Incorrect installation of SWG?

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

That's the type of check valve that is used for a spa blower.

 

[JamesW]

That's the type of check valve that is used for a spa blower.

It's the same company that makes the blower and the check valve, so the check valve was probably supposed to be installed on the blower line.

 

[Candurin]

@Jimrahbe thank you for your comment. I checked the circuit breakers on my panel and took a photo of it and attached here (no circuit breaker for SWG??) Should the builder have added it? Is any other thing missing?
By the way, I found this valve left on top of the controller. Do you know what it is?

Just a heads up. The SWCG circuit breaker is the 12 amp gray one (low voltage) to the right of the touch screen.

Also, it seems odd the surge protector on your panel is the last one. Usually surge protected panels have the protection at the very first breaker slot.

 

[Plettschner]

You don't need the red circled spa return but they installed it.

Probably an uneducated question, but why wouldn't a spa return be needed? Just trying to understand.

 

[ajw22]

Probably an uneducated question, but why wouldn't a spa return be needed? Just trying to understand.

It is explained in post #12 & #14

 

[Jimrahbe]

Just a heads up. The SWCG circuit breaker is the 12 amp gray one (low voltage) to the right of the touch screen.

C,

You can shut off a regular circuit breaker.. I don't believe you can manually shut off the little grey ones...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Candurin]

C,

You can shut off a regular circuit breaker.. I don't believe you can manually shut off the little grey ones...

Thanks,

Jim R.

You can’t. At least no way that I can think of (I tried multiple methods!). But it is labeled as the Intellichlor circuit.

 

[Jimrahbe]

C,

I am sure it works great for over current protection.. It just does not allow you to use it to shut off the power to the cell.. That is why I have a normal circuit breaker powering the SWCG's transformer.. through the pump/filter relay of course...

Jim R.

 

[Plettschner]

It is explained in post #12 & #14

I think my question was simpler than that: If a spa return is not needed, how does the water return to the spa? Again, just trying to understand how the spa/pool plumbing magic happens.

 

[Jimrahbe]

If a spa return is not needed, how does the water return to the spa?

P,

I think it is just a matter of semantics... When in the Spa mode water has to be sucked out of the Spa by the pump and then sent through the filter and and heater and then back to the Spa...

It is a closed loop. People may call these inputs and outputs different names, but they all do the same thing.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

I think my question was simpler than that: If a spa return is not needed, how does the water return to the spa? Again, just trying to understand how the spa/pool plumbing magic happens.

There are two spa returns in the OPs system. He does not need the one on the pool return side to flow water into the spa when in POOL mode.

 

[Plettschner]

Ah. I missed that there was another return line to the spa. I see the one discussed is on the side with the pool returns and understand the need to regulate/turn it off, I just didn't see there was another return line to the spa. Is that the one described as "spa jets" that is the spa's return then?

 

[tfp_fan]

Just a heads up. The SWCG circuit breaker is the 12 amp gray one (low voltage) to the right of the touch screen.

Also, it seems odd the surge protector on your panel is the last one. Usually surge protected panels have the protection at the very first breaker slot.

@Candurin Thank you for your comment. Do you mean the installation of the surge protector is not correct in my panel? Is it an issue that I should talk to the builder?

 

[panic_button]

Also, it seems odd the surge protector on your panel is the last one. Usually surge protected panels have the protection at the very first breaker slot.

Pentair load center feed from the bottom. Our electrician said the surge should be in the 1st spot ie bottom.

 

[BowserB]

Minor aside. Since it will be a month before you have salt and your SWCG will start making chlorine, are you chlorinating the pool now? In the unlikely event you can find tabs, you could make use of the tablet feeder. Ordinarily that might not be the best idea, but since you'll need fairly high CYA later, the tabs will provide both chlorine and CYA. Alternatively, you could track down some liquid chlorine (preferably pool chlorine which is almost always higher % and without additives.) In the Houston area algae can appear in just a few days in untreated water. My neighbor two doors down had algae within two weeks. While you're wondering about some of this stuff, you might want to get the TF100 test kit with the 1766 salt test and an agitator. Test strips are garbage. Pool stores are often off (OK, mostly off.) If you don't manage your pool chemistry, you'll be forever posting questions here.

