Cold water in spa

[ajw22]

I asked him if we could just use the programming of Spillover like you described above, and he said we don't need that. That with the spa jets slightly opened the spa is getting the same spillover effect. What is your opinion?

If you think we could/should still program the Spillover mode, what valve do I choose in the programming when doing so?

My opinion is your Builder does not know how a modern automation system is designed to work. What your Builder is advising is old school pre-automation thinking. Before automation you needed that spa makeup flow to keep the spa fresh.

It is your pool and spa and not your Builders. You can run it anyway you want.

My opinion is close the fountain line valve permanently. And the pool/spa return valve should not flow any water to the spa jets when in POOL mode.

Schedule the spillover to run at least twice a day in the morning and early afternoon for 15-20 minutes.

Other times you want to see the spillover running turn on SPILLOVER mode.

Enjoy your pool and spa.

 

[Toxophilite]

Agree with @ajw22 above. Same set up here, basically. Your PB went from slightly better to worse. With the valve on make up return to spa, you had option of on demand or continuous refresh spa with chlorinated pool water. Now, it's continuous by an actuator setting you can't easily change, so kinda permanent. Both are doing the same thing, sending some pool return water to spa, but prior you could turn off and on by a hand valve and now it's a setting within your actuator valve.

All that aside, neither are great options anyway. As the spillway is working way too much with both, running up your pH with all the aeration - as in who ever thinks or wants to regulate how often the return is feeding the spa by taking trips to the equipment pad. So, the net result is the same. It's always spilling over when in Pool Mode.

What I have finally done (after my wife no longer requested she could see spillway effect all day), is what has been suggested. Shut off all pool return to spa, whether at that valve or at your actuator if case. Then, schedule 3 times per day of Spillway Mode, 30-minutes each interval (what your PB didn't do), where water is sucked from pool and returned to spa. I just set one Spillway Mode for morning, one for noon, and one for evening.

 

[dunidake]

My opinion is your Builder does not know how a modern automation system is designed to work. What your Builder is advising is old school pre-automation thinking. Before automation you needed that spa makeup flow to keep the spa fresh.

It is your pool and spa and not your Builders. You can run it anyway you want.

My opinion is close the fountain line valve permanently. And the pool/spa return valve should not flow any water to the spa jets when in POOL mode.

Schedule the spillover to run at least twice a day in the morning and early afternoon for 15-20 minutes.

Other times you want to see the spillover running turn on SPILLOVER mode.

Enjoy your pool and spa.

Thank you again!
Can I ask two more questions?
1. To change the spa actuator back to closed so that no water flows there while in pool mode, do I just turn it? I have never adjusted those valves so not sure if there is a special way?
2. When going through the programming of spillover mode, which valve/valves do I choose?

 

[ajw22]

1. To change the spa actuator back to closed so that no water flows there while in pool mode, do I just turn it? I have never adjusted those valves so not sure if there is a special way?

You need to open up the actuator and adjust the cam on the circled valve so that the spa jets are fully closed when in POOL mode. Your Builder messed you up setting it this way.

Valve Actuators - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

2. When going through the programming of spillover mode, which valve/valves do I choose?

You don't need to choose any valves.

You put schedules on AUX3 for when you want the SPILLOVER on and off.

That was for an Aqualink and you have an Omni PL.

 

[dunidake]

You need to open up the actuator and adjust the cam on the circled valve so that the spa jets are fully closed when in POOL mode. Your Builder messed you up setting it this way.

Valve Actuators - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

View attachment 478490


You don't need to choose any valves.

You put schedules on AUX3 for when you want the SPILLOVER on and off.

But earlier in your description you said: Do you have Spillover? Select yes to this question if you have Spillover in your system. If yes is selected, choose the valves that will operate Spillover from the following screen.

I don't know which valves to choose. Thank you and pardon the lack of knowledge on my end.

 

[ajw22]

But earlier in your description you said: Do you have Spillover? Select yes to this question if you have Spillover in your system. If yes is selected, choose the valves that will operate Spillover from the following screen.

I don't know which valves to choose. Thank you and pardon the lack of knowledge on my end.

I got confused somewhere along the way and though you had an Aqualink. You have an Omni PL.

What choices on valves does it give you?

 

[dunidake]

I got confused somewhere along the way and though you had an Aqualink. You have an Omni PL.

What choices on valves does it give you?

No worries at all. In the PL manual it says to choose the valves that will operate the Spillover as well. So when I go into the config, chose bodies of water, pool, other options, spillover, YES, it did NOT ask me for any valves, so I saved the changes. Do I have to do the same under bodies of water, and SPA?

 

[bradgray]

No worries at all. In the PL manual it says to choose the valves that will operate the Spillover as well. So when I go into the config, chose bodies of water, pool, other options, spillover, YES, it did NOT ask me for any valves, so I saved the changes. Do I have to do the same under bodies of water, and SPA?

No, Spillover is only a pool body option if I remember correctly. And it should only target the movement of the return actuator to send water to the spa while remaining in pool mode.

Activate the feature from the screen while you're there to watch and confirm the behavior of the return. If it moves, you're golden.

If not, let us know. Hayward does stuff differently and I don't have their menus burned in my brain as deeply. I'm about 75% sure on the above.

 

[dunidake]

No, Spillover is only a pool body option if I remember correctly. And it should only target the movement of the return actuator to send water to the spa while remaining in pool mode.

Activate the feature from the screen while you're there to watch and confirm the behavior of the return. If it moves, you're golden.

