Latest activity

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

sporf said:
The check value is listed as “chemical resistant” - is that still expected to eventually fail?

If you run the pump 24/7, then that will minimize the damage to the check valve.

Once the pump turns off, the chlorine begins to flood the system with super corrosive liquid with low pH and high FC.

mknauss · Feb 26, 2025

What is your fill water TA? I suspect your pH rises when you add fill water.
As JamesW says, keep pH at 8 if that works. Most people overstate the pH level. A pH at 8 or above the test sample would be purple.

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

sande005 · Feb 26, 2025

You may find this thread that popped up under "recents" today of interest:
New plaster pool trying to dial in pH

ajw22 · Feb 26, 2025

sporf said:
Interesting. The check value is listed as “chemical resistant” - is that still expected to eventually fail?

Yes.

Resistant means it fails eventually.

sporf said:
What is the alternative?

A SWG.

Salt Water Chlorine Generators

Salt Water Generators are designed to produce small amounts of chlorine continuously. This is perfect for day to day use and reduces work for the homeowner.

www.troublefreepool.com

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

bmpardo said:
He said that salt water pools typically have higher pH levels and that I should try to maintain a pH of 8.0 or less and only add acid if the pH rises to 8.1 or more.

I would agree with this as long as you can maintain a good CSI.

sporf · Feb 26, 2025

1poolman1 said:
that tablet feeder eventually destroying your heater, despite that check valve

Interesting. The check value is listed as “chemical resistant” - is that still expected to eventually fail? What is the alternative?

It is a saltwater generator pool, the tablet feeder is just a backup.

Feedback about a check valve instead of 3-way for the heater bypass is interesting, thanks to all who pointed it out.

ajw22 · Feb 26, 2025

Show us pictures of your equipment pad so we can see what may be causing the suction side air leak…

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

TFP is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that is maintained by user donations.

The people who answer questions are volunteers.

If you find the site to be a good resource, please consider making a donation to help support the site.

Thanks.

Become a TFP Supporter

Help Support TFP Trouble Free Pool is run by a dedicated group of volunteers that … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

New2water · Feb 26, 2025

1poolman1 said:
Are there fish in the pond? UV systems have been used very successfully as the sanitizer/algaestat in ponds for decades. You can't use chlorine.
That is a good system, but it may cost a lot to repair compared to new.
A good backwash on that filter should be all that is needed.
If you are going to use it, get the system running and the water clear before adding fish to be sure. You don't know what is in the water now.

Thank you. Currently there are no fish in the pond. I am preparing to sell this house and need pond water maintained clear. The filter works. As far as I can tell, the issues I need to address are:

Replace the pump seals so it can stay primed. Need to know the part numbers of seal kit to order.
Fix the UV system
1. Ordered new UV lamps.
2. UV Lamp tubes are fine.
3. Not sure about the transformer. A local tech thinks it may be fine as he could see the old UV lamps flickering. Is there a way to test it?

Please advise if my to-do list is correct.

Moonshoxx · Feb 26, 2025

Folks,
I was having a small trickle of bubbles in my spa return. Over the last month, it has gotten worse and started to come out of one return in pool as well. Today I changed out the o ring on the pump lid and it made no difference at all. What is my next "easy" step before i have to call out the professionals. Thanks in advance.

sande005 · Feb 26, 2025

1poolman1 said:
..... I would be more concerned with that tablet feeder eventually destroying your heater, despite that check valve, that will fail and you won't know until the heater is damaged.
....

x2 on this! You are going down a road of high chemical expense, probable algae, and potential equipment problems with that tab feeder. Change orders can be a killer in a project, but changing to a salt water generator really, really should be considered very seriously. This from a 30 yr tab guy, who finally found the real answer to being trouble free.

Get rid of the filter bypass, although you do want an option to redirect to waste before it goes to the filter.
Is that a valve I spy on the filter drain plug? Is he trying to make money on markup on all the Jandy devices he can pack into one install???

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

JamesW said:
Blue to Blue/white is 37.5 Volts AC at 6 amps and this is the power for the cell.

The 24 volt light should work.

You can also use (3) 12 volt, 75 watt lights in series to make a 36 volt, 225 watt, 6.25 amp tester.

You can use (1) 12 volt, 75 watt, 6.25 amp light in series with a 24 volt, 150 watt, 6.25 amp bulb to make a 36 volt, 225 watt, 6.25 amp tester.

For loads in series, the amperage does not add up, but the wattage and voltage does add up.

The voltage divides based on the load.

For example, a total 36 volt, 225 watt, 6.25 amp load will give (36 x 75/225) 12 volts to the 12 volt light and (36 x 150/225) 24 volts to the 24 volt light.

ngooo · Feb 26, 2025

Hi All, The cable has been rubbing against the stone and with the recent snowfall, the cable is broken. I am looking to find a cable replacement but all I see online is the red cable which doesn't look as solid as this grey cable. Does anyone know what kind of cable this is, that I should be searching for? I assume I will have to replace the whole cable as there doesn't seem like a good fix?

