For anyone wondering, I ordered these guys to try out. should eliminate the need for a reducer to 1.5" if they work out well

Your existing concrete doesn't have any cracks which is good. But that is likely because you have ample expansion joints and the slabs are not overly large. I doubt you will be able to bridge an expansion joint and not have a tile crack at some point unless those tiles are free floating in a bed of sand or something. If you don't want to have a pattern that shows the expansion joints, setting in sand or an uncoupling membrane are your only viable options. Do so research into polymetric sand for what is going to work best in your design. At the same time a border of smaller tiles that can be adhered to keep the field tiles in place is probably going to be needed. The smaller tiles can spaced to hide the cold joints and expansion joints and not eventually crack.

You may do as you planned and only have to set some tiles in sand that bridge cold joints and expansion joints. But then you risk joints between the sand set and hard set tiles to take all the movement, as opposed to it being spread out to all the tiles.

if you adhere a boarder tile, leave some openings for water to drain. water will get under the tiles at the joints and it needs somewhere to go. Most paver over concrete slab recommend to put holes in the slab to drain this water. Depending on what material is under the concrete, that could cause localized heaving. Since your concrete is in good shape continue to drain water off the sides.

Hello! I just had a labral repair and capsular plication in December. It was absolutely the right decision for me. Last summer was a real bummer. I got hurt in May, so my ability to do regular pool maintenance was awful. We wound up hiring a valet service to do weekly cleanings. They were always impressed with our "perfect" chemistry, and listened when I told them not to put anything in the pool without asking. Basically, for the price of a robot, I had a summer of cleanings, plus some extra startup cleanings. It was a really nice luxury, and now I'm looking to buy a robot.

I'm about 1 month away from getting my weight restriction lifted, so my pool valet is back for now. I can do some things with a 10 lb. limit, but don't want to take chances. Good luck with the sling! The Week 4 trap pain on the non-surgical side was the pits for me.

Kaptain said:

From what I have learned they go through a self test when you power them on, if something fails it shuts down. Visually you will see the robot move forward, backwards, forward again, then shut down. This is usually caused by hair and Crud wrapped around that impeller. But like you said you checked that.
I had one robot that did this and found that the motor that spins the impeller was going bad. It just did not spin enough. I believe it was caused by a bad seal that took out the motor bearings.
There is or was a guy on eBay that was selling replacement bearings and seals. I bought two sets so I could fix mine but ended out swapping it for a good motor.

I fixed several of these last summer and if I remember correctly all of the similar models that Dolphin (Maytronics) made have the same guts. It's the power unit that makes them smart (bluetooth) or not.
If you are comfortable tearing it apart, I'd inspect that motor.

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He's still selling them on eBay. I am almost positive that's what you will need to fix this. If this repair is something you are not comfortable performing, I may be able to help.

Can I join the Trouble Free clear club? 6 feet, you can see the vac and two worms clearly.


**** Mod edit: username checks out.

* With upflow for the flow sensor.

Show the system.

Check the cell and look into the pipe before and after the cell for stains.

Pull the cartridges and show them before and after cleaning.

Post a full set of readings.

Sorry you got a dud. FWIW, we have oodles of people using them and most couldn't tell you how old it is without talking it out.

Let's see here..... I bult the pool, i think, in .........

mxxmikexx said:

I’m sure trying to open up the unit to troubleshoot will be a futile attempt at best

Click to expand...

You've also got nothing to lose.

OK crushed up some tablets and put in a sock and tried a spot treatment. It was like a miracle! The stain gone in seconds. Totally amazing. I will get some more and treat the whole area.

From what I have learned they go through a self test when you power them on, if something fails it shuts down. Visually you will see the robot move forward, backwards, forward again, then shut down. This is usually caused by hair and Crud wrapped around that impeller. But like you said you checked that.
I had one robot that did this and found that the motor that spins the impeller was going bad. It just did not spin enough. I believe it was caused by a bad seal that took out the motor bearings.
There is or was a guy on eBay that was selling replacement bearings and seals. I bought two sets so I could fix mine but ended out swapping it for a good motor.

