Trying to figure out how to shut off waterfall

complick8d · **Joined:** November 26th, 2011, 11:03 pm **Posts:** 6

Not sure if these pics help. But I'm trying to figure out how to shut off the waterfall feature on the pool.

257WbyMag · Posted: November 26th, 2011, 11:19 pm

Welcome to TFP! Have you tried turning the valve in the front there?

complick8d · **Joined:** November 26th, 2011, 11:03 pm **Posts:** 6

New home and haven't touched anything because I didn't want to mess anything up and was hoping someone would be able to better clarify what everything is. Too me, it all looks the same at this point.

257WbyMag · Posted: November 26th, 2011, 11:32 pm

No problem. You aren't going to hurt anything by turning valves.

The three valves coming out of the ground and going into the pump is water coming from the pool to the pump. To control the flow to the water fall, you will need to manipulate valves that are taking water from the pump to the pool. These are known as return lines. With a waterfall, you should be able to isolate the waterfall and return jets. The valve in the front of the picture that is all by itself is one that I cannot tell where it goes with any certainty. I would turn it and see if it changes flow to the return jets. Are there any other valves that are coming from the filter?

complick8d · **Joined:** November 26th, 2011, 11:03 pm **Posts:** 6

Nope... no other valves from the filter

JeremJL · **Joined:** August 11th, 2011, 11:16 pm **Posts:** 5

What does that second pump against the wall control? On my setup up i have a second second pump that is only used to pump the waterfall.

From your picture i would guess that the line leaving the pump going into the ground on the far left goes to your filter, then comes back up to the line that is coming out of the ground into the valve on the groups of pipes on the far right. That valve shows that the return is split 50-50 returning water to your pool. Try adjusting that valve and see what happens in the pool. I am betting that those valves control the split between the pool returns and hot hub returns, and the second pump is for the water fall, that is how the setup in my pool is.

Jeremy

complick8d · **Joined:** November 26th, 2011, 11:03 pm **Posts:** 6

JeremJL wrote:

What does that second pump against the wall control? On my setup up i have a second second pump that is only used to pump the waterfall.

From your picture i would guess that the line leaving the pump going into the ground on the far left is the same line that is coming out of the ground into the valve on the groups of pipes on the far right. That valve shows that the return is split 50-50 returning water to your pool. Try adjusting that valve and see what happens in the pool. I am betting that those valves control the split between the pool returns and hot hub returns, and the second pump is for the water fall, that is how the setup in my pool is.

Jeremy

I was guessing the second pump is to the spa/hot tub? The waterfall is one of those that overflows from the spa. Your post confused me though, sorry, I'm tired, are you thinking the waterfall shutoff might be the valve to the pipes on the far right or the valve on the back left in the cluster of three?

complick8d · **Joined:** November 26th, 2011, 11:03 pm **Posts:** 6

Also, any idea what the tall black thing is in the back by the wall?

JeremJL · **Joined:** August 11th, 2011, 11:16 pm **Posts:** 5

its the blower for the jets in the hot tub

JeremJL · **Joined:** August 11th, 2011, 11:16 pm **Posts:** 5

JeremJL · **Joined:** August 11th, 2011, 11:16 pm **Posts:** 5

JeremJL wrote:

complick8d wrote:

JeremJL wrote:

What does that second pump against the wall control? On my setup up i have a second second pump that is only used to pump the waterfall.

From your picture i would guess that the line leaving the pump going into the ground on the far left is the same line that is coming out of the ground into the valve on the groups of pipes on the far right. That valve shows that the return is split 50-50 returning water to your pool. Try adjusting that valve and see what happens in the pool. I am betting that those valves control the split between the pool returns and hot hub returns, and the second pump is for the water fall, that is how the setup in my pool is.

Jeremy

I was guessing the second pump is to the spa/hot tub? The waterfall is one of those that overflows from the spa. Your post confused me though, sorry, I'm tired, are you thinking the waterfall shutoff might be the valve to the pipes on the far right or the valve on the back left in the cluster of three?

Sorry for the confusion. I Was thinking you had a separate rock waterfall was not connected to the hot tub.

Short answer: The valve on the far right does control the the waterfall from your spa.

From what i can see all 4 of the those pipes going into the right side(inlet) of the pump are for the 2 skimmers, pool main drain and spa drain.( these are the pool suction lines)

OF those 4 pipes coming out of the ground, the 2 on the right are your skimmers, the one on the left os the pool main drain. They are all connected to valve that has the 4th pipe (spa drain) connected to it and the goes into the pump inlet. In that current configuration the pump is drawing equally from the 2 skimmers and the main drain and goes into the pump, noting that the 3 way valve before pump has the spa drain in the off position.

The water then exits the pump, the line on the far left going into the ground. I am assuming that this line comes back up on your equipment pad, goes through the filter, then the heater(if you have one) then back into the ground. Then comes back up to the groups of pipes on the far right. It splits into two through that valve that is set to 50-50 going to your pool/spa returns(The one going to the spa will cause the waterfall to spill over into the pool.)

By adjusting that far right valve you can shut off the return to the spa and not have the waterfall. It normally is set up the way it is now to ensure full pool circulation and allowing the spa water to spill over into the pool and be filtered like the rest of the pool.

The only time you should want to adjust that valve is when you want to use the spa, in that case, you would want to turn that far right valve to only return to the spa and not the pool returns. Also you would need to turn the last valve going into the pump inlet 180 degrees to shut off all suction to pool and only draw water from the spa. This will stop the spill over into the pool and allow only circulation in the spa for when its in use.

That leaves me wondering what the second pump in the back is for, usually you don't need a second pump for the spa, but i don't know everything. Do you have any other water features?

I hope that this is clear.

Jeremy

complick8d · **Joined:** November 26th, 2011, 11:03 pm **Posts:** 6

Very detailed, Jeremy, thank you! After I had some caffeine, I was able to understand your original post, you made perfect sense, I just misread it and confused myself. haha Thank you for clarifying though. I'm just as lost as you on the second pump. No other water features that I'm aware of.

Trying to figure out how to shut off waterfall

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