What would you do if you had my situation?

[Lykly]

First of all, I want to thank everybody for all the help I have received here. It has been extremely helpful. I have a few other threads going on topics all over the place since I am a newbie and had a variety of questions concerning lots of things. What I hope to do here is kind of lay my situation out totally with pictures and see what experienced people would recommend I do. Some know a little little bit about my situation but I will explain it here so everybody understands what I'm asking.

I recently bought a home with a pool, I have never owned a pool before. I am going to guess the pool is 16 to 18,000 gallons, it is an inground gunite chlorine pool. The filter has two elements inside it. As soon as the weather cooperates I will have it re-plastered, I think I have that covered after reading about that here. My dilemma is if I should go to a salt water generator or use what I have and stay with chlorine, but in either case is there a better way to set up the system I've got? Currently I have three separate pumps as you can see in the pictures. One pump runs the waterfall and fountain in the wading pool. That pump is turned on and off with switches inside my home along with the pool lights. One pump runs filtration, and one pump runs the booster for the cleaner. These pumps are run from an electronic timer switch on the side of my house. The cleaner is also pictured, when it was running it was always tangled and did not seem to work as it would always be on its side. It may have to do with the hose attachments being old and or cold. I am seriously considering just getting rid of it and getting a good robot. The pump that runs it would then not be use and seems like it has been replaced recently by looking at it. I guess what I am wondering, if I don't go with a salt water generator, with my current set up how could I rig something up to automatically add chlorine, without using tablets which will get my stabilizer to high? After seeing my situation, if it were you, what would you do if you were replastering and basically starting over? Would you keep the same equipment or would you do something different? I just really want to get this right and have a enjoyable pool that is as much self supportive as possible without spending a fortune on total automation. I was all set to buy a salt water generator, but I have had people tell me it can hurt your surrounding pool surfaces and other things, and then I have people tell me they are great, so I am very confused. There is also a little power box out there that I have no idea what it is for. The motor that is on the side of filter by itself runs the booster pump, the two motors on the other side, the outside one runs the water features the other runs the filtration. Please see all the pictures, sorry for such a long thread.

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[woodyp]

What type of apron surrounds the pool? Is it poured smooth concrete or stone of some sort? If it's not a very soft stone, I'd go with a SWG.

 

[kimkats]

You ALREADY have a SWG! Look at this!

http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/IntelliChlorElectronicChlorineGenerator520589J.pdf

That is what that box is that says intelliChlore

Happy day! Now to see if it works! I do not have one and am still learning how they work so I will leave it up to others to help you out with it. I hope the manual helps some.

I would LOVE to see a whole picture of the pool. That looks like a neat set up!

Kim

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

If the apron is concrete and you have the option to install a SWCG, go with the SWCG.

Kim's right about the intelliChlore, I see the box but I don't see a unit in the plumbing ??

 

[Jimrahbe]

Lykly,

You "had" a SWCG, but it appears to have been removed. What remains is the Power Supply for a Pentair Salt Water Chlorine Generator (SWCG). BTW, a Salt Water Pool is still a Chlorine pool, you just get the chlorine from the SWCG and salt vs. adding chlorine from some other source.

Another option is to use a Stenner Liquid Chlorine pump. A lot of people here have them.

If me, I'd go back to using a SWCG and I'd get rid of the Pressure cleaner and go with a Robot.


Jim R.

 

[Lykly]

I think the realtor said that it used to have a SWG and a heater and that they were removed. I can see the cement pad and the gas line where the heater used to be, there is definitely no salt water generator in the system. I will take a picture tomorrow when it is light outside and show you the entire pool. So if I want to install a salt water generator, it appears the power source is there? I am definitely going to go with a robot. I wish I was not so confused.


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[Divin Dave]

Here is my .02 - as your title says... "If I were in your situation"

I would replace the filter pump with at least a 2 speed pump. Will save considerable amount of money on the light bill each month. If I had the funds, upgrade to Variable Speed because of the cool features they have.

Next, I would install a SWG system. Your coping and deck are brick and concrete. There is no danger of the saltwater eroding that. (even if I did have soft stone which is suceptable to accelerated erosion due to salt, I would seal it which would solve that problem.) I would also wire the SWG to a timer which is seperate from the pump. This for maximum flexibility and control over your FC level. You could use the one your cleaner is hooked up to now.