I fixed several of these last summer and if I remember correctly all of the similar models that Dolphin (Maytronics) made have the same guts. It's the power unit that makes them smart (bluetooth) or not.
If you are comfortable tearing it apart, I'd inspect that motor.

Thanks

No change letting the unit sit overnight. Installed brand New alkaline batteries and neither the light button or stir button make the unit do anything. Batteries test at 1.61 v on each cell using my fluke digital multi meter. Bummed this unit only lasted 2 seasons of light use in the Midwest where pool seasons about 5 months long . Guess it’s time for another one. I’m sure trying to open up the unit to troubleshoot will be a futile attempt at best.

How often do you need to empty the basket? I also have lots of trees, and this could be hugely helpful. Also, can you just let it tool around on its own, or do you need to use the remote control?

phonedave said:

There is nothing inherently wrong with ball valves. It is cheap valves (of any configuration) that are the issue. Most of the ball valves sold at big box stores are pool quality and are not rebuildable. The Kaplan valves are very good, have reversable seals, are rebuildable, and if you ever decided to go crazy - are actuator ready.


I'm not sure what you are asking here. My suction side comes straight down from my skimmer, 90 degrees to horizontal, and then an 90 left turn into the pump skimmer. My return comes out of the top of my filter, 90 degrees down towards the ground, 90 to a horizontal run, 90 back to vertical, through my salt cell, and then 90 degrees into my return. I have no issues with any kind of flow.

Unions make it easy to take things apart. Or, more accurately, easy to take things apart when you cannot slide things forwards or back, only side to side. I gave up on unions a few season ago and switched to camlock fittings. I can disconnect and reconnect camlocks in a fraction of the time I can with a union. My only unions are on my salt cell, because that is how it comes. Camlocks are only an option if you can slide your equipment forwards and back.

Where you place unions is dependent on what you want to bring in for the winter, and what you want to leave outside. My whole setup (pump, filter, and valves, and salt cell) all come inside for the winter, so my set up is designed accordinly.

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For the valves, yes, cheapos are no go, been there, done that on the old equipment. The Kaplans were $40/ea, Pentair $50/ea, so I just got a Pentair gate valve.

The amount of 90s was my question. My intake will have just one 90, i.e. from vertical to horizontal. One 90 between pump and filter, as expected. Pump has unions on both ends of it, so that should be good for removing for winter if I do that. My return is where my question was. I would need to go 90 down from filter to clear deck, another 90 up diagonally towards pool wall and another 90 to enter via the return. So total of 3 90s, should be fine. Im trying to reduce gluing etc, as that's clearly a potentially failure point.

I didn't even think of cam locks. I have them on my animal tanks, so maybe I ought to look into those. But I think I might be fine without them. Once everything is glued in on the return side, that will stay there for a long time. And pump can be moved with the existing unions.

My main problem is the sand now, as stated above. The Doheny's service chat said to "send it" and if there's issues, they'll refund or replace the filter. They call for #20 media, which MW II .49/20 is, but I don't get how it possibly could work without blow-by through laterals. Rolling the lateral in a palm full of send embedded sand into the gaps and some even went through I think, which for sure would happen once system is under pressure I think.

I know backwash is needed before it's put into service. Is it then going to wash out all the smaller particles?

Reagents should be disposed of in the sink. After that, ok to rinse in pool if you want.

PoolStored said:

I'd get a proper kit ordered first, if you don't have one of these, get one: Link-->Test Kits Compared

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^^^This.

The only thing I would do is add 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine a day until your kit arrives.
Your pH test is fine, the rest are not enough, hence the kit recommendation.
Keep your pH in the 7s, use muratic acid to lower pH when pH gets above 8 (purple hues).
You can download pool math to help you with how much to add. Link-->PoolMath

If your can determine a leak was the cause for your wall sinking, and make sure it's not going to sink more than this is viable fix.

I would guess there are not many contractors doing these kind of repairs because most owners don't accept the cost of the fix. The contactor is liable for the work they do. If they do a repair and it last a year or two or no guarantee is provided, then they are likely not getting much business. The fix is usually not the issues it's all the other stuff that needs to done to get to the problem and to then put it back so it looks nice. It like many car repairs now, the part is not issues it's taking half the car apart to replace it.

