Understanding my pool equipment and flow

[Zamspa]

I am trying to understand the layout of my pool equipment and flow. I have labeled the picture in hopes that y'all can help me figure out where I am wrong and name the ones I don't know...

1. Skimmer - inflow ?
2. main drain - inflow ?
3. main drain - inflow ?
4. inflow to pump
5.
6. pump
7. inflow from the to filter
8. filter
9. outflow from the pump to the heater
10. heater
11. outflow from the heater
12.
13. Chlorinator
14. outflow to ?
15. outflow to ?
16.
17.
18.
19.

Should there be a valve to bypass the heater?
I know we will have a booster pump so would that be 19?
These all seem to be manual diverter valves, I don't understand how we can control all of this from our phone/computer...

 

[Jimrahbe]

Roberta,

1, 2, and 3 should be Skimmer1 and Skimmer2, and Main Drain (you on have one) No telling which is which for sure.

#5 is the drain in the bottom of your spa

# 4 is called your "Intake" valve and is what switches between your pool and spa suction.

#12 is the return flow going to your spa jets

# 13 is a Chlorine Tablet feeder...

#16 is the make up valve that makes your spa overflow into the pool when in the pool mode.

# 15 and #14 are the returns to the eyeballs in the pool and most likely to some water feature. No telling which is which..

# 17.. only god knows for sure..


You currently do not have a booster pump at your equipment pad.. If you get one it will most likely connect to #17

#19 is most likely where the blower motor to your spa goes..

I don't see # 20 and that is because you have a cartridge filter and won't have a MPV


Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Richard320]

My suspicions are that
5 comes from the spa
12 goes to the spa
19 might be where they intended to install a spa blower.

16 may also be to waterfall. If it's higher than the pump and filter, it could allow them to drain the filter
17 is probably for a pressure side cleaner|

1,2,3 are all drains or skimmers. You'll have to experiment. If you have two drains, they are controlled by a single valve. Code says they have to be 5 feet apart and be plumbed together to prevent a child getting held on the floor and drowning. You'll just have to experiment with shutting them off to figure out which goes where.

No clue about 18. It may be what is called a well point where they connect a pump and remove any groundwater while they're pouring the pool. When it's done, they usually cap it. But that's pure conjecture. It could also go to some empty socket in the pool wall.

14, 15, 16 are returns. Same deal, close 'em off and see what stops, open and see what flows.

Those valves are manual. Some have a motor attached to the top and the wiring goes to a control center that you can program or control with the phone. I don;t know if you can retrofit them with motors.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Roberta,

If the black wires coming out of the wall are for your EasyTouch they are in wrong place... You do NOT want to have to climb over your equipment to get the panel.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Zamspa]

Roberta,

If the black wires coming out of the wall are for your EasyTouch they are in wrong place... You do NOT want to have to climb over your equipment to get the panel.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thank you for all of your help. I was actually wondering about that...I think the Easytouch should to the left of the equipment closer to the pool.

 

[Zamspa]

My suspicions are that
5 comes from the spa
12 goes to the spa
19 might be where they intended to install a spa blower.

16 may also be to waterfall. If it's higher than the pump and filter, it could allow them to drain the filter
17 is probably for a pressure side cleaner|

1,2,3 are all drains or skimmers. You'll have to experiment. If you have two drains, they are controlled by a single valve. Code says they have to be 5 feet apart and be plumbed together to prevent a child getting held on the floor and drowning. You'll just have to experiment with shutting them off to figure out which goes where.

No clue about 18. It may be what is called a well point where they connect a pump and remove any groundwater while they're pouring the pool. When it's done, they usually cap it. But that's pure conjecture. It could also go to some empty socket in the pool wall.

14, 15, 16 are returns. Same deal, close 'em off and see what stops, open and see what flows.

Those valves are manual. Some have a motor attached to the top and the wiring goes to a control center that you can program or control with the phone. I don;t know if you can retrofit them with motors.

Thank you ?

 

[JamesW]

Texas builders hate SWGs for some reason.

I would get rid of the tab feeder and switch to salt.

Don't turn the pump off when you have tabs in the feeder and never turn the feeder valve to off.

The control panel for the heater can be rotated to the front for easier access.

Tell the builder to forget the Polaris cleaner and to get you a robot.

 

[JamesW]

The spa plumbing should be 3" not 2".

I would put a 5 psi check valve bypass on the heater for high flow during spa action.

The Easytouch will come with valve actuators, which mount on to the existing valves. You just remove the handle and 4 screws and the actuator slips on and you use longer screws to hold it in place.

The booster needs to get its water supply from the pool return plumbing. So, that will have to be redone anyway. Good opportunity to ditch the tab feeder.

