New plumbing now with low flow to spa return

[SDNewbie]

I just had my pool converted to salt and salt cell plumbed into the prior system. Cell is working fine but the way the guy did it ended up stopping pretty much altogether the flow in the spa return while running the pump in pool mode. I’ll post before and after photos below. Spa gets filled via the jets through a small one inch pipe that siphons off the pool return while in pool mode. See the photos. Spa main return pipe is far left, pool return is on the right, water feature in the middle. Small one inch pipe that connects from pool return to spa return supposed to slowly fill spa while in pool mode. Now that small pipe has no flow due to the extra piping he had to put in to fit the salt cell that was too long to directly connect into the pool return.
Also, a new problem arose after this where the pump sucks in tons of air while in spa mode. I think that’s a separate issue at the actuator valve that switches from pool to spa mode.
Hope that all makes sense. Really just wanna know how much to expect to pay someone to fix both problems: plumbing the spa return better and replacing the actuator valve that’s likely leaking in spa mode. Guy that did the work of course is now unresponsive.

 

[Poolbreh]

So he cut and capped your spa bypass.
The check valve before the swg is pointless. Apologies still haven’t figured out how to look up sig on my phone. What kind of automation do you have?
You may have 3 options
1)Have the spa bypass replumbEd
2) if the spa is above pool add a check valve to spa return and calibrate pool/spa actuator
3) depending on automation schedule a spillover feature

as far as the pump sucking in air, it does sound like a separate issue. If it’s only in spa mode, is the suction line pulling from the drains? I would check the intake pool/spa valve specifically the top orings may need to replaced.

 

[ferretbone]

I just had my pool converted to salt and salt cell plumbed into the prior system. Cell is working fine but the way the guy did it ended up stopping pretty much altogether the flow in the spa return while running the pump in pool mode. I’ll post before and after photos below. Spa gets filled via the jets through a small one inch pipe that siphons off the pool return while in pool mode. See the photos. Spa main return pipe is far left, pool return is on the right, water feature in the middle. Small one inch pipe that connects from pool return to spa return supposed to slowly fill spa while in pool mode. Now that small pipe has no flow due to the extra piping he had to put in to fit the salt cell that was too long to directly connect into the pool return.
Also, a new problem arose after this where the pump sucks in tons of air while in spa mode. I think that’s a separate issue at the actuator valve that switches from pool to spa mode.
Hope that all makes sense. Really just wanna know how much to expect to pay someone to fix both problems: plumbing the spa return better and replacing the actuator valve that’s likely leaking in spa mode. Guy that did the work of course is now unresponsive.

Back wash that filter very well, or better yet clean it. Check your pump basket and empty it, skimmers too. I think the new plumbing is fine from what I think I can see in those three before/after pics. Really prove me wrong though first by cleaning that filter.

 

[Jimrahbe]

SD,

It is not clear to me that the installer removed the plumbing that is supposed to cause the spillover in the pool mode.

It may be just the pics, but it looks the same to me.

Show us more pics of that 1" line between the pool return and the spa return..

I agree with the ferret, open and clean your filter and see if that does not fix your problem.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Poolbreh]

Oh Jim is right. It looked cut out when I first looked at the pictures. But it looks like it’s still intact.