If not, let us know. Hayward does stuff differently and I don't have their menus burned in my brain as deeply. I'm about 75% sure on the above.

Thank you so much! I did everything successfully! I adjusted the cams in the actuator so the spa jets could be closed during pool mode. I was so proud of myself haha. I also tested Spillway in Pool mode and it worked really well! Do you know why having it run spillway twice a day for around 20 mins each is better than having the spa jets slightly open all day as the PB had it set? I just want to be able to understand so I can explain to my husband as well. Again thank you for ALL your help.

PS - There was an option to choose spillover under bodies of water, SPA, as well. Any idea what that set up would be for?

 

[ajw22]

Do you know why having it run spillway twice a day for around 20 mins each is better than having the spa jets slightly open all day as the PB had it set? I just want to be able to understand so I can explain to my husband as well.

There are a many benefits to not running the spa spillover continuously including:

• Your pH will wise less rapidly. The spillover creates aeration which causes pH to rise. Less aeration of your pool water equals less pH rise. That means more time between acid additions to lower pH and less acid use.
• Running the spillover continuously can cause erosion of the materials on the spillover. Water erosion is what created the Grand Canyon. So you get less maintenance on the spillover area.
• Less waterline scale accumulation on the spillover area. We have many members who ask what can be done about the scale accumulation on their spillover. Less running of the spillover creates less scale.

 

[mknauss]

Do you know why having it run spillway twice a day for around 20 mins each is better than having the spa jets slightly open all day as the PB had it set?

Aeration. That drives the pH UP. So by running the system twice a day (or as needed) to refresh the FC level in the spa water, you minimize the aeration and lower the rate of pH rise.
You should test the FC in the Spa water just before the Spillway actuates every once in a while just so you know you are running the Spillover often enough.

PS - There was an option to choose spillover under bodies of water, SPA, as well. Any idea what that set up would be for?

That must be an Omni PL thing. I honestly do not know.

 

[bradgray]

Thank you so much! I did everything successfully! I adjusted the cams in the actuator so the spa jets could be closed during pool mode. I was so proud of myself haha. I also tested Spillway in Pool mode and it worked really well! Do you know why having it run spillway twice a day for around 20 mins each is better than having the spa jets slightly open all day as the PB had it set? I just want to be able to understand so I can explain to my husband as well. Again thank you for ALL your help.

Congrats!

PS - There was an option to choose spillover under bodies of water, SPA, as well. Any idea what that set up would be for?

I don't, because I remembered it only being present under the Pool configuration. But assuming it worked the same, it would drain your spa instead.

Spillover really is a "pool" feature rather than a spa feature. The donating body is the "primary".

 

[dunidake]

There are a many benefits to not running the spa spillover continuously including:

• Your pH will wise less rapidly. The spillover creates aeration which causes pH to rise. Less aeration of your pool water equals less pH rise. That means more time between acid additions to lower pH and less acid use.
• Running the spillover continuously can cause erosion of the materials on the spillover. Water erosion is what created the Grand Canyon. So you get less maintenance on the spillover area.
• Less waterline scale accumulation on the spillover area. We have many members who ask what can be done about the scale accumulation on their spillover. Less running of the spillover creates less scale.

Thank you again for all your guidance! Pool ownership is a lot less stressful because of this amazing forum and the Pool Math App!

 

[mknauss]

Pool ownership is a lot less stressful because of this amazing forum and the Pool Math App!

We are glad you have found our information helpful. Please, if you can, consider making a donation to TFP. We are staffed by volunteers and are registered as an IRS 501 (c) (3) charity and donations are what keeps the forum operating without advertisements.

Support TFP!

 

[dunidake]

Congrats!

I don't, because I remembered it only being present under the Pool configuration. But assuming it worked the same, it would drain your spa instead.

Spillover really is a "pool" feature rather than a spa feature. The donating body is the "primary".

Thank you SO MUCH! I understand now!

 

[dunidake]

We are glad you have found our information helpful. Please, if you can, consider making a donation to TFP. We are staffed by volunteers and are registered as an IRS 501 (c) (3) charity and donations are what keeps the forum operating without advertisements.

Support TFP!

Yes sir! We will! Thank you!

 

[dunidake]

My opinion is your Builder does not know how a modern automation system is designed to work. What your Builder is advising is old school pre-automation thinking. Before automation you needed that spa makeup flow to keep the spa fresh.

It is your pool and spa and not your Builders. You can run it anyway you want.

My opinion is close the fountain line valve permanently. And the pool/spa return valve should not flow any water to the spa jets when in POOL mode.

Schedule the spillover to run at least twice a day in the morning and early afternoon for 15-20 minutes.

Other times you want to see the spillover running turn on SPILLOVER mode.

Enjoy your pool and spa.

Hi again,
I have noticed that after making the changes suggested above the water in the spa lowers to almost the bottom of the waterline tile when in pool mode.
During spillover it gets back up to normal and spills over then it gradually lowers after spillover mode is done.
Is this ok?

 

[mknauss]

That means your Spa Suction side valve is not completely closed in Pool and Spillover Mode.

 

[dunidake]

That means your Spa Suction side valve is not completely closed in Pool and Spillover Mode.

We haven’t touched that valve ever so maybe it was never closed all the way since startup, but since the spa fountain line was always open we just never noticed it? I will take a look and see what we find.
Thank you again!

 

[bradgray]

Deleted* duplicate post.