Gratuitous Pool Construction Pics

[GaryParr]

Have a new pool going in. Just wanted to share some pics because I'm new to the forum and, well, why not?



It's a free-form roughly 36 long and 22-ish wide. Excavation started this past week and thankfully we didn't hit any problems.



Should have had the concrete poured around the braces already, but weather pushed that out to this coming Monday.



The equipment pad is going in this fenced-in area... used to be a dog run from back when we had a crazy nut that would run through the invisible fence. Anyway, you can see in this pic the equipment staged next to where the pad is going to be poured.



And, since I'm doing the electrical myself to save some coin, I went ahead and got some of the bits in place over the weekend.

 

[Flying Tivo]

we didn't hit any problems

You did hit quite a few rocks! Congratulations and welcome to TFP.
Did you order your proper Test Kits Compared? Make sure you order the speedstir.

 

[GaryParr]

You did hit quite a few rocks!

OK, yeah. The rocks. I swear I grow the blasted things. I may actually have to buy some loam to back-fill with because of how many of those things we unearthed. This just bugs me on principle. I mean, come on... you dig this massive freaking hole in my yard and yet somehow we don't have enough dirt to work with?

Did you order your proper Test Kits Compared? Make sure you order the speedstir.

I don't have a test kit yet, but I'm quickly learning that I absolutely MUST have a speed stir if I want to join the cool kids in this forum!

 

[GaryParr]

Though, on the rocks, I can't really complain. My neighbor two doors down hit a boulder the size of a VW bus and a guy down the street hit ledge.

 

[jimmythegreek]

dont let the PB bury the flex in the collar. Put it up onto the braces in the event of leak or issue down the road. Even the main drain shouldmt be encased. What type or brand pool is this? I've never seen one without a top rail in the panel. Your walls are just sheetmetal with C channel backer studs very unusual

 

[Newdude]

Have a new pool going in. Just wanted to share some pics because I'm new to the forum and, well, why not

You're evidentally not new enough that you understand the love of pics !!! And thanks. Lookin sweet so far.

And I quote 'under construction' : ahem.
Choose a builder, design, construct, and renovate - we love photos

 

[GaryParr]

dont let the PB bury the flex in the collar. Put it up onto the braces in the event of leak or issue down the road. Even the main drain shouldmt be encased.

I didn't see this in time to have any input on the process, so some of the flex is encased. Not all of it, but spots. I'll just pretend I never read your comment so I can sleep easy.

What type or brand pool is this? I've never seen one without a top rail in the panel. Your walls are just sheetmetal with C channel backer studs very unusual

It's a fox. I could be wrong, but are you referring to the typical white inside coping above the liner? We (and by we, I mean the wife) opted for a cantilever coping.

 

[GaryParr]

You're evidentally not new enough that you understand the love of pics !!! And thanks. Lookin sweet so far.

Thanks! Here are a couple more including a cameo by some of the installer crew...







I'm not thrilled about some of the 90's used at the equipment pad, nor the fact they took the 2" feeders down to 1.5" for this. I'm currently trying to decide how much of a stink to make about it.

 

[spd500]

I'm not thrilled about some of the 90's used at the equipment pad, nor the fact they took the 2" feeders down to 1.5" for this. I'm currently trying to decide how much of a stink to make about it.

Pool progress is looking great, and that is a very nice color! Just one thing to note:
You will not be happy with those valves in the long run either. If you make them change the plumbing they should install rebuildable valves at the same time.

 

[Newdude]

I'm not thrilled about some of the 90's used at the equipment pad, nor the fact they took the 2" feeders down to 1.5" for this. I'm currently trying to decide how much of a stink to make about it

The consensus on 90s is they generally won’t have any noticeable affects on flow. The reduction on the other hand will need one of the head loss pros to pick it apart and see.

 

[GaryParr]

Pool progress is looking great, and that is a very nice color! Just one thing to note:
You will not be happy with those valves in the long run either. If you make them change the plumbing they should install rebuildable valves at the same time.

OK, so... I honestly had no clue. How important is this and, if I wanted to add valve actuators down the line, are rebuildable valves required?

