Moving/Replacing all Pool equipment

[PHXAZ]

Hello,

I just bought a foreclosed home in Phoenix,AZ. The last occupants of the house removed all of the pool equipment. So all I have is pipes sticking up out of the ground. I have a few things that I would like to discuss. First, I want to find out what each line does. Second, I'd like to move the equipment about 25 feet down the side of my house. Where the equipment is currenlty located, is on the Master bedroom wall that my headboard sits on. I don't want to hear the pump run all night long.

Here is what I can tell you....

It's apprx. 18000 gallon pebble tec pool that has a waterfall feature and 4 jets located in the cool decking (two on each side of the pool) that I believe shoot four foutains of water into the center of the pool. It has two maindrains at the bottom of the pool, it has two eyeball ( returns? I think) two suctions ( I think) at the low end , an airader (SP?) and the skimmer.

The distance from the waterfall ( the furthest distance) to the current pool equipment area is 75-80ft with one 90 degree turn in the plumbing.

At the equipment pad I have seven lines that are cut right after they come out of the ground at the equipment pad. 2 (1 1/2 inch ) 2 ( 2 inch ) and 3 ( 3/4 inch ).


Here is what I was able to come up with on what they do by running water thru them.

2" Skimmer/ Main drain
2" Waterfall return

1 1/2" Left side low end , not sure if this is suction or a return line
1 1/2" Right side low end , not sure if this is suction or a return line

3/4" Right side deck foutain
3/4" Left side deck foutain

3/4" Airator (sp) -

I did not see any water out of the eye balls at midpool. Is this because of pressure? I assume that these are return ports. Correct?
Also, as i was running the water thru the lines, do I have only one line that runs from the pool to the filter? That 2" Skimmer/Main drain or is one of the 1 1/2" lines in the lowend a pool to filter line?
Will the distance the equipment is be a factor for the deck jet?

I would like to set up a Sand Filter with a salt system and I'd like to install it myself. The plumbing I can handle and I will sub. out the electrical.

Will a run of 100-150ft from the equipment to the pool ( depending on where I place the equipment) be a factor?

Any suggestions on equipment to buy? I'll need everything from valves to timers.


Thanks for your help in advance.....

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

Having long pipe runs will somewhat reduce the overall efficiency of your system, but it can still work just fine. You can partially compensate for the loss of efficiency by using pipes that are slightly larger than they need to be, increase the diameter on each pipe size by 1/2" for the additional run.

If you have one pipe that leads to several outlets in the pool in sequence, running water through the pipe could well cause water to come out the first outlet in the sequence, without any water coming out the subsequent outlets. To test for this you will need to plug up the outlet the water does come out of and see if it then comes out somewhere else.

Generally all of the suction lines are merged together at the pad, run through the pump and filter and then split out to all of the return lines. Sometimes a second pump is used for the waterfall and/or deck jets and every now and then the second pump has it's own suction lines, though usually it shares suction line(s) with the circulation pump.

To properly size your pump and filter you will need to get some idea of what flow rate the deck jets require and how much flow you want to run to the waterfall. Alternatively, you could get a variable speed pump, which will allow you to adjust the flow as needed to get the effect you want and also saves on electricity.

For a fixed speed pump I am fond of the Pentair WhisperFlo line. For a variable speed pump the Pentair IntelliFlo is excellent. There are many good filters. You need to decide what kind of filter you want, cartridge or sand or DE. Then try to get a filter that is larger than you really need. Larger filters increase the efficiency of the system and don't need to be backwashed/cleaned as often.

 

[PHXAZ]

Welcome to TFP!

Having long pipe runs will somewhat reduce the overall efficiency of your system, but it can still work just fine. You can partially compensate for the loss of efficiency by using pipes that are slightly larger than they need to be, increase the diameter on each pipe size by 1/2" for the additional run..

So, can I replum the 3/4" deck jets to 1 1/2" pipe and get better performance? I have trenched from the pool Eq. pad back to the base of the lowend ( where the pipe runs under the cool deck). Will it be OK to run 1 1/2" then drop to 3/4" on the last 15 ft of run under the cook deck?

