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[Will419]

Well after several mind numbing weeks and several "pool contractors" I think I have found a winner. Need to demo a back porch area and then the build will start. Pool builder taking care of everything that is "pool" and I am subbing out the rest. Looking forward to the process but not some of the headaches.

So here we go...

GENERAL POOL SPECIFICATIONS:

SIZE: 15'6"x29'6"- 401 sq.ft
SHAPE: Freeform (as per print)
DEPTH: 3'"-6’(water depth)
STRUCTURAL WALL: 12” Bond Beam with 6” Wall(commercial specifications)
DECK/COPING: Beamonly (cantilever)
TILE: 6x6tile 85 LFT (stock color of choice, $5 per ft² allowance)
INTERIOR FINISH: KrystalKrete (TBD) or stock colors
STEPS/BENCH: 1- set of Steps
SWIMOUTS: 1- 6linear foot

SUNBAY:

1-6'x8'


POOL EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS:

FILTER: PENTAIRClean & Clear filter 160340
PUMP: PENTAIR Intelliflo var. speed 3hp pump 11018
CONTROLLER: PENTAIR EasyTouch 4 Relay IC-40 Salt Cell520593
POOL CLEANER: PENTAIR RACER Cleaner 360228 w/booster pump LA-MS05
MAIN DRAIN: 2-8’’ round (to meet or exceed Virginia Graeme Baker Act)
SKIMMERS: 2
RETURNS: 3-4
LIGHT(s): 2- PENTAIR multicolor LED Globrite 619994
AUTOMATIC CLEANER: see options
AUTO WATER LEVELER: 1 (overflow also included basedon appropriate elevation)
POOL MAINTENANCEKIT: Vac Head PS527, Vac PolePS132S, Wall Brush R111646, &Test Kit R151186
PLUMBING SPECIFICATIONS:
Pipe and fittings forcirculation, skimmer, main drain, and filter equipment will be schedule 40 PVCwith minimum 2” suction side plumbing. Pool will be plumbed for automatic poolcleaner.
STEEL SPECIFICATIONS:
All required steel will beconfigured by a professional structural engineer. Grade 60 rebar (commercialspecifications) will be used in all installations.




I have added a water feature on the inward radius at the transition from shallow to deep end. Will be a spillway type with matching tile.


This is my yard that it will go into. The back screened in porch is the demo. Open air with clear span from corner to corner. Pool edge is 10' from roof line.




Any thoughts, comments or suggestions are welcome.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I am not a big fan of pressure side cleaners. I think they're often more trouble than they're worth and they require an extra booster pump which is just more wasted electricity. If you can't afford a robotic cleaner (and they are definitely pricey), then I would prefer a suction-side cleaner (Pentair makes a suction side cleaner called the Rebel) and then at least you get a dedicated vacuum port in your pool that can be used for manual vacuuming. I like dedicated vacuum ports because they are easier to use then trying to plug into a skimmer port.

The GloBrites have a smaller optical cone angle than the AmerBrite lights (which are adjustable in their field) so that might affect how well lit the pool is.

Make sure the plumbing shows that the main drain and skimmers are independently run to the pad, nothing tied in series. Also, PB's grouse about this all the time, but have your returns on a full loop of pipe as opposed to a single pipe run with a dead end. It uses more PVC that way but it also lowers the head loss a little. Most PBs don't like to do it and it's not necessary, but it is the optimal approach. Other plumbing ideas would be to use only Jandy 3-way, shutoff and check-valves. The check-valves are especially important because the standard SCH40 PVC check valves are NOT serviceable whereas the Jandy ones are. You want to make your equipment pad as serviceable as possible. Another thing is to make sure your pumps get attached with unions so that equipment can be removed without having to cut PVC. Many plumbers will just straight glue pipe into as many spots as possible making equipment removal difficult.

You have no heater listed? Do you plan to not use your pool in the cooler months? Depending on utility rates and if you have gas at your house, you may want to consider heating your pool otherwise the water will cool fairly quickly in the elbow months and no one likes to swim when the water temps drop much below 78F.

I'm sure others will have more thoughts.

Good luck on your build,

Matt

 

[smforte]

Nothing to add but always like to welcome a fellow Alabamian! Love the design!!

 

[Will419]

Thanks Matt. I went with the pressure side due to the large amounts of leaves that will blow in. There is a tree line right behind my house that will clog a suction side basket in no time, same thing for a robot.

Good info on the Jandys.

No heater at this time, here in Bama we have the hot season and the freezing season. Water temps are in the 80's well into October. I have some friends with solar and they extended "swimming season" a month on the front and back sides. It will be plumbed for that to be added should I need it later.


smforte.... war eagle!