 

[Flying Tivo]

Yes, Jandy Never-lube style. Jandy Neverlube 3 Way Valve 1 1/2 Inside / 2 Outside - 4715 - INYOPools.com

 

[spd500]

if I wanted to add valve actuators down the line, are rebuildable valves required?

I believe so

 

[cowboycasey]

those would get Jandy valves on them before he left as the ones they put on WILL break within 3 years

 

[jimmythegreek]

It's a fox. I could be wrong, but are you referring to the typical white inside coping above the liner? We (and by we, I mean the wife) opted for a cantilever coping.

I'm referring to the portion the cantilever attaches to. The walls have a cap that the vertical braces attach to. Stiffens the wall panels up nicely. Never seen one like yours before. Looks good so far. Is he backfilling with stone?

Those valves need jandy or pentair in their place. Cannot put actuators on those. What would you be trying to actuate do you have water feature going in?

 

[GaryParr]

So, I'm leaving the suction side valves in place for now. Installer swears they will last so we have a little bet going on that. The pressure sides valves are being replaced though with some Hayward 3-ways. At the moment, I have 6 return jets in the pool... 2 in the deep end, 2 in the shallow end, and 2 in that buddy seat thing. All 6 are currently fed from 2 return lines. My plan is to drop in two new return lines before they back fill (this week? maybe?) for a total of 4 return lines. Then, one pair of return lines will go to the buddy seat and shallow end, and the other pair of returns will go to the deep end and a next-year-with-the-patio waterfall feature. Something like this...


My thinking here is that when I run the waterfall, there is no real need for the deep-end returns... just shut them off to get more flow to the waterfall. In the shallow-end/buddy-seat paring I can use the 3-way to adjust the flow into the buddy seat... stronger or weaker depending on how nice or annoying it feels hitting the small of your back in the moment. This also makes use of the 2 actuator valve ports in the Omni Hub.

Before I commit to this, does anyone see anything wrong with my plan or perhaps a better way to do this?

 

[GaryParr]

Oh, and since the kids can't wait for the back fill to be done to go swimming, I had to get a little creative with some scrap lumber. Please enjoy "our dock" that provides safe access over "the moat" for the next few days.

 

[GaryParr]

Before I commit to this, does anyone see anything wrong with my plan or perhaps a better way to do this?

The silence means either my plan is so stunning, so brilliant, so amazing that no one has words... or that no one saw my question in the first place. I'm banking on the latter since the only thing brilliant about my pool so far is the decision to get one, which was more the wife's decision than mine

 

[spd500]

The silence means either my plan is so stunning, so brilliant, so amazing that no one has words... or that no one saw my question in the first place. I'm banking on the latter since the only thing brilliant about my pool so far is the decision to get one, which was more the wife's decision than mine

Since you haven't had any replies I will give it a shot, but I am far from an expert. The way I am told that they will be setting up my automation system is that when I am using the water features they will use the same pump as my returns and the returns will be turned off. Unless I am in Spa Mode, then all the water features will be operated on a separate pump that are having installed.

 

[GaryParr]

The way I am told that they will be setting up my automation system is that when I am using the water features they will use the same pump as my returns and the returns will be turned off.

Thanks, this makes me feel better. It seemed like a logical way to go but I wasn't sure what I was overlooking. When I showed the sketch to my pool company, my builder basically said "well, I'll do what you want" and gave only these two comments:

1. Don't ever let the buddy seat go stagnant as it will quickly become disgusting.
2. Mixer valves break all the time, even the expensive ones, so he doesn't like them and quit carrying them years ago.

Point 1 makes sense... shallow area with no moving water would be the first place algae shows up. I don't think we would ever turn those jets off completely, but I can set the automation to put the buddy/shallow on a 50/50 mix every evening before shutdown to do a quick "wash out" just in case someone does turn them off during the day.

As for the 2nd point, I don't see a whole lot of people on this forum complaining about 3-way diverter valves being the bane of their existence. It does concern me a bit though. People recommended Jandy, but I ended up with two Hayward PSV3S which appear similar in build quality so I hope I'm OK there.

Anyway, thanks again!