Salt cell before solar?

[Automidnight]

Is the salt cell going to be a problem here? Everything I've read says it should be the last thing before returning to pool. The pb forgot to install it during the original plumbing install. The came back today and put it in.
Thanks

 

[ajw22]

It is not desireable.

Two issues it can have are…

How well your solar panels can take highly chlorinated water and will it cause premature failure of the tubing?

The heat in the solar panels will degrade the chlorine before it gets into the pool to sanitize the water.

Post pics of your equipment pad and let us see why it is difficult to put the SWG in the proper place.

 

[mknauss]

I would be concerned the hydrogen gas would get trapped in the panels. Not sure if that is an issue -- let's ask @mas985 and/or @Dirk

 

[Automidnight]

It is not desireable.

Two issues it can have are…

How well your solar panels can take highly chlorinated water and will it cause premature failure of the tubing?

The heat in the solar panels will degrade the chlorine before it gets into the pool to sanitize the water.

Post pics of your equipment pad and let us see why it is difficult to put the SWG in the proper place.

Are the pics not showing up i attached two pics?

 

[ajw22]

I see the pics now.

Looks like the SWG leads to the pool and spa returns. I don’t see a solar valve between them.

Where do you think your solar valve and pipes are?

 

[Automidnight]

I see the pics now.

Looks like the SWG leads to the pool and spa returns. I don’t see a solar valve between them.

Where do you think your solar valve and pipes are?

 

[ajw22]

Ok, your To Solar is not labeled and I thought it went to a spa.

The plumber got too cute. Now he needs to come back and redo the piping from back before the SWG to put the solar input and output pipes there.

Are you going to have an automated solar controller with an actuator on the solar valve?

 

[Automidnight]

Ok, your To Solar is not labeled and I thought it went to a spa.

The plumber got too cute. Now he needs to come back and redo the piping from back before the SWG to put the solar input and output pipes there.

Are you going to have an automated solar controller with an actuator on the solar valve?

Yes the solar will have a controller

 

[Automidnight]

Yes the solar will have a controller

Ok, your To Solar is not labeled and I thought it went to a spa.

The plumber got too cute. Now he needs to come back and redo the piping from back before the SWG to put the solar input and output pipes there.

Are you going to have an automated solar controller with an actuator on the solar valve?

Is it also a problem that there is not straight pipe before the swg?

 

[ajw22]

Is it also a problem that there is not straight pipe before the swg?

Straight pipe is recommended but many folks don’t have it.

Plumber can fix that when he moves the solar valve and input and output pipes back before the SWG. Then install the SWG cell in the preferred vertical position as shown in the installation manual. The vertical position makes it easy for the straight run into the cell.

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• ajw22
• Jan 9, 2022

 

[Dirk]

I would be concerned the hydrogen gas would get trapped in the panels. Not sure if that is an issue -- let's ask @mas985 and/or @Dirk

Well, I don't have any direct experience with what happens to solar panels when you pump highly-chlorinated water through them, but it seems silly to find out the hard way, especially when the pad has all the room needed to be plumbed correctly. @mknauss' hydrogen concern, as well as @ajw22's chlorine degradation theory are also things I would not be willing to experiment with.

Have them re-plumb the pad correctly, with the solar pipes and a nice straight run of PVC before the SWG. Additionally, be sure to instruct them to keep the tee for the cleaner's booster pump before the SWG, as they have it now. No point in pumping chlorine into that pump or the vacuum head. I would want the solar after the booster pump tee. Be sure they locate the SWG so that you can easily observe/use its control face.

While we're disassembling your pad... What is that green-handled valve for? If that pumps fill water directly into your pool, then it's fine. But if that feeds an auto-filler, then that's the wrong type of valve. I can explain the issue if you answer "auto-filler."

 

[Automidnight]

Well, I don't have any direct experience with what happens to solar panels when you pump highly-chlorinated water through them, but it seems silly to find out the hard way, especially when the pad has all the room needed to be plumbed correctly. @mknauss' hydrogen concern, as well as @ajw22's chlorine degradation theory are also things I would not be willing to experiment with.

Have them re-plumb the pad correctly, with the solar pipes and a nice straight run of PVC before the SWG. Additionally, be sure to instruct them to keep the tee for the cleaner's booster pump before the SWG, as they have it now. No point in pumping chlorine into that pump or the vacuum head. I would want the solar after the booster pump tee. Be sure they locate the SWG so that you can easily observe/use its control face.

While we're disassembling your pad... What is that green-handled valve for? If that pumps fill water directly into your pool, then it's fine. But if that feeds an auto-filler, then that's the wrong type of valve. I can explain the issue if you answer "auto-filler."

The green valve does go to a pontoon style autofill. Thanks for the thorough answer.

 

[Automidnight]

Well, I don't have any direct experience with what happens to solar panels when you pump highly-chlorinated water through them, but it seems silly to find out the hard way, especially when the pad has all the room needed to be plumbed correctly. @mknauss' hydrogen concern, as well as @ajw22's chlorine degradation theory are also things I would not be willing to experiment with.

Have them re-plumb the pad correctly, with the solar pipes and a nice straight run of PVC before the SWG. Additionally, be sure to instruct them to keep the tee for the cleaner's booster pump before the SWG, as they have it now. No point in pumping chlorine into that pump or the vacuum head. I would want the solar after the booster pump tee. Be sure they locate the SWG so that you can easily observe/use its control face.

While we're disassembling your pad... What is that green-handled valve for? If that pumps fill water directly into your pool, then it's fine. But if that feeds an auto-filler, then that's the wrong type of valve. I can explain the issue if you answer "auto-filler."

 

[Dirk]

So... that type of valve is meant to be used for sprinklers and irrigation. When the valve is open, the pressure is minimal, because the sprinklers are operating. When the valve is closed, any pressure after the valve is relieved instantly by draining off into the spinklers. That's the intended use. But when you have another valve after that valve (an auto-filler, in this scenario), then the pressure against the backflow mechanism doesn't get relieved. That type of valve is not rated for constant pressure like that, and the backflow mechanism will eventually fail. Further, because that type of valve doesn't have any testing ports, you'll never know if or when the mechanism fails.

So if you're interested in maintaining proper backflow protection, you need a valve like the one below, which is rated for constant pressure and also has test ports so you can make sure it's actually working. Here's more info about this topic:

Back Flow Preventer - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I've got two of these now, one for the pool, and another for my irrigation system:

Zurn Wilkins 3/4" 720A Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assembly: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Zurn Wilkins 3/4" 720A Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assembly: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

To be honest, most folks, including pool builders, don't care about this. It's an "it's not my problem" dealio (until it is, of course). And most building inspectors either let it go or don't know enough to call it out.

 

[Automidnight]

PB says they will sort it out. Time will tell what that means.

 

[Dirk]

I wish I could go back in time and give myself this advice. Stand right over them, insist on getting things done the way you want. Resist the temptation to cave to their "expertise" when you know you're right. I've found that about half the time they say "Oh, that's not how you want to do it," really means "No, that's not how I feel like doing it!" Good luck...

 

[Automidnight]

So here is how the PB fixed it. Is this an acceptable fix, or a half Rear solution? To me this almost seems worse than before.

 

[ajw22]

That will work, not optimum.

I never would have brought all those pipes up through concrete. Or put those diverter valves so low they will be difficult to cut out and replace someday.

 

[Automidnight]

That's how I feel too. I guess my question is had they not forgot the salt cell during the original plumb would they have done it this way? Second is it worth making them do it again since it will work.

 

[ajw22]

Any worry about flooding in the area of the SWG drowning it in water considering it is mounted so low?