Next, I would scrap the cleaner you have and get a robot.

If I had the money, I would replace the filter too. Nothing wrong with that one, other than it's somewhat unattractive. At least replace the pressure gauge on that filter with a glycerin filled one from tftestkits.net (about 12 dollars).

Next, I would have all of the coping and all of the deck thruoughly power washed and cleaned and then the concrete sealed so it will stay looking nice and be much easier to clean than unsealed concrete. It would look great to go along with your new plaster.

Thats what I would do.

Since you mentioned it, if you elect not to go SWG, you could install an automatic liquid chlorine feeding system.
You could build your own using a stenner pump and a container for the bleach, or buy one.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Lykly,

I'd do a little research on SWCG systems before thinking about using the existing Pentair power supply. One, you have no idea if it works or not, and two, a Pentair might not be your best option. I have a Pentair SWCG and love it, but I also have a control system that makes using it and a VS pump easier to set up and control.

I can understand being confused, but buying a SWCG right away is not something you have to do. I'd take your time and decide which brand SWCG would work best for you. In the meantime, just add chlorine (bleach) manually. Takes about five minutes every couple of days. I may have missed it, but how are you testing your pool water now?

Jim R.

 

[tim5055]

Here is my .02 - as your title says... "If I were in your situation"

I would replace the filter pump with at least a 2 speed pump. Will save considerable amount of money on the light bill each month. If I had the funds, upgrade to Variable Speed because of the cool features they have.

Next, I would install a SWG system. Your coping and deck are brick and concrete. There is no danger of the saltwater eroding that. (even if I did have soft stone which is suceptable to accelerated erosion due to salt, I would seal it which would solve that problem.) I would also wire the SWG to a timer which is seperate from the pump. This for maximum flexibility and control over your FC level. You could use the one your cleaner is hooked up to now.

Next, I would scrap the cleaner you have and get a robot.

If I had the money, I would replace the filter too. Nothing wrong with that one, other than it's somewhat unattractive. At least replace the pressure gauge on that filter with a glycerin filled one from tftestkits.net (about 12 dollars).

Next, I would have all of the coping and all of the deck thruoughly power washed and cleaned and then the concrete sealed so it will stay looking nice and be much easier to clean than unsealed concrete. It would look great to go along with your new plaster.

Thats what I would do.

Since you mentioned it, if you elect not to go SWG, you could install an automatic liquid chlorine feeding system.
You could build your own using a stenner pump and a container for the bleach, or buy one.

This save me some typing ^^^^^^^^What he said!!!^^^^^^^^^

 

[Lykly]

Thank you everyone, to answer the above question about what I am doing currently.... absolutely nothing. I am not doing any maintenance whatsoever, since the water will be drained. It is going to be replastered it it is much too cold to use where I live. I just have to have a game plan after it's been re-plastered. I have a very good pressure washer myself, so I will take the advice and pressure wash everything, I'm guessing to seal it just rolled on or does it have to be professionally sprayed on? When I replaster, there will also be new mastic applied. I am still a bit confused on replacing a single speed with a two speed pump, will that not require some sort of Control Panel or automation? I can't imagine I can just change it out... something has to tell the pump what speed to run at, correct? I agree the filter is a ugly sight, good news is you cannot see it at all unless you walk around the shrubs to get to it.


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[Lykly]

As requested here are a few more pictures, a couple of my pool. I wonder what the capped off pipe on the right might be? (Last pic)

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[Lykly]

One more, where there used to be a obvious gas heater.

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[kimkats]

My two speed pump has a switch I toggle back and forth for High speed and Low speed.

The sealer you can do. Do a search on the TFP search button (upper right corner) to find threads about that.

That is a pretty pool set up. The property is awesome! How much do you have? I love the trees.

Kim

 

[JoyfulNoise]

If you ditch the booster pump / pressure cleaner, then you have the control timers necessary for running a 2-speed pump. One timer would turn on your low speed for a set number of hours each day, and the other timer can be used to control when the pump kicks into high speed. For example, you would set your master pool timer to run from 8am-5pm on low speed. Then the secondary, or slave timer, would turn on the high speed from 11am-2pm. The first timer controls overall "ON" time for the pump and the second timer controls when the high speed runs. Easy-peasy.....(now try looking at an Intermatic wiring diagram for that type of setup and tell me it doesn't make your eye's go wobbly....).

