Plumbing Help - Multiple Water Features

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luckyc1423 said:
FYI the quotes i am recieving are saying 2.5" suction lines. they are pushign back on 3" lines.

DO i need to stick to my guns and keep searching for a plumber that is ok doing 3" lines or would 2.5" lines for everythign work ok?
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Again, it depends on the flow rate.

You can't expect someone to say what size pipe to use unless you tell them the flow rate.

2.5" is good to 90 gpm. If 90 gpm is going to be enough flow for you, then 2.5" is ok.

Asking what size pipe without saying the flow rate is like asking what size wires you need to run for electrical equipment without saying the amperage.

Ask the builders what the flow rates for everything will be.

If they don't know, ask them how they know that 2.5" pipe will work.

Spa jets can be anywhere from 7 to 27 gpm each or higher depending on the jet.

You have to know the specific jets you will use and look up the flow rate required per jet and multiply by the number of jets.
 
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based on the below numbers

my pool is 40k gallons. to circulate it within 8 hours that means i need 83 GMP.
so i assume 2."
I will upsize to 2.5" just to be safe

for my waterfall i am going to assume 3" return line that will give me 184 GPM

for my bubblers/slide i will do 2.5" as the slide doesnt need more than 90 GPM and the bubblers are far less than 90

what that work?


How would you do the pool/spa returns? run one 2.5" line and then manifold near the pool off of that to each pool return? how many pool returns? Do the spa returns just come out of the jets or do you have a seperate spa return tube?




Size.......6 ft/sec......8 ft/sec.

1.5"...........38...............51 gpm
2"..............63...............84 gpm
2.5............90.............119 gpm
3.0".........138.............184 gpm
4”...........234.............313 gpm
 
Just follow the 8 ft/sec rule for the returns and it should be fine.

For the pool returns, I would do 2 separate 2.5" returns that split into (2) 1.5" returns going to the walls.

For the spa jets, do a single line to near the spa and then split in a way that balances the flow to the jets.
 
It looks like there are 5 on the drawing.

4 should be plenty. More won't hurt, but probably won't help much.

For filtration, you don't need to worry about turnover.

You will probably never need to go above 40 gpm and that's only if you have something like a 400,000 btu/hr heater.

For regular skimming and SWG, 20 gpm is usually fine.

I would do 2 separate return lines at 2" and split to (2) 1.5" lines going to the walls.

The reason for separate lines is so that you can close off one line if it ever developed a leak.
 
For the pool filtration suction, 2.5" should be enough for each line since you have 3 lines.

If you have 2 return lines going to the waterfall, they can be 2.5" each.

Pool returns can be 2" each since you have 2 separate lines.

The bubblers can probably be 2" each since they don't take a huge amount of water.
 

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luckyc1423 said:
I am going to start a Owner Builder thread under construction when i have a few more details sharing the knowledge you gave me incase someone else has similiar profile as my build. i appreciate it!!
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Edit the title of this thread and let us know we will move it to Under Construction. Keeps all this discussion on your pool construction in one thread.
 
Forgot to ask about the air/ What size line are those typically?

do i just run that line directly to the spa where the poly storm gunite body assembly is for the air opening?

Also should i plumb for a booster pump for a cleaner? Current intention is to use a robot
 
One additional question that i dont Think you answered.

for the spa return, do i jeed A dedicated return line or does the returns just come out of the spa jets?
If i remembet Correctly my last pool had a dedicated return line but i cant Remember how the return line was plumbed vs using spa jets in spa mode.

thoughts on this?

do i want The spillover on all the time? If not how do i olumb This so it’s not?
How can i plumb It so i can Regulate the flow over the spillover to get the effect i want? (Just add a ball valve on that return to adjust flow rate or do i adjust RPM’s on the pump to force more water in the pool and spa returns thus making more water spillover.)

notes: the spa spills over into the pool. Last pool the spa always spilled over into the poll
 
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Also this is my return diagram. I am Not sure i fully Understand the loop between heated spa and non heated spa returns.
I did It this way as this is what my last pool had but i don’t understand why. I very Well could have it wrong as I’m looking at old photos and it looks like it was looped but my assumption of being looped might be incorrect so best to ask everyone what is the best way to do the spa returns. If the loop is correct, then it’s just there to bypass the chlorine feeder? Any point to this?

as technically i couod Remove one of the returns and just put actuator on the only spa return to force it in spa mode for heat (to not heat the pool)

thoughts?

my actuators will be intellivalves if this helps to determine the spa returns/spillovers.

@JamesW
 

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luckyc1423 said:
do i want The spillover on all the time? If not how do i olumb This so it’s not?
How can i plumb It so i can Regulate the flow over the spillover to get the effect i want?
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For the spillover, my pool was plumbed with a two-way valve that bypasses the spa/pool return valve. When in pool mode, I can open or close this valve to control spillover. In the photo, spa return goes right, pool return left. The two-way valve is closest to the heater.
Spa Make up.JPG
 

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