Summer Escapes 18'x48

[Josun54]

This is my first post but I have been lingering for a while. I have my summer escapes 18'x48" pool all set up (after a month of prepping ground and sand and foam.....would have been cheaper to hire someone!!) and on the verge of being chemically sound. It came with the new skimming cartridge filter which I had already planned on converting over to an Intex sand filter/pump. I purchased the 2100gph pump. Let me show what I did to make it work.

I purchased 2 new Intex plunger valves from Amazon at the same time I bought the pump.

I went to Lowes and bought 1' of 1 1/2" ID (nearly 2" OD) braided flex hose and 4 hose clamps.

I used some rubber tape on the male end of the two adapters that came with the pump to make a tighter fit (these have a threaded end that is larger and a smooth end that is the same ID as the 90degree fitting on the summer escapes outlet jet. On those two adapters I rigged up the 1 1/2" ID hose to fit and connected it to the 90degree fitting that screws into the outlet jet. I used the second piece to fit on the outlet of the summer escapes skimmer pump fitting.

I took the summer escapes pump out from the bottom and removed the top cover (four screws and washers) and took out the impeller. I left the top of the housing off since it would simply restrict flow to the new pump.

After performing a backwash and rinse per the manual it is all running well with no leaks and I didn't have to do any modifications to the liner or buy a new skimmer.

Next step will be to put in a T fitting with another valve so I can attach the Intex vacuum. Anyone have another idea on that??

Thank you all for this awesome forum!!



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[PAGirl]

Looks like you put a lot of thought into it, looks great! Have you read Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry so you will have a Trouble Free pool?

You'll also want one of these, if you don't have one yet...... TFTestkits.net

 

[Josun54]

Looks like you put a lot of thought into it, looks great! Have you read Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry so you will have a Trouble Free pool?

You'll also want one of these, if you don't have one yet...... TFTestkits.net

I have read it all, amazing what the difference is between what the pool store tells you to use and what I actually need. And I got my test kit last week! Thanks again!


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[PAGirl]

I have read it all, amazing what the difference is between what the pool store tells you to use and what I actually need. And I got my test kit last week! Thanks again!


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You're very welcome! Glad to see you are well prepared!! I'm sure you will enjoy your pool immensely!

 

[VinDeeLoo]

When you put in the T will you add pics to this post and how you did it please? Thank you. This is what we are wanting to do.

 

[Josun54]

When you put in the T will you add pics to this post and how you did it please? Thank you. This is what we are wanting to do.

Materials:
•1 1/2" PVC pipe - won't need more than a few feet tops. Just enough to connect everything you see (will need a pvc pipe cutting tool if you don't have one)
•maybe 6" of 1" PVC pipe
•PVC T-fitting with 1 1/2" on both ends and 1" on the other end
•one 1 1/2" valve
•one 1" valve
•flex hose as mentioned in the first post
•clamps large enough to connect it all
•PVC primer and glue

The hard part is getting the flex hose to fit on the PVC. I boiled water and submerged the flex hose long enough to be flexible and go on the PVC. It took a few tries but it worked. I already had my plunger valves attached to my flex hose in the previous build but I did end up shortening them a bit to prevent sagging from the weight of the hoses and the PVC pulling down. I also used some zip ties connected to the pool frame to support the weight of it all. I am sure someone could make it look nicer with some type of PVC support but I haven't gotten that far.

I used the 1" Tee/PVC to connect to more flex hose and then I insert the cleaning hose into that and tighten with a hose clamp. I then open the 1" valve with the pump running (hose should be completely filled with water before this) and then I close off the 1 1/2" valve about 75-80% until I have decent suction through my vacuum hose. Make sure never to close off the 1 1/2" valve while the pump is running and the 1" valve shut. This will "dead-head" the pump and possibly cause failure.

This has worked for me and I get plenty of suction to clean the pool bottom through a 24' hose.



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[VinDeeLoo]

Thank you. Now if I could only nudge my husband to do this sooner than later.

 

[Josun54]

Thank you. Now if I could only nudge my husband to do this sooner than later.

Haha! Good Luck! [emoji1360]


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[montvm]

Can you show me a picture of this setup with the skimmer installed too?

 

[ike0069]

This is really well done and will likely help others! Very difficult to beat the pricing on the Intex pump/sand filter combos.

Why did you decide to go with the Summer Escapes over an Intex pool? Just curious.

 

[Josun54]

Can you show me a picture of this setup with the skimmer installed too?

If you go back a few posts I have a photo of what the skimmer looks like. I didn't remove or augment the skimmer opening. I only removed the skimmer pump components.

 

[Josun54]

This is really well done and will likely help others! Very difficult to beat the pricing on the Intex pump/sand filter combos.

Why did you decide to go with the Summer Escapes over an Intex pool? Just curious.

Thank you! I spent hours trying to find someone else that had done something like this and finally decided to make my own.

The only reason I went with Summer Escapes was the price was at least $200 cheaper. I had no clue what I was getting into until I bought the pool. It turned into way more work than what I had originally thought. At least we can enjoy it now.

I converted to saltwater and a chlorine generator and I run that for 8hrs a day and I don't even have to add chlorine to maintain my target FC levels. So happy.