Richie-Czech said:

I had the Kaplan valves in my cart ready to arrive, but on very short notice changed it for the Pentair ones.
I keep being told ball valves are no bueno, so by the time I pay $40 for a 2" Kaplan, decided to pay $50 for a 2" Pentair I guess.

Click to expand...

There is nothing inherently wrong with ball valves. It is cheap valves (of any configuration) that are the issue. Most of the ball valves sold at big box stores are pool quality and are not rebuildable. The Kaplan valves are very good, have reversable seals, are rebuildable, and if you ever decided to go crazy - are actuator ready.

Richie-Czech said:

I have only single skimmer and single return. No other equipment or water features. This pump should hopefully run under very light load now.

I do have a question for I guess everyone to see if my plumbing makes sense and some questions:

1) I will keep a simple single 90deg directly to pump. Pump comes with unions, which is great. Would you for the return notch into the deck to be able to run virtually a single 90deg, or would you go from filter down under deck with 1x 90, up with another 90 and then 90deg to the wall of the return? I know / think you're not supposed to have more than 3x 90deg in one line right?
Nothing the deck shouldn't be an issue, but seems risky. I think the pad will make the MPV sit just tish too high to clear all decking without cutting or 90s. I don't want to do flex pipe anymore.
View attachment 644754

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you are asking here. My suction side comes straight down from my skimmer, 90 degrees to horizontal, and then an 90 left turn into the pump skimmer. My return comes out of the top of my filter, 90 degrees down towards the ground, 90 to a horizontal run, 90 back to vertical, through my salt cell, and then 90 degrees into my return. I have no issues with any kind of flow.

Richie-Czech said:

2) Unions - pump has union on basket side and on the filter side. If I do a valve between skimmer and basket (to clean out basket) and one between filter and return, I should be good? I might even get away with just one valve and closing MPV. That should stop water from pool to fill the basket from either direction, but a valve on return side would allow me to isolate all equipment without use of rubber stoppers (which I don't mind, really).

I guess I don't understand unions enough. My thought was it helps with removal of equipment. Pump might stay outside, not sure yet. In any case it has unions on both sides, so that's fine.
I don't think putting unions on each side of the Pentair valve makes sense though, does it? Because don't you glue in a pipe into the valve anyway, in which case union does really provide any value?
Or is it so it can be "spun" in place while you remove piping from the filter for example?

Please see below my plan and tell me if it is silly.
I think valve 1 (V1) on skimmer side is must. V2 on the return side is optional, I'd think (stoppers might do).
U1 and U2 are unions on the pump.
Do I need U3 and U4, i.e. unions on the filter? I think I need a 1-1/4" threaded fitting adapter into 2" PVC, but not sure if I want unions here too?

View attachment 644766

Click to expand...

Unions make it easy to take things apart. Or, more accurately, easy to take things apart when you cannot slide things forwards or back, only side to side. I gave up on unions a few season ago and switched to camlock fittings. I can disconnect and reconnect camlocks in a fraction of the time I can with a union. My only unions are on my salt cell, because that is how it comes. Camlocks are only an option if you can slide your equipment forwards and back.

Where you place unions is dependent on what you want to bring in for the winter, and what you want to leave outside. My whole setup (pump, filter, and valves, and salt cell) all come inside for the winter, so my set up is designed accordinly.

PoolStored said:

Welcome to TFP!!!
First, how are you testing your Water? I'd get a proper kit ordered first, if you don't have one of these, get one: Link-->Test Kits Compared

This link can give you the basics to understand the What to do next article below: Link-->Pool Care Basics

Once you understand the basics, this is a good guide for you:

Just Filled Your Pool with Water? Here's What To Do Next - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

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I used this kit.

mas985 said:

Other than the supply wiring gauge requirements, there is no difference between a pump wired at 120v vs 240v.

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Most pool pumps run at 220

This weekend I drained, cleaned, and re-filled my hot tub, while warily eyeing the still closed pool across the yard.

I also put this thing together and put it on my deck. It has been in a box in my garage since late winter (maybe Feb?) waiting for warmer weather. I was in Lowe's and it was some insane clearance price - like $800 off list. So "why not" I said.

Haven't cooked on it yet, but seasoned the flattop and it seems to work nicely.