 

[WASP]

War Eagle!

Formaly from Mobile.

 

[MarianParoo]

That's a big pump! Is it for your cleaner too somehow?

I think you should be able to get a robot for less..

 

[Will419]

OK..... met with the PB and I changed the design (again), just a little this time. I need some guidance here so please help (and yes I have read every thread here I could find on the subject)..... pressure side cleaner or robot?

Fair amount of leaves will get in the pool but nothing crazy. I am going to have it plumbed for a pressure side either way I go but to start I can have a robot (mid range) or a cleaner and booster pump for the same money. Thoughts? Experiences?

Here is the new shape and water feature....

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You know me, I'm a broken record on the subject. Ditch the pressure line, get a dedicated vacuum line instead and go with a mid range robot. A dedicated vacuum line will get a lot more use than a unused pressure side port which isn't even a real return because they are typically a smaller diameter PVC pipe than a standard pool return. So, in effect, an unused pressure side port is pretty much a useless pipe of water in your pool (read : perfect place for algae and bacteria to grow in).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[pooldv]

We went with a pressure cleaner because we have LOTS of trees. It is OK, not great. Robots are all the rage these days. The real key for us on controlling tree debris spring and fall is our variable speed pump running 24x7 so stuff gets skimmed and doesn't sink. We run the pump at 1100 rpm and it only uses 150w which costs us less than 12 bucks a month.

 

[Helen203]

I like it, glad you preserved the circular shelf because I strongly believe in geometry. And I like a water feature. We are plumbed for a Polaris 360 and will get one with our contract, but we are going to buy a robot in Spring, too. Which one are you getting?

 

[Will419]

Contract calls for a pentair racer, pressure side with a brush and really cool blue led headlights lol. PB will give me $1250 back for not getting it and the booster pump. I will have a vs 3hp so I can also run a long time to skim everything. For $1250 I can get a decent robot. He said he will plumb with unions in case in case I change my mind. Never had a robot but the electricity savings has me very interested.

Matt, is the dedicated vacum line only for vacuuming? Does the water waste out or into the filter?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The dedicated vacuum line runs my suction-side cleaner and I use it for manual vacuuming as well. The port is a standard vacuum wall port with 2" PVC pipe and the other end of line runs to the suction side of my pump with a Jandy valve to throttle the flow. So all vacuuming goes into the filter. I have a DE filter with a standard push-pull backwash valve (no vacuum to waste option).

I think even if you get a pressure line, you should still also get a dedicated vacuum line. A vacuum line is cheap to install but it can only be done at build time. If not, then your only option for manual vacuuming is to plug the vacuum hose into the skimmer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[Will419]

Finally contract is signed and the plans are finalized. They came and painted the dig lines today (rip sprinkler system). Digging should begin Tuesday.

Also demo on the screened in porch was finished. Pulled out the middle support and went with a clear span.

 

[kimkats]

Nice project! How are you feeling about it when you see the paint? I bet you could take a neat picture from the upper windows! Hint, hint! LOL

Kim

 

[Will419]

Should have stopped at the paint.

Digging started today and before my coffee at work could get cold I get a call from the PB..... We have a problem. Hit drain field lines from the septic that are not supposed to be there. According to the drawings from the Health Department the lines are 75 feet from the pool, according to real life they run right through the middle of the pool. Trying to get ahold of the Septic Installer to get him and the Health Department out there to figure out what went wrong. Its surely going to cost me a pretty penny while everyone else points fingers. Meh.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Ugh. Sorry to hear that.

On my property all of the critical services run right through the middle of our backyard then hang a left and hug the foundation until they get to the front garage area. Stupidest waste of pipe and wire imaginable as the developer could have gone straight through the front of the property and saved themselves about 200' of run length!!

Here's hoping you can get that cleared up quickly

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[kimkats]

NO! I have a sad for you I am hoping they did not break the line!

Kim

 

[JamieP]

I'm so sorry to hear of this happening for you. What a nightmare! We had to show proper setback from our aerobic sprinkler system as part of the permitting for the pool, and fortunately when we dug, everything was located where it should be, but it would have been horrible to encounter what you did. I hope your septic is at least still functional right now and they didn't damage it.

 

[Will419]

OK so they got the field line repaired and re-routed. Finished the dig with no other issues. Dropped in some rock and are busy little beavers. No toilet back-up yet ad all looks well..... Maybe this was the set back on day 1 and everything else is trouble free....right? Right?

 

[karynkjd]

I love the shape, and happy the setback was handled relatively quickly.