Brainstorming help please! Need to build a pool... indoors... in a theatre.

[oh_me_oh_my]

I appreciate these ideas and input. I knew heating would be a significant challenge. I was wondering if multiple small heaters plumbed in series would get the job done, but at the rate calculated above it would take several of them to be close to practical.

Electrical bonding. I hadn't thought of that! This is why I posted here.

What about filling with hot water (i.e. from the school's hot water system)? As long as your fill water works out to close to your target temperature (which I would guess is in the mid 70s) the smaller heater just has to maintain - much easier with an indoor pool and an indoor environment of 70F - the delta T isn't bad, and the lowest temperature the water would get without heating is room temperature.

 

[ckk81]

What about filling with hot water (i.e. from the school's hot water system)? As long as your fill water works out to close to your target temperature (which I would guess is in the mid 70s) the smaller heater just has to maintain - much easier with an indoor pool and an indoor environment of 70F - the delta T isn't bad, and the lowest temperature the water would get without heating is room temperature.

I like this thought- fill or partial fill with hot from tap and use a small heater to keep up or slow heat loss.

How fast can you fill could be an issue.

 

[jwhop3]

Wow, that sounds like a liability nightmare. Before any money is spent, I'd encourage the school to run this by all supervisors, BOE, lawyers, what have you.

Holy Wow!!

 

[harleysilo]

What is the budget?

 

[gwegan]

I 'd ask what the budget is also.

Get the dimensions of your pool now and order the liner now.

I would talk to a pool builder and see if they can let you borrow a pump and cartridge filter for a few weeks. Get the cartridge filter oversized so you never have to clean it. Try and install the equipment outside. Get an above ground pump that plugs into a 120 vac outlet. No hardwiring.


Treat this as a temporary pool and follow the TFP guidelines on temp pools. Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

If you follow the plan in the link you posted you won't have any structural issues. The issues in Joanas' pool are not present here as long as you keep the depth less than 18 inches. I would place a 2 or 3 inch band of sheet metal around the entire structure for some stiffening and to equally distribute the forces of the water against the walls.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE LIGHTS IN THE POOL. Keep all electrical at least five feet from the pool. Do not build it over an electrical box. Try for a 12 foot ceiling height. The only electrical should be the pump which should be on a GFCI curcuit and should have an internal GFCI in the plug.

Don't worry about a skimmer but you need at least two hydro-statically balanced suction ports at least 3 feet apart, preferably with VGB Act compliant covers. I would have no "drain" and have the suction ports less than 4 inches deep.

Electrically bonding the pool is not required.

This is nuts so have fun.

Gordon

 

[rodrigo]

Funny you should ask about the budget. I really have no idea.

I will say this, theatrical equipment is crazy expensive. Last spring we needed to build an interior house with a balcony. That was no problem, but the whole thing had to spin around behind closed curtains to become the interior of a church. The structure was massive, way too heavy for normal hardware store casters, which would have damaged the wood floor of the stage. I told the director what we needed and he ordered in a set of four specialized casters designed specifically for this application... and they ran over $250 each. He didn't bat an eye. It's what we needed to spend to ensure the balcony/stair structure would support a parade of Von Trapp children stomping up and down.

I do not underestimate the level of complexity on this one (hence my appeal here for help). Part of the exercise is to get a feel for the expense of this set. I'm ok with balancing the water, but am really concerned about keeping the temperature comfortable. I appreciate the notes on electrical safety. I did not consider whether there is an outlet in the floor under the place they want to build this! (I don't think there is, but I will go look again). The auditorium is configured as a classic of proscenium theater. This pool is going on the carpeted concrete floor in front of the stage. The ceiling above this spot is at least 30' up. Maybe more.

At this point (if this project goes forward), i'm going to recommend a pool that's approximately 15' x 15' with a depth that ranges from 0" to a max of 12" - 18". I believe that will put me in the neighborhood of 1200 - 1300 gallons.

 

[jwhop3]

That's a neighborhood of 5 1/2 tons of water on a concrete slab. How thick is that slab and is it rated for that weight? Again, see my note above about running this by all school officials first.

 

[rodrigo]

That's a neighborhood of 5 1/2 tons of water on a concrete slab. How thick is that slab and is it rated for that weight? Again, see my note above about running this by all school officials first.

Yep, I made note of your suggestion; apologies for not acknowledging it. Not sure how thick the slab is, but I expect we will have to find out. Since the renovation was recent I expect the specs/plans are available to us.

 

[jwhop3]

Yep, I made note of your suggestion; apologies for not acknowledging it. Not sure how thick the slab is, but I expect we will have to find out. Since the renovation was recent I expect the specs/plans are available to us.

I did the math and your pounds/sq inch should be safe. A decent slab should be rated between 3,000 to 3,500 psi strength.