. The main drain serves little purpose other than adding a bit of circulation to the deep end. The priority is skimming the surface before debris sinks. Some like to keep the main drain open 10% or so.

You likely have an automation system with a Spa Mode option. When activated, the suction valve moves to pull water only from the spa and the return valve moves to send all water to the spa. This isolates the spa which allows all pump pressure to go to the spa (you get bubbles). You'll be able to heat the smaller body of water much more quickly.

Thank you. Now look at this picture.


I have a separate pump for the spa. Draws from the spa pumps to the spa. Like you said, in spa mode, the main pump is drawing from the spa, heating the water and returning to the spa. What does this pump do?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I don't know. I can't afford two pumps.

The way it appears, it bypasses the filter and heater, is that correct? If so, you probably have two sets of return running to the spa. These just add more bubbles.

 

[dldeuce]

I don't know. I can't afford two pumps.

The spa is pretty awesome! Lots of jet and bubble action. That's a big pump though. Yeah, I think I recall there being at least two returns pouring in the heated water and then the 2 returns per side that are blasting the bubbles. I'll look at that more closely in the day time.

 

[dldeuce]

Ok, so now let's look at this nonsense. It's got a UV system. I thought it was BS when I first saw it, and confirmed that by doing a quick search here before I bought the house. How does the plumbing work here though? Looks like it's coming out of the filter in and out of the heater.
I notice there's a crossover pipe though from the inlet to the outlet of the heater. What's that for?

 

[ajw22]

Thank you. Now look at this picture.

View attachment 415487
. What does this pump do?

That is your spa jet pump.

 

[dldeuce]

Still a few more questions if you guys can bear with me. What is this ball valve for on the return from the tablet chlorinator? Also, what is this circular device to the left of the chlorinator?

 

[ajw22]

Circular device is a check valve to try and protect your heater from the acidic water in the chlorinator.

Pipe with ball valve may be for spa spillover while in pool mode.

 

[dldeuce]

Circular device is a check valve to try and protect your heater from the acidic water in the chlorinator.

Pipe with ball valve may be for spa spillover while in pool mode.

Thank you. Now one last question. What is this?

 

[ajw22]

In that canister are the valves that cycle your In Floor Cleaning system (IFCS),

 

[dldeuce]

WAVE Water Actuated Valve – Pentair-A&A Manufacturing

aamfg.com

Yeah I just found this. This pool has some sort of pop up valves on the bottom. I guess this device controls that. This seems pretty nice. It blows any debris up to the surface where it may get picked up by the skimmer.