SWG with pressure side cleaner, plumbing?

Aug 9, 2015
10
Atlanta, GA
Hi, all. I have decided to switch my pool to salt, but have to make a decision regarding plumbing for the install. I'm going with a circupool rj series. I also have a dedicated pressure side line that I use to run my Polaris 360 (no booster pump). My equipment is set up so that the flow out of my filter leads to a 3 way valve, with one of the outputs leading to the dedicated line for the cleaner, and the other leading to a single line that later splits to two returns in the pool. Under normal pool operation, the dedicated cleaner line is closed, but when running the cleaner the other return line is closed. On occasion I have all lines open with the cleaner line acting as a standard return.

Here is my quandary: when plumbing in the salt cell, should I put it upstream of the 3 way valve, or should I put it after the 3 way valve on the line leading to the 2 normal returns? Either is possible and equally difficult.

My concern with putting it before the 3 way valve is that, when operating in cleaner mode, the pressure in the cell might get somewhat high, given the restriction on flow. Also, maybe the chlorine level of that returning water will be very high, which could harm the Polaris (not sure on this one).

But, if plumbed after the 3 way, of course no chlorination will occur during cleaner operation. Also, if I want to use the cleaner line as a return, I'm worried that the flow through the normal return line might go below the minimum flow rate for the SWG, as the "cleaner" line will be carrying some portion of the overall flow.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
P,

I would plumb it before the three way valve... I personally don't think it ever makes sense to be running the pump if you are not generating chlorine..

Of course I live if this Century and have a Robot... :mrgreen:

Thanks

Jim R.
 
P,

The water coming out of the SWCG is not that much different that the rest of the water in your pool. If the Polaris was going to croak, it would just do it from being in the pool...

Jim R.
 
PY,

I recently added SWG and went the same way you are with a Circupool RJ+. I also had a similar quandary about location of the cell. I went with Jim's recommendation and it has worked out great. My concern was about turning off the cell when we are in spa mode. Easily fixed by powering from a separate relay on my wifi automation. In your case I wouldn't be too concerned about the Polaris. Not sure which cell you're going with but assuming say 30 gpm pump flow, 1.5 lb/day chlorine your water will only have about 4 ppm more chlorine than the pool. Even if the flow is half this you'll only have 8 ppm above the pool water. Don't think this is sufficient to do damage.

I hope this helps.

Chris

PS Here's the calc: 30gpm X 8.34lb/gal=250lb/min water 1.5 lb/day / 1440 min/day=.00104 lb/min chlorine
.00104 / 250 X 1000000=4.16 ppm
 
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