.[/quote]If you have one pipe that leads to several outlets in the pool in sequence, running water through the pipe could well cause water to come out the first outlet in the sequence, without any water coming out the subsequent outlets. To test for this you will need to plug up the outlet the water does come out of and see if it then comes out somewhere else..[/quote]

Ahh good idea. Now how can I tell if a run is for suction or return? I have one 2" line from the skimmer/main that I know is a suction line. How can I determine if I have any other suction lines?

[/quote]Generally all of the suction lines are merged together at the pad, run through the pump and filter and then split out to all of the return lines. Sometimes a second pump is used for the waterfall and/or deck jets and every now and then the second pump has it's own suction lines, though usually it shares suction line(s) with the circulation pump.

To properly size your pump and filter you will need to get some idea of what flow rate the deck jets require and how much flow you want to run to the waterfall. Alternatively, you could get a variable speed pump, which will allow you to adjust the flow as needed to get the effect you want and also saves on electricity.

For a fixed speed pump I am fond of the Pentair WhisperFlo line. For a variable speed pump the Pentair IntelliFlo is excellent. There are many good filters. You need to decide what kind of filter you want, cartridge or sand or DE. Then try to get a filter that is larger than you really need. Larger filters increase the efficiency of the system and don't need to be backwashed/cleaned as often.[/quote]

I will be operating a sand filter - looking at the Triton 30in TR100 - Do you think this will be big enough for my needs?

http://www.poolsaz.com/ProductDetails.a ... ode=140210

Do you think $537 is a good price?

I am leaning towards the Intelliflo VS3050 pump because of the operating savings. Since it's a variable speed pump should I be concerned what the flow rates the deck jets require and how much flow is needed to run to the waterfall?

http://www.h2opoolproducts.com/product_ ... ts_id=1023

Do you think $880 is a good price?

Also I want to add a SWG system. Any that you recommend? I have not done much research on the SWG's yet.

This is a great website, that is filled with a ton of information. I'm having fun navigating my way through it all.

Thanks in advance for you assistance.

Ed

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, replacing as much pipe as you can with larger diameter pipe will help improve the efficiency of your system, even if some of the smaller pipe remains under the deck. Pipe is relatively inexpensive, most of the cost of plumbing is digging the trenches and making the connections. That means that larger pipe is only a little more expensive than having any pipe at all and so is generally a good investment.

The only real difference between suction and returns is the kind of fitting on the pool. Drains and skimmers are suction fittings, return eyeballs are return fittings. Sometimes there is a dedicated pool cleaner line, which can be hooked up either way depending on what kind of cleaner you have.

The Triton 30in TR100 should be fine. I have seen one for $467 at <http://www.h2opoolproducts.com/product_info.php?products_id=561>, though they get rather mixed reviews as a vendor.

$880 is a good price for an IntelliFlo. I have seen it for just a little less than that from some Internet vendors I wouldn't necessarily trust.

 

[PHXAZ]

Yes, replacing as much pipe as you can with larger diameter pipe will help improve the efficiency of your system, even if some of the smaller pipe remains under the deck. Pipe is relatively inexpensive, most of the cost of plumbing is digging the trenches and making the connections. That means that larger pipe is only a little more expensive than having any pipe at all and so is generally a good investment.

The only real difference between suction and returns is the kind of fitting on the pool. Drains and skimmers are suction fittings, return eyeballs are return fittings. Sometimes there is a dedicated pool cleaner line, which can be hooked up either way depending on what kind of cleaner you have.

The Triton 30in TR100 should be fine. I have seen one for $467 at <http://www.h2opoolproducts.com/product_info.php?products_id=561>, though they get rather mixed reviews as a vendor.

$880 is a good price for an IntelliFlo. I have seen it for just a little less than that from some Internet vendors I wouldn't necessarily trust.

I have decided that since I am moving the pool equipment further away from the pool I will increase the diameter of the deck jets to 1 1/2".

Trenching is already done, so it makess it a no brainer.

Here is a picture of the suction or return lines that I'm not sure of. They are in the lowend and have a threaded fitting. Does this help to determine what they are for?

 

[JasonLion]

Those look like standard 1 1/2" threaded return fittings, the place you would screw in the return eyeball. However, it is kind of strange to see two so close together.