 

[tfp_fan]

@ajw22, @Jimrahbe, @mknauss, @proavia, @PoolGate, thank you all for your comments on the piping in my equipment pad. Finally, I could convince both the builder and plumber to fix the plumbing for the SWG (the plumber had installed SWG bypass instead of heater bypass). He corrected the plumbing and installed a heater bypass. Also, I had him to install the cell vertically and add 12" of straight pipe in front of the cell inlet (please see the photos). Furthermore, he removed the chlorinator to prevent the eventual leak, as you recommended.
@ajw22, As you mentioned, I didn't need the spa return on the pool return side, although the builder had added it. Per your recommendation, I had the plumber add a diverter valve on the spa return line above the check valve (please see the photo).
@JamesW You said the check valve, which was in my hand in the photo, is the type of check valve that is used for spa blower. Obviously, the plumber hasn't installed it. I am wondering if it is required to be installed? and if there will be any issue later without the check valve?

 

[Summoner12]

I love looking at all this plumbing. Gives me all kinds of ideas on how NOT to do plumbing... LOL. I am very anti 90* elbow.

 

[tfp_fan]

Yes. You need a valve at the elbow leading into the spa return pipe above the check valve.



Without the valve water will always be flowing into your spa when in POOL mode and over the spillover. You will not be able to regulate how much water flows through your pool returns versus into your spa and over the spillover. Your pool returns will probably have a low flow and not be very effective.

You will also not be able to turn off the flow to the spa and stop the spillover of water. Continuous running of the spillover will cause rising pH and you will have much more acid demand to keep the pH within the 7's.



You will make any flow adjustments to your pool returns by varying the RPM and flow of your VS pump. You don't need a valve on the pool return pipe to do that.

Your IntelliCenter automation will have three modes:

• POOL mode - suction comes from the skimmers and returns to the pool (and the spa depending on the setting of the new valve we are discussing)
• SPA mode - suction comes from the spa and returns to the spa
• SPILLOVER mode - suction comes from the pool and returns to the spa and then water spillsover into the pool

We recommend you run your pool with the spa return off and schedule the SPILLOVER mode to run twice a day for 15 to 30 minutes to refresh the spa water. I run my spillover at 9am and 5PM for 15 minutes. That puts chlorinated fresh water in the spa for the start of the day. Then it replaces the water at 5PM for the overnight and replaces any chlorine lost during the day.

@ajw22 I told the builder my concern regarding the lack of the valve on the spa return pipe and the continuous flowing of water into the spa, and he added a valve. Thank you very much for your comment. Now, I should shut the valve off and schedule the spillover mode to run for the periods of time (morning and afternoon), as you suggested. I have a question about pump running time for the pool, and appreciate it if you could help answering. My pool builder has scheduled the pool to run from 8am to 7pm. I am wondering if it is necessary to run the pool pump for such a long time? What is your suggestion and how long do you run your pool pump every day?

 

[ajw22]

My pool builder has scheduled the pool to run from 8am to 7pm. I am wondering if it is necessary to run the pool pump for such a long time?

Your minimum pump runtime is determined by your SWG % and the need to generate the daily amount of chlorine needed by your SWG. After that it is personal preference when you want skimming done in your pool.

What is your suggestion and how long do you run your pool pump every day?

I run my pump 24/7 at low RPM.

 

[tfp_fan]

Your minimum pump runtime is determined by your SWG % and the need to generate the daily amount of chlorine needed by your SWG. After that it is personal preference when you want skimming done in your pool.



I run my pump 24/7 at low RPM.

@ajw22 Thank you for your reply. I checked the RPMs of my pump for different functions (2500 for the pool mode, 3200 for the spa mode, 2800 for the spillover (spa waterfall) mode, 3450 for the high speed, 1800 for the freeze protection, and 2900 for the heater). I assume it has been set by the builder. Any suggestion?
Also, I scheduled the spillover mode to run for about 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon (the RPM had been set to 2800). However, when I checked the SWG, I found it was off in that mode. Tried to turn it on manually (by pressing the button on the SWG) during that mode, but no success. I am wondering if I am missing something?