 

[JamesW]

You need to know the flow rate intended for each pipe.

For suction, you want to keep the water velocity below 6 ft/sec.

For returns, you want to keep the water velocity below 8 ft/sec.

Size.......6 ft/sec......8 ft/sec.
1.5"...........38...............51 gpm
2"..............63...............84 gpm
2.5............90.............119 gpm
3.0".........138.............184 gpm

With a 2" spa suction, you're limited to 63 gpm, which is not going to give you good action on the 6 jets unless they only require 10 gpm each.

 

[Zamspa]

Could 14 & 15 be the bubblers in the ledge? (Circled in dark teal)
I have two main drains I believe (circled in orange)
I’m not sure what the one circled in green is in the 2nd picture, any ideas???
In the 3rd picture, I’m assuming the middle in the spa is the drain, are the other two bubblers run by what is labeled 19 in my above post?

 

[Zamspa]

You need to know the flow rate intended for each pipe.

For suction, you want to keep the water velocity below 6 ft/sec.

For returns, you want to keep the water velocity below 8 ft/sec.

Size.......6 ft/sec......8 ft/sec.
1.5"...........38...............51 gpm
2"..............63...............84 gpm
2.5............90.............119 gpm
3.0".........138.............184 gpm

With a 2" spa suction, you're limited to 63 gpm, which is not going to give you good action on the 6 jets unless they only require 10 gpm each.

Thank you for all of this information, this pool newbie really appreciates it. I have a lot to talk to the PB about come Monday.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Roberta,

You assume wrong...

You do not have two main drains.. The two pipes circled in Orange are tied together under the gunite into one pipe that goes back to the equipment pad. The same thing for your spa.. Two pipes tied into one pipe that goes back to the equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Zamspa]

Roberta,

You assume wrong...

You do not have two main drains.. The two pipes circled in Orange are tied together under the gunite into one pipe that goes back to the equipment pad. The same thing for your spa.. Two pipes tied into one pipe that goes back to the equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

So in both the pool and spa, are the two pipes that tie together and go to the equipment pad the drains? What is the third pipe in the spa?

 

[JamesW]

The third pipe might be #16 makeup line.

#17 might be a fill line.

#18 is probably the booster return.

It's odd that they only stubbed up pipes for the main drains. Usually they put the main drain in the gunite.

How are they going to get the main drain fixtures installed?

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/product-related/product-manuals/pool-and-spa-equipment/starguard-drain/StarguardMainDrainIG.pdf

 

[JamesW]

For the spa suction, I would want more than 2 regular main drains.

I would want two sets of regular with each set having two main drains tied together and a 2.5" pipe to pump or one set of commercial main drains (at least 12 x 12) tied together and a 3" pipe to the pump.

 

[Zamspa]

If I added the Intellichlor IC40 salt system at this point, besides buying the unit and power center, is there anything else I would need to know?

 

[JamesW]

If they haven't delivered the EasyTouch yet, get the one with the included power supply.

If you already have the Easytouch and you can't exchange it, you can install the separate power supply and run the power and communication wiring into the Easytouch.

You would have to replumb the return to remove the tab feeder and install the cell.

 

[Zamspa]

If they haven't delivered the EasyTouch yet, get the one with the included power supply.

If you already have the Easytouch and you can't exchange it, you can install the separate power supply and run the power and communication wiring into the Easytouch.

You would have to replumb the return to remove the tab feeder and install the cell.

Thank you, James, our EasyTouch has been delivered but unopened and model is the 520540 (EASYTOUCH SYSTEMS WITHOUT INTELLICHLOR TRANSFORMER BUILT-IN, EasyTouch 8 - Pool/Spa (base system - no ICP, 2 actuators) but it looks like I need the 520545 (EASYTOUCH SYSTEMS WITH INTELLICHLOR TRANSFORMER AND INTELLICHLOR CELL, EasyTouch 8SC-IC40 - Pool/Spa (includes SCG integration & IC40 cell, 2 actuators).

I don't think it will be an issue to exchange it since it is unopen.

You are saying the salt system just replace the tab feeder, is this the best place for it?

 

[JamesW]

The cell can go after the heater and before the threeway valve on the horizontal pipe.

Cut out the tab feeder.

 

[Zamspa]

The cell can go after the heater and before the threeway valve on the horizontal pipe.

Cut out the tab feeder.

Thank you again, James!
I'm pretty sure this is untrue but wanted to verify...our contractor is telling us that the parts/valves/ and actuators may be different and need to be replumbed when we switch to the salt system. If I get the EasyTouch 8 with included salt cell, that should include everything I need to make it the Salt system correct?