Thank you,

ngooo · Feb 26, 2025

grkero · Feb 26, 2025

ajw22 said:
Talk to Margaret at Marina Pool & Spa in Colorado.

I ended up buying a Maytronics Prowler 920 from Marina. This is my first robot but so far it seems like it's the perfect solution for my problem. It'll be interesting to see what the ultra fine filters look like after a few days of running it.

Brian.O1484 · Feb 26, 2025

Newdude said:
Both actually. Smooth/rounded with tight gaps on the straightaway but with larger gaps on the curves.

View attachment 629487

So that was my main thought with the foam with this style pool. I know it wont do

for insulation it was more for that tiny bit of cushion and more importantly (for my sake) I wouldn't be able to the corrugation or gaps in the aluminum panels lol.

HottubTim · Feb 26, 2025

Yes the Taylors kit from Amazon appears to be the only option for the money, at least I haven't missed any alternatives that could have been available in the UK.

bmpardo · Feb 26, 2025

Hi, everyone.

I've been following the Trouble Free Pool philosophy since we renovated our pool in April 2024. Indeed, our pool has been trouble free, but I'm still wondering why the pH wants to settle around 8.0 or 8.1.

We re-plastered our 12,500 G salt water pool 10 month ago with a Pebble-Tec like product. Various sources on the TFP website indicate that the ideal pH range is 7.6 to 7.8 for a plaster and salt water pool like mine. In order to maintain this level, I need to add about 4 oz of muriatic acid every other day. I was under the impression that it was the new plaster that was driving the pH up, but that this effect would diminish over time. After 10 months, I don't really see much change.

I'm writing because I hired a local pool company to help me with an equipment issue. The technician struck me as experienced and knowledgeable, so I asked him about my pH levels. He said that salt water pools typically have higher pH levels and that I should try to maintain a pH of 8.0 or less and only add acid if the pH rises to 8.1 or more.

How does this community react to my technician's statement? I have a feeling that most people will strongly advise that I stick with TFP's recommendation: 7.6 to 7.8. That's fine, but I would respond with the following question: During the winter months, when no one swims, the water temperature is about 55 degrees. At a certain chemistry level, if the pH is 8.1, my CSI is -0.070. If I drop the pH to 7.7, the CSI drops to -0.450. During the summer, the water temperature is about 80 degrees. A pH of 8.1 yields a CSI of 0.160 and a pH of 7.7 yields a CSI of -0.220. So why am I constantly adding acid to fight rising pH levels when higher pH levels seem to be desirable?

Thanks for your help on this.

bP

Cl 4.5
cc 0.0
pH 8.1
TA 65
CYA 70
CH 400
Salt 2800 (I know this is low, but the SWG isn't creating Cl right now)
CSI -0.050

Btimm · Feb 26, 2025

SecoSteve said:
I'm sure before plaster they will remove any loose gunite.

Looking at your picture, I don't see any deep end swim out exit. Is there one hidden to the left? Not sure if it's required(I think it is, though), but I love having one in our deep end.

Dirk said:
I had my plaster replaced. They chipped out the old plaster with jackhammers. This is what it looked like right before the new plaster went in. I'd say you're OK!

View attachment 629839

Thank you!

Homebrewale · Feb 26, 2025

suzook said:
You cover the pool too? I'm just wondering what I am going to do next winter here in GA and my new pool.

Yes, I have a Loop-Loc mesh safety cover.

phonedave · Feb 26, 2025

JoyfulNoise said:
I’m old enough to remember when I was a kid we only had ONE phone in the house … in the kitchen. But we were a “cool family” and had the extra long 20ft cord with the swivel connector and shoulder rest. So you could talk on the phone while sitting in the chair in the den (room right next to the kitchen). We even had push buttons on our phone!!

Then my brother and I figured out the wiring in the basement panel and ran phone lines to every room in the house. So now we all had phones in our room too!! I remember many time secretly picking up the handset in our room to listen to my sister talking to her boyfriend… I got caught about 50% of the time because I wasn’t quick enough to stop the button from making the clicking noise on pickup. My sister would bang on the wall and if I didn’t get off the phone she’d come to my room and give me a good beating … that lasted until I turned 13 and was about a 1/2” taller and 30lbs heavier … then all she could do is rat me out to our mom. Mom would get the big wooden sauce spoon out and if she caught me sneaking on the phone I’d get swatted … don’t mess with a tiny old Italian mom with the sauce ladle, it won’t end well for you

My Ex-Wife's father used to work for the phone company as a central office technician and then supervisor. When my ex was old enough, she got her own landline in her room, and her father told her that he had included a time of use feature on the line. The phone only worked between the hours of 6 AM and 9 PM. Many years later she ended up working for the phone company and she was in residential sales. When she was training she asked about the time of use feature, and she got a lot of blank stares. She went and asked her dad about it. Turns out he was disconnecting and reconnecting her phone from the protector in the basement each night at 9 and reconnecting it in the morning before he went to work.