I agree, punt on the SWG until you are ready.

Is that a gas line I see?? So you can also consider adding a heater option to your fantasy pool remodel

- - - Updated - - -

Any idea what that capped off 2" PVC pipe goes to??

 

[Lykly]

Kimkats: 1.1 acres. We love the yard and the pool, even though we've never been in it yet!

JoyfulNoise:
I was wondering the same thing about that capped off PVC. Maybe that's where the salt water generator used to be? You can see in the plumbing next to it there's also a reducer with a plug in it, maybe they use to tie together? I am pretty sure not only did this pool used to have a heater, obviously from the gas line, but because of that power supply I am pretty convinced it also used to have a salt water generator, both which are now gone. Maybe that's where the salt water generator was plumbed in?
Maybe not since the plug is hooked into the pump that runs the water features only.

I have definitely made up my mind to get rid of the pressure driven cleaner, I already don't like it. I will get a robot, not sure which one I would like suggestions on that as well. What kind do you all have?



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[JoyfulNoise]

I have a suction-side cleaner. Others with robots will have to advise you better. I doubt the SWG was plumbed into that deprecated 2" line. Typically the SWG is cut into the PVC after the filter and heater. You want the SWG cell to be the last piece of equipment before the water returns to the pool. So when they took out the heater, they like took out the SWG too and then just ran a new straight section of PVC from the filter to the return lines.

If you ditch the pressure cleaner, you're still going to have that 3/4" PVC line that either has to be replumbed so that water flows through it OR it has to be sealed at the pool and capped at the pad. The last thing you want is a dead line with stagnant water in it.

Another question -

1. Why is the pressure side of your pool pump split at the filter input? Currently your valve setting has all of the water going in to your filter, which is as it should be. What's that other line at the two-way valve for? Any idea where that goes?

 

[Lykly]

If I open the valve to that line, it runs all the way to the front of my property to an open ended pipe that drains into a drainage ditch. I can literally pump the pool dry with that. I think you can somehow be manipulated the valves to actually black flush the filter out that pipe as well. I only know this because I was messing with it and realized when I opened it up a little pop up cover like a French drain lid popped up down by the front and I could see the water coming out. LOL we had a big rain a couple weeks ago, and I actually lowered my pool a few inches with it. It went surprisingly fast.


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[JoyfulNoise]

If I open the valve to that line, it runs all the way to the front of my property to an open ended pipe that drains into a drainage ditch. I can literally pump the pool dry with that. I think you can somehow be manipulated the valves to actually black flush the filter out that pipe as well. I only know this because I was messing with it and realized when I opened it up a little pop up cover like a French drain lid popped up down by the front and I could see the water coming out. LOL we had a big rain a couple weeks ago, and I actually lowered my pool a few inches with it. It went surprisingly fast.


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Oh, I see. But you have a Sta-Rite cartridge filter. Those types of filter aren't supposed to be back-washed or else you'll damage the filter cartridge. So it looks like that pipe was simply there for draining excess water from the pool. I wonder if that deprecated 2" pipe by the water feature pump is plumbed to the street too?? Hard to know without breaking up the pad and digging down to the pipes.

 

[Lykly]

I guess I don't know, but I can't imagine why he would have two of them going to the street? Not sure if there's anyway to actually find out.


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[Divin Dave]

Pressure washing and sealing are definitely DIY projects. Very easy stuff.
I have one of these rotating surface cleaners for my pressure washer.
Shop Briggs & Stratton Rotating Surface Cleaner for Pressure Washers at Lowes.com no extra fittings are needed to connect it to your power washer wand.
This thing is the bomb! It cleans a 1 ft wide path with one swipe. And does a fine job of it too. What used to take me all day to thuroughly clean now only takes 2 or 3 hours.
Worth 10x the money IMO. You dont have to have one, but I would recommend it so you get more even and thurough cleaning across the concrete surface than you can by using a regular high pressure tip.

Sealing concrete is easy too. Just roll it on with a roller. There are lots of options when it comes to sealer. Solvent or Water based. Glossy, satin or natural finish. You can add non slip additives to it if slipperiness is a concern. Do some googling to learn more about whats available.