Somebody asked about having the ability to turn off your kids cell phone from yours. The three major carriers all have an app / service that can do that. The issue is it requires a companion app on the kids phone with the proper permissions to make it work. Kids are too good at either disabling the app or using a VPN to get around it. It has been a issue for YEARS. You have to make phones secure so that somebody who should not be able to remote in, cannot. But on the other hand it makes it very difficult to create these types of features. You could do it at a network level, in theory, maybe something like QCI codes (but not QCI codes, that's not what they are for) but they can be a bear to deploy and manage, and I don't think the market is there to justify the cost. They are also not as dynamic, so that it can't be "You didn't take out the trash, no Tik Tok for you today". I haven't tracked the performance of those apps in a dogs age, but they were not the most popular sellers out there (for any of the carriers)

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

TFP is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that is maintained by user donations.

The people who answer questions are volunteers.

If you find the site to be a good resource, please consider making a donation to help support the site.

Thanks.

Become a TFP Supporter

Help Support TFP Trouble Free Pool is run by a dedicated group of volunteers that … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

jkleintech · Feb 26, 2025

Newdude said:
i am impatient about ALOT of things, but not this.

Hahaha fair enough, thanks! I won't overthink it. I'm trying to heat the pool right now for the weekend anyway so aeration has just been slowing that process down quite a bit.

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

TFP is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that is maintained by user donations.

The people who answer questions are volunteers.

If you find the site to be a good resource, please consider making a donation to help support the site.

Thanks.

Become a TFP Supporter

Help Support TFP Trouble Free Pool is run by a dedicated group of volunteers that … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

JamesW · Feb 26, 2025

TFP is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that is maintained by user donations.

The people who answer questions are volunteers.

If you find the site to be a good resource, please consider making a donation to help support the site.

Thanks.

Become a TFP Supporter

Help Support TFP Trouble Free Pool is run by a dedicated group of volunteers that … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

phonedave · Feb 26, 2025

setsailsoon said:
Two things that make union fittings hard to use and causes a lot of failures are dirty threads and using the wrong tool to tighten them. Large channel-lock type pliers can easily damage and over tighten the fitting. I've found easiest way to make these work well over and over again is:

Clean the threads inside and out with a wet rag until all the dirt is removed. WD 40 can help as a cleaner if there's oily dirt.

Clean the o-ring and make sure it's grove is pristine as well. Even small particles of dirt can cause a leak that won't stop 'till you clean it. No matter how tight you get it. Once you get it clean lube it with a small amount of soluble silicone lube. When you tighten if it's not lubed the o-ring can catch in the grove and become distorted. All surfaces need to slide.

Use the right tool. A belt wrench is perfect. Use one like this that has gripping tread on the inside of the belt:

View attachment 629815

Don't over-tighten. Snug is all you need.

I keep one of these handy to the equipment pad.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris

You really only have to hand tighten them. If you problems getting them apart, then a wrench can help. I use a pipe wrench myself, because I happen to have large enough ones laying around.

1poolman1 · Feb 26, 2025

sporf said:
My builder just started plumbing the equipment pad and I'm concerned about how many tight 90 degree turns are in the normal flow. I see 9 and counting: 3 from the pump output to the filter input, 6 from the filter output to the chlorinator, and I expect a few more are needed to get to the returns.

Is this good or bad? Should I ask the builder to change it?

It looks overly restrictive to me and doesn't look like the Jandy reference image attached.

I was expecting something like the Jandy reference with one 90 sweep from pump to filter, one 90 sweep from filter to heater, and maybe two 90 sweeps out of the heater. I like the 3-way bypasses the builder added but I expected them to be installed so normal flow goes straight through them and they only turn the flow 90 when used to bypass something. I tried to show that in the attached revised.jpg

While it would be nice to see it plumbed with all sweeps, I would be more concerned with that tablet feeder eventually destroying your heater, despite that check valve, that will fail and you won't know until the heater is damaged.
The amount of energy saved by using sweeps above ground would be minimal, especially since there are many more underground standard 90s installed, and you have a VSP that should be running long and slow most of the time.

ajw22 · Feb 26, 2025

uscshawn said:
All of them are installed. Could be a faulty intelliconnect.

Could be faulty installation also.

Will this turn on the heater? This tests if the heater is installed properly and bypasses the app - While IntelliConnect is in SERVICE Mode, simultaneously pressing and holding the RELAY1 and RELAY2 buttons for 3 seconds will activate the heater. The Demand Response LED will illuminate amber.

Latest activity

